What You Need to Know: New Passport Requirements Take Effect October 1, 2007

What are the changes they just made or are about to make in the passport regulations for traveling outside the U.S.?

Starting Oct. 1, U.S. citizens traveling by air to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda must present a passport or other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant documentation to enter or depart from the U.S. WHTI will require all travelers – including U.S. citizens – to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes identity and citizenship upon entry or re-entry into the United States from Central and South America, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada and Mexico.

The Department of Homeland Security strongly recommends that U.S. citizens verify the specific documentary requirements for their destination country.

U.S. citizens who departed the country under this travel accommodation prior to Oct. 1 with a Department of State official proof of passport application receipt and government-issued identification will be readmitted with these same documents if returning to the U.S. after Sept. 30.

In addition, the U.S. Department of State has restored passport service to the standard six to eight weeks of processing time for routine passport applications, and no more than three weeks for expedited service.

For information regarding obtaining a U.S. passport, visit the Web site at www.travel.state.gov.