2006 Press Releases
New U.S. Passport Requirement for Air Travel to take effect January 2007
November 22, 2006
Beginning January 23, 2007, citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda will be required to present a passport to enter (or re-enter) the United States when arriving by air from any part of the Western Hemisphere. This requirement will go into effect 60 days after the final rule for the air phase Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is published in the Federal Register, which will take place on November 24.
While United States citizens are currently required to have passports to enter most countries in Central and South America, this rule makes clear that the passport must be presented upon return by air to the United States as well. Under this rule, citizens of Mexico, Canada, and Bermuda will now have to have a passport when entering the United States by air. U.S. citizens who are planning travel abroad should apply for a passport at their earliest convenience. Information is available at http://travel.state.gov/ or by calling 1-877-487-2778. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for processing of the passport application.
As early as January 1, 2008, U.S. citizens traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), could be required to present a valid U.S. passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security.
Currently, American citizens need only show proof citizenship (such a birth certificate) and identity (a driver’s license, for instance) for air travel to the United States from the Western Hemisphere.
Approximately 70 million citizens hold U.S. passports, an estimated 25 percent of the population overall. The Department of Homeland Security estimates that 69 percent of U.S. travelers to Canada, 58 percent to Mexico, and 75 percent to the Caribbean already have passports.
The Department has hired staff and dedicated resources to meet the increased passport demand generated by this requirement. In Fiscal Year 2006, the Department issued a record 12.1 million passports, and anticipates issuing 16 million in Fiscal Year 2007.