New US Passport Requirements

As you are probably already aware, the new US Passport requirements came into effect on Tuesday, January 23. The recent change required travelers to possess passports when they fly between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

However, U.S. citizens still do not need a passport if they’re traveling to one of the numerous U.S. territories. These include Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island and the Northern Mariana Islands.

This new Passport requirement is actually the first of two phases of passport reforms. The changes are under the two part “Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.” The second part of the Passport reform will require a passport, on January 1, 2008, for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Mexico, Canada, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

So most travelers will undoubtedly need a Passport, unless you plan on staying within US borders for the rest of your life (In which case, stop reading this blog). So to refresh, here are the guidelines from the State Department.

Travelers will have to apply in person for a passport if they…

• Have never had a passport.
• Have an expired U.S. passport more than fifteen years old.
• No longer have in possession their expired U.S. Passport
• Have a valid U.S. passport that has disappeared (lost).
• Possess a Passport that was issued when they were younger than 16 years old.

If you’ve had a passport before, hopefully you can it through the snail mail. You know if you can if you…

• Possess an undamaged, recent passport, issued within the last fifteen years.
• Received the Passport when you were older than sixteen.
• Have not legally changed your name since you got your Passport.

So make sure you have your passport up to date so you will not be blind sided by the new restrictions in your future travels.

[tags]Passport[/tags]