Important Change in Land & Sea Travel Document Procedures

January 31, 2008

USA: Important Change in International Land and Sea Travel Document Procedures

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reminds the traveling public that U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older should no longer expect that they will be able to prove identity and citizenship by relying on an oral declaration alone. Instead, travelers will be asked to present documents from one of the options below when entering the United States at land or sea ports of entry. Travelers who do not present one of the documents listed below may be delayed as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers attempt to verify their identify and citizenship.

U.S. and Canadian Citizens – Single Document Option:

One of the following documents should be presented to prove both identity and citizenship, as of Jan. 31, 2008:

U.S. or Canadian Passport
U.S. Passport Card (Available spring 2008)*
Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)*
State or Provincial Issued Enhanced Driver’s License (when available – this secure driver’s license will denote identity and citizenship)*
Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)*
U.S. Military Identification with Military Travel Orders
U.S. Merchant Mariner Document
Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card
Form I-872 American Indian Card
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Card

* Frequent Land Border Crossers – To expedite processing into the United States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends using one of the above asterisked documents.

U.S. and Canadian Citizens – Two Document Option:

All U.S. and Canadian citizens who do not have one of the documents from the list above must present both an identification and citizenship document from each of the lists below.

Identification Documents*

Driver’s license or identification card issued by a federal, state, provincial, county, territory or municipal authority
U.S. or Canadian military identification card

* All identification documents must have a photo, name, and date of birth.

Citizenship Documents

U.S., or Canadian birth certificate issued by a federal, state, provincial, county, territory, or municipal authority
U.S. Consular report of birth abroad
U.S. Certificate of Naturalization
U.S. Certificate of Citizenship
U.S. Citizen Identification Card
Canadian Citizenship Card
Canadian certificate of citizenship without photo

U.S. and Canadian Citizens – Procedures for Children

Also, effective on Jan. 31, 2008, U.S. and Canadian citizen children ages 18 and under will be expected to present a birth certificate issued by a federal, state, provincial, county, or municipal authority.

For Travelers other than U.S. and Canadian Citizens

All existing nonimmigrant visa and passport requirements will remain in effect and will not be altered by the changes that are implemented on Jan. 31, 2008. U.S. lawful permanent residents will be required to present a Permanent Resident Card (I-551) or other valid evidence of lawful permanent residence. Mexican citizens, including children, must present a valid passport and a B-1/B-2 nonimmigrant visa or a Border Crossing Card.

Know Your Destination – Country Document Requirements

It is strongly recommended that all travelers leaving the U.S. verify the specific documentary requirements for their destination country. This information is available through www.travel.state.gov, or by consulting with the Embassy of the country you are visiting.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will begin the transition to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative secure document requirement over the next 18 months, with implementation as early as June 1, 2009.

Travelers are encouraged to visit www.cbp.gov for updates on travel information.

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Press release, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, January 31, 2008