• Introduction
  • Contents
• Worldwide Travel Tips
  • Traveler Checklist
  • Things To Know
  • Key Phrases to Know
  • Hotel Safety Tips
  • Hotel Ratings
  • Cultural Awareness
  • Tipping Guidelines
  • Credit Card Info
  • Currency Conversions
  • International Size Chart
  • Holidays by Country
• Travel Supplier Information
  • Airline Companies
  • Car Rental Companies
  • Cruise Lines
  • Hotel Companies
  • Rail Companies
  • Tour Operators
• References
  • Airport Codes, United States
  • Airport Codes, International
  • Country Codes
  • International Dialing Codes
  • Travel Times
  • International Time Zones
  • CCRA GDS Booking Instructions
  • Embassies and Consulates
  • Government Tourism Offices
  • Passport Information
  • Metric Conversion Chart
  • Industry Acronyms
  • 2008 Calendar

Passport Information

 

Complete information for obtaining or renewing a U.S. Passport is available at http://travel.state.gov.

2008 U.S. Passport Requirements Update

• Effective January 31, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), are required to present a valid passport, and a government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license or proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, or present a WHTI-compliant document.
• At a later date in the summer of 2008, full requirements of the land and sea phase of Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will be implemented. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have either a U.S. passport; a U.S. passport card – still under development; a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, FAST, or SENTRI; a valid Merchant Mariner Document (MMD) when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or a valid U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders.

Travel Documents for U.S. Citizens Under Western HemisphereTravel Initiative (WHTI)

• U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, and may also use a U.S. passport when traveling via sea and land borders (including ferry crossings).
• The Passport Card (also referred to as the PASS Card): This limited-use passport in card format is under development for 2007, and will be available for use for travel only via land or sea (including ferries) between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. Similar in size to a credit card, it will fit easily into a wallet.
• DOS and DHS also anticipate that the following documents will continue to be acceptable for their current travel uses under WHTI: SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST, and the U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document. As proposed, members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty traveling on orders will continue to be exempt from the passport requirement.

Fact Sheets Available

For current passport requirements, or Fact Sheets, visit http://travel.state.gov and click on International Travel.

Emergency 24-Hour Passport Requests

Life or Death Emergencies involve serious illness, injury, or death in your immediate family that require you to travel within 24 to 48 hours to a country that requires a passport. Customers must appear in person at a passport agency for emergency service and documentation of the emergency may be requested.

Travelers may call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (TTY/TDD 1-888-874-7793) to schedule an appointment at the nearest Passport Agency.

An automated appointment system is accessible every day, 24 hours a day. If calling from 7:00 a.m. to 12 midnight, ET, Monday-Friday, except federal holidays, callers may also follow instructions to speak to a Customer Service Representative (CSR) for guidance. If calling on a weekend, federal holiday, or during hours the CSRs are not available, and there is no appointment offered that will meet your emergency needs, call 202-647-4000 and explain your situation to the operator.

Source: http://travel.state.gov/passport/fri/faq/faq_1741.html#emergency