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From The Press Room
- Improvements to Entry Process
- DHS Announces Pre-Travel Authorization Program
- WHTI Land/Sea Final Rule Announced
Homeland Security Components
More from Homeland Security
- Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
- Background: U.S. Land Border Crossing Updated Procedures
- Enhanced Drivers Licenses: What Are They?
- REAL ID
Related Resources
Crossing U.S. Borders
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- U.S. Citizens
- Lawful Permanent Residents
- International Citizens
- Specific Populations and Situations
- Presenting Insufficient Documentation
- Trusted Traveler Programs
U.S. Citizens
Air Travel
All U.S. citizens including children must present a passport or secure travel document when entering the United States by air.
Land/Sea Travel
Beginning January 31, 2008, the United States will end the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship at the border.
- U.S. citizens ages 19 and older must present documentation that proves both identity and citizenship. Identification documents must include a photo, name and date of birth. View the complete list of acceptable documents at CBP.gov for land travel and sea travel.
- Children ages 18 and under will only be required to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.
- U.S. citizens can also apply for a U.S. Passport Card, which facilitates entry and expedites document processing at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. The card may not be used to travel by air. Otherwise, it carries the rights and privileges of the U.S. passport book and is adjudicated to the exact same standards.
- More information for specific populations and situations
Background: U.S. Land Border Crossing Updated Procedures Information on why new border crossing procedures are going into effect.
Get a Passport by visiting the State Department’s travel Web site, or call the U.S. National Passport Information Center: (877) 4USA-PPT; TDD/TTY: (888) 874-7793.
Get a birth certificate by contacting your state's vital records office. (National Center for Health Statistics)
Pleasure and Business Travel for U.S. Residents. (CBP)
Know Before You Go. (CBP) Travel regulations for U.S. residents. As an international traveler, you should be aware of the rules for bringing items back from your trip.
Lawful Permanent Residents
Air Travel
All travelers including children must present a passport or secure travel document when entering the United States by air.
Land/Sea Travel
Lawful permanent residents may continue to present their Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card. More information available at CBP.gov.
International Citizens
Air Travel
All international visitors regardless of country of origin must present a passport or secure document when entering the United States by air.
US-VISIT biometric procedures apply to international travelers holding a non-U.S. passport or visa with these limited exceptions.
Find out how US-VISIT works.
Land/Sea Travel
Canadian Citizens
Beginning January 31, 2008, the United States will end the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship at the border.
- Canadian citizens ages 19 and older must present documentation that proves both identity and citizenship. Identification documents must include a photo, name and date of birth. View the complete list of acceptable documents at CBP.gov.
- Children ages 18 and under will only be required to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.
US-VISIT biometric procedures may apply to some Canadian citizens. Find out if US-VISIT applies to you.
Bermudian Citizens
Beginning January 31, 2008, the United States will end the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship at the border.
- Bermudian citizens must present a passport issued by the Government of Bermuda or the United Kingdom, or government-issued photo identification along with proof of citizenship.
Bermudian citizens are subject to US-VISIT procedures. Find out how US-VISIT works.
Mexican Citizens
Mexican citizens including children, must present a passport with a nonimmigrant visa or a laser visa border crossing card.
US-VISIT biometric procedures may apply to some Mexican citizens. Find out if US-VISIT applies to you.
All Others
Travel Document Requirements - Visitors Traveling Under the Visa Waiver Program International travelers entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Program need to present an e-Passport if their passport was issued on or after October 26, 2006.
US-VISIT. Entry and exit process for visitors requiring a visa, using biometrics such as digital fingerscans and digital photographs, to ensure the person crossing our border is the same person who received the visa.
ESTA Internet-based Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to screen Visa Waiver Program (VWP) applicants prior to traveling to the United States.
e-Passports. The United States requires that travelers entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Program have an e-Passport if their passport was issued on or after October 26, 2006.
Travel For Non-U.S. Citizens (CBP) Information for visitors to the United States that are visiting for the purpose of working, studying, business travel or immigration.
Specific Populations and Situations
Native American Travelers
The Indian and North Affairs Canada Card and Tribal Enrollment Cards with a photo affixed to the card will be accepted during the transition phase.
Members of the Kickapoo Band of Texas and Tribe of Oklahoma would be permitted to present the Form I-872 American Indian Card in lieu of a passport, as they do currently.
Traveling to and from U.S. Territories
U.S. Citizens traveling to and returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the U.S. territory and do not need to present a passport.
U.S. territories include:
- American Samoa
- Guam
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Swains Island
- U.S. Virgin Islands
First Responders or Medical Emergency Situations
There is no change for standard processing of first responders or medical emergency personnel.
The department has had and will continue to have procedures in place to ensure prompt processing for these individuals.
Special consideration will continue to be made for urgent medical issues, First Responder situations, and cross-border emergency services. However, presenting an acceptable document is likely to be the most expedient means of crossing the border for personnel who routinely cross the border.
Cruise Passengers
U.S. and Canadian citizens arriving on cruises from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of identity and citizenship, such as a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. View complete list of acceptable documents at CBP.gov.
Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport when you dock at a foreign port, depending on the islands or countries that your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruiseline to ensure you have the appropriate documents for the stops you’ll be making on your cruise.
Ferries and Small Boats
Ferries and small boats are processed much like land travel, and all individuals traveling by these modes of travel are subject to the new requirements.
I-68 Registration Holders
Boaters who have an I-68 form will need to follow the new travel document procedures. Bear in mind that a NEXUS card is an alternative to a passport for entry into the U.S. for Canadian and U.S. citizens, and ensuring that you have either a NEXUS card or a passport will enable you to continue to utilize telephonic clearance procedures currently in place for I-68 holders.
An I-68 form is similar to any kind of vehicle registration, and is not an identity document or a travel document.
Presenting Insufficient Documentation
Travelers who do not have the appropriate documents may be delayed while Customs and Border Protection officers attempt to verify their citizenship and identity. They will also be given an informational sheet explaining the new procedures. The intent of this transition is to raise awareness of the change, educate travelers, and allow ample time for travelers to obtain the necessary documents.
Trusted Traveler Programs
The Trusted Traveler Programs provide expedited travel for pre-approved, low risk travelers through dedicated lanes.
NEXUS Program (CBP). Provides expedited travel via land, air or sea to approved members between the U.S. and Canada border.
SENTRI Program (CBP). Provides expedited travel to approved members between the U.S. and Mexico border.
FAST Program (CBP). Provides expedited travel to approved commercial truck drivers between the U.S and Canada and U.S. and Mexico borders.
Global Entry Program (CBP). Expedited screening and processing for pre-screened International travelers entering the United States.
This page was last reviewed/modified on July 31, 2008.
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