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Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

Background:

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act – approved by Congress and signed by the President in late 2004. As a recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, Congress acted to remove what was known as the Western Hemisphere Exception – a rule that permitted returning U.S. travelers and some foreign nationals to present driver's licenses and/or birth certificates upon entering the United States.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires all travelers, including U.S. citizens, to and from the Americas, the Caribbean, and Bermuda to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes identity and citizenship to enter or re-enter the United States. 

The two phases of WHTI are:

• January 23, 2007 – Requirement applied to all air travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda.
• June 1, 2009 – Requirement as it applies to all sea (cruise) and land border travel.

January 31, 2008 – Customs and Border Protection ended the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship and identity alone at the land and sea ports of entry. U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older are asked to present a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate. Children ages 18 and under are currently asked only to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. Passports and trusted traveler cards, such as NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST, are considered WHTI-compliant documents and are being consistently accepted for cross-border travel.

June 1, 2009 – WHTI will go into effect at land and sea ports of entry, requiring travelers – including U.S. and Canadian citizens – to present an approved travel document to enter the United States. The approved documents include a passport, a passport card, a NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST trusted traveler program card or a state- or province-issued enhanced driver’s license. Travelers under age 16 need to present only a birth certificate or alternative proof of citizenship.

For more information on WHTI, please visit:

US Customs & Border Protection

http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/eng_map.html

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsroom/fact_sheets/travel/whti_state_factsheet.ctt/whti_state_factsheet.pdf

Department of Homeland Security

www.dhs.gov

The Department of State

www.travel.state.gov

The Arizona Office of Tourism

http://www.azot.gov/section.aspx?sid=76

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