PASSPORT UPDATE: New travel regulations require a U.S. passport for travel to and from Mexico
Washington, Oct 23 -
Washington, Oct 23 -
Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) again reminded constituents of the new travel requirements as a result of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. The new regulations require all U.S. citizens to have a valid passport when traveling abroad and encourage constituents to review their passport status as the holiday travel season approaches. A directive issued by the Department of State states: "As of October 1, 2007, U.S. Citizens traveling by air to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda must present a passport or other WHTI-compliant documentation to enter or depart from the United States. In June of this year, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State announced a temporary reprieve in travel regulations due to longer than expected processing times for passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand." "With the holidays quickly approaching, we want to make sure that everyone is aware of these travel regulations. The State Department issued a reprieve on passport requirements earlier this year which gave them time to clear out the back-log of passport applications. But as of October 1, everyone must present a passport at the border," Blackburn said. "Since many people travel during this time of year, it would be unfortunate to for anyone to get caught up at the border, so get your passports early and enjoy the holidays."
