Spring Breakers: Get Your Passports Now

From PR/US Newswire:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is reminding travelers planning spring break trips to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean to apply now for their passports.

A new passport requirement, also known as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, went into effect on January 23 and applies to all air travel into the United States. It affects all citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Bermuda who previously could use any combination of 8,000 types of birth certificates, drivers' licenses and other documents to enter the U.S. This change is the result of recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission, which Congress subsequently passed into law in 2004.

"We are very pleased at the high level of cooperation, and want to thank the traveling public and foreign visitors for their support," said Commissioner W. Ralph Basham. "The partnership with our neighbors to the north and south, as well as private sector travel and tourism groups, has been instrumental in implementing this important requirement. The greater than 99 percent rate of compliance we have witnessed is a direct result of these partnerships and coordinated outreach efforts. WHTI represents a security benefit and also an important step in creating a more efficient border."

CBP also created a variety of ads to help raise awareness of this requirement. The ads are specifically designed for spring breakers, hunters and sports enthusiasts, families and business travelers; they can be used freely used and downloaded at http://cbp.gov.

In addition, the State Department has expedited passport processing available for an extra fee. They, in conjunction with the U.S. Postal Service, offer 9,000 passport application locations nationwide. For more information on where to obtain a passport, please visit http://travel.state.gov or http://usps.com.

The NEXUS program, a U.S./Canada trusted traveler program, also fulfills the document requirements of WHTI. NEXUS kiosks are currently available at Vancouver and Toronto International airports, and will be expanding to Montreal, Edmonton, Ottawa, Calgary, Victoria and Winnipeg throughout 2007. For more information on this and other international travel tips and resources, please visit http://cbp.gov and http://travel.state.gov.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our Nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.