Travel News
Effective Jan. 31, 2008, New Requirements for Entry at Land and Sea Ports from Canada
Effective Jan. 31, 2008, U.S. and Canadian citizens (19 and older) will be required to present proof of citizenship, such as 1) a passport or 2) a birth certificate or naturalization certificate supported by a government issued photo ID, when entering the United States through land and sea ports of entry from Canada. Children ages 18 and under are only required to present proof of citizenship (without ID), such as a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or passport. If a birth certificate is presented, it must be a certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state. A photocopy of a birth certificate will only be accepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) if the original has been sent to the Department of State in support of a passport application. In such case, the traveler must obtain and provide proof of passport application. These changes are significant as compared to the current and long-standing policy that allows CBP officers to accept oral declarations of citizenship from U.S. and Canadian citizens seeking entry into the United States through a land or sea border. Effective Jan. 31, 2008, oral declarations will not be accepted.Travelers should remeber that when traveling by land or sea to Canada to take either a valid passport or a government issued birth certificate and photo ID beginning Jan. 31, 2008. All travelers by air should be reminded to bring a passport. The passport requirement for air travelers entering the U.S. from Canada has been on the books since Jan. 8, 2007. Please note that travelers holding NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST cards will continue to be accepted for cross-border travel.
Eventually, at an unspecified date in mid-2008, the Department of State will require passports, or soon-to-be announced passport alternatives, from ALL travelers at ALL points, including air, land and sea, within the Western Hemisphere. Prior to the effective date, the State Department intends to make available a Passport Card, which is specifically designed for land and sea travel from neighboring countries. The primary advantages of the Passport Card are that it will be less expensive and smaller than a traditional passport. In addition, several states including Washington, Vermont and New York are creating an Enhanced Driver_s License that will, according to the CBP, also fulfill the proof-of-citizenship requirement at land and sea borders. Further details of these alternative products are unknown. However, CBP says that ample notice of the exact date of implementation will be provided to ensure travelers can obtain the appropriate documents.
Since passports are the gold standard for entering and exiting the country from all foreign destinations, ALL travelers, including those traveling by land or sea in the Western Hemisphere, should be encouraged to obtain, and travel with, a passport. The current turnaround time for a passport is four to six weeks. For information on obtaining a U.S. Passport visit www.travel.state.gov or call 1-877-487-2778. Specific documentation requirements for land, sea and air travel may be found at www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/ready_set_go/. To learn more about NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST, visit www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/.
Holiday Travel Survival Guide - November 13, 2007
Airplane cabins are expected to be more packed than ever over the year-end holidays as travelers cope with crowded skies, unpredictable weather and higher prices. While you can't control the weather or the airlines, there are simple things you can do to help smooth the way. More info...
An Answer to Flight Delays? - August 15, 2007
It's an air travel scenario that has become all too familiar for Marion Blakey, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). A severe thunderstorm hits a hub airport like Dallas-Fort Worth, grounding all of the planes there for two hours. Soon those delays spread to airports nationwide, and flights that weren't even bound for Dallas could be canceled. By that point, tens of thousands of passengers might be affected and millions in revenue lost by the airlines. And when the next storm hits, it will happen all over again. More info...
Secure Flight Program Moves Forward - August 10, 2007
Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is taking significant steps toward implementing a key 9/11 Commission recommendation - uniform watch list matching by TSA - also known as Secure Flight. The program is designed to conduct uniform prescreening of passenger information against federal government watch lists for domestic and international flights. Currently, air carriers are responsible for checking passengers against government watch lists. More info...
TSA Changes Lighter Ban Policy - August 4, 2007
In an effort to concentrate resources on detecting explosive threats, TSA will no longer ban common lighters in carry-on luggage as of August 4, 2007. Torch lighters remain banned in carry-ons.
Lifting the lighter ban is consistent with TSA's risk-based approach to aviation security. First and foremost, lighters no longer pose a significant threat. Freeing security officers up from fishing for 22,000 lighters every day (the current number surrendered daily across the country) enables them to focus more on finding explosives, using behavior recognition, conducting random screening procedures and other measures that increase complexity in the system, deterring terrorists. The U.S. is the only country in the world to ban lighters – all other nations, including Israel and the U.K., do not. For more information, click here.
Passenger Bill of Rights - August 3, 2007
New York become the first US state to have an airline passenger "Bill of Rights." Governor Eliot Spitzer has signed the bill, which requires airlines to provide food, water, clean toilets and fresher air to passengers stuck on tarmacs for more than three hours, into law. If airlines don't comply they will face fines of $1,000 per passenger for failing to provide these necessities. This bill would only affect passengers at New York state airports.
