travelwhiz
09-21-2007, 02:49 PM
According to information supplied by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the temporary Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative accommodation allowing U.S. citizens to travel by air within the Western Hemisphere using a Department of State official proof of passport application receipt will end at midnight Sept. 30. U.S. citizens who departed the country under this travel accommodation prior to Oct. 1 with a Department of State official proof of passport application receipt and government-issued identification will be readmitted with these same documents if returning to the U.S. after Sept. 30.
Effective Oct. 1, U.S. citizens traveling by air to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda must present a passport or other WHTI-compliant documentation to enter or depart from the U.S. According to the Department of Homeland Security, it is always strongly recommended that U.S. citizens verify the specific documentary requirements for their destination country.
In addition, the U.S. Department of State has restored passport service to the standard six to eight weeks of processing time for routine passport applications, and no more than three weeks for expedited service. To date, the department says it has issued over 16 million passports in fiscal year 2007, which ends Sept. 30, as compared to 12.1 million issued the previous year.
For information regarding obtaining a U.S. passport, visit the Web site at www.travel.state.gov (http://www.travel.state.gov/)
Just an FYI
Effective Oct. 1, U.S. citizens traveling by air to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda must present a passport or other WHTI-compliant documentation to enter or depart from the U.S. According to the Department of Homeland Security, it is always strongly recommended that U.S. citizens verify the specific documentary requirements for their destination country.
In addition, the U.S. Department of State has restored passport service to the standard six to eight weeks of processing time for routine passport applications, and no more than three weeks for expedited service. To date, the department says it has issued over 16 million passports in fiscal year 2007, which ends Sept. 30, as compared to 12.1 million issued the previous year.
For information regarding obtaining a U.S. passport, visit the Web site at www.travel.state.gov (http://www.travel.state.gov/)
Just an FYI