Do you need a passport to travel form the USA to Mexico? If not, will this change any time soon?

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mazatls

as a january 23 of 2007 you will need to get a passport to travel at any international fly, you dont need a passport to go to mexico but you are going to need one to come back to the states, they will hold you up in the airport for up to 3 hrs if you dont have you a U.S. passport

Gigi

as of today... no. that all changes on January 23, 2007 when EVERYONE leaving the country must have a passport.

Sophia

yes, you need a passport. and no, i don't think it will change any time soon...

Horozcopo

If you are a US citizen, you need a passport to travel into Mexico. although you do nto need a visa. It is very unlikely this will change in the short or medium terms.

Adriel M

very soon!!! as of jan. 1,2007,a passport will be required to travel from us to mexico.

Mel C

Currently you do not need a passport to travel within north America just your birth certificate and valid picture I.D such as a drivers license but this will change as of Jan next year. I am a resident of Canada and I will need to get a passport to travel to the U.S and U.S citizens who travel to Canada will need the same all thanks to 9/11.

god knows and sees else Yahoo

Jan-August 2007

roundater

New Requirements for Travelers

* Media Notes
* Flyers & Fact Sheet
* Frequently Asked Questions
* Federal Regulations

Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

The proposed implementation timeline has two phases:

* Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.
* As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or passport cards for land/sea entries.

The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory. U.S. citizens returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the United States and do not need to present a passport. U.S. territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Travel Documents for U.S. Citizens Under WHTI

Under the proposed implementation plan, the following documents will be acceptable to fulfill document requirements:

* U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, and may also use a U.S. passport when traveling via sea and land borders (including ferry crossings).
* The Passport Card (also referred to as the PASS Card): This limited-use passport in card format is currently under development and will be available for use for travel only via land or sea (including ferries) between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. Similar in size to a credit card, it will fit easily into a wallet.
* DOS and DHS also anticipate that the following documents will continue to be acceptable for their current travel uses under WHTI: SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST, and the U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document. As proposed, members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty traveling on orders will continue to be exempt from the passport requirement.

Background

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to develop and implement a plan to require all travelers, U.S. citizens and foreign nationals alike, to present a passport or other document, or a combination of documents, that denote identity and citizenship when entering the United States. Congress amended portions of the Act in 2006. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is the Administrationâ€™s proposed plan to implement this mandate.

The goal of the Initiative is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized, secure and reliable documentation which will allow the Department of Homeland Security to quickly, reliably and accurately identify a traveler.

Media Notes

* 11/22/2006 Passports Required for Air Travel to United States as of January 23, 2007
* 10/17/2006 Department of State to Introduce Passport Card

Flyers & Fact Sheet

* Fact Sheet - Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (pdfPDF)
* Flyer on Passport Requirement for Air Travel to United States as of January 23, 2007 (pdfPDF)

Frequently Asked Questions

* Frequently Asked Questions about the New Travel Initiative Requirements (FAQs)

Federal Regulations

*
Final Rule - Air Phase (pdf PDF)
*
Proposed Rule - Passport Card (pdf PDF)
*
Comments Submitted in Passport Card Rule Making Proceeding (DOS-2006-0329-0001)

Other Relevant Links

* Department of Homeland Security
* U.S. Customs and Border Protection

No, i went to mexico in june and i didnt have one. You do need a CERTIFIED birth certificate and a drivers licence. just to be safe i would take more forms of ID

Tammy R

At this very moment....you don't need a passport.....an original birth certificate and valid government photo ID. This WILL change after the first of the year. All people going to Mexico or any other foreign country will be required to have a passport to re-enter the US. The effective date was originally set for January 1, 2007, but the date has been moved forward to January 23, 2007. There are actually two phases and here are the guidelines:
Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.

As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or passport cards for land/sea entries.

pamo

Yes as of January!! But this has been answered and I just need the points

john.mitchell

Right now no. At present only a US DL / ID and Birth certificate or other proof of citizenship. This is scheduled to change in 2008 by the US GOVERNMENT which will require a passport to RETURN HOME!

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