CBP Reminder on the Proposed Deadlines for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice reminding travelers that the December 31, 2005 deadline for implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative has been eliminated. According to CBP, this change will simplify the implementation process and provide a longer lead-time for travelers to come into compliance with the requirements.
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The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires, by January 1, 2008, that all U.S. citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and the citizens of Canada and Mexico have a passport or other accepted, secure document that establishes the bearer's identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the U.S.
CBP states that the proposed deadlines are as follows:
December 31, 2006: Requirementapplied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
December 31, 2007: Requirement extended to land border crossings.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 09/09/05 news, 05090920, for BP summaries of CBP, the Department of State (DOS), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notices on the advanced proposed rulemaking (ANPR) on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which proposes these new deadlines.)
CBP travel notice (dated 12/30/05), available at http://www.customs.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/vacation/west_hem_init/whti_timeline.ctt/whti_timeline.doc