20 December 2007

The U.S. State Department has recently announced the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. All travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Canada, and Mexico will be required to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer's identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the United States. All U.S. citizens who do not currently possess valid passports will be affected. The goal is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the U.S for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors. This initiative will be rolled out in phases:

• December 31, 2006
  Passport or other accepted document required for all air and sea travel to or from Mexico, Canada, Central and South American, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.
• January, 2008
  Passport or other accepted document required for all air, sea and land border crossings. The State Department has started to issue a "Passport Card" which is between a passport and a State ID. American Visa is not processing these but contact us for more info. 

More detailed information on the State Department website: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html