NEW PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS
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NEW PASSPORT REGULATION
You are thinking about heading south of the border this year but somewhere you have heard that there are new documentation requirements for crossing the border. Looking for more information? You have come to the right place! Carlos Fiesta has written this page just for you!
Up until recently the documentation necessary for heading south to Mexico or north back into the United States was somewhat casual. This is in the process of changing, and it's a good idea to get up to speed on the new charges before heading south.
The first phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) has already been implemented. U.S. travelers who are heading back to the United States from Mexico and Canada by air must provide a valid passport when clearing U.S. Immigration on the way back home.
The second phase of WHTI deals with adults re-entering the United States by land or by sea. The exact date for this second phase is not yet set because the State Department is still working on the many details. But they state that land and sea travelers will be required to have passports sometime between January 2008 and June 2009.
Although the information provided here is strictly about re-entering the United States, the documentation necessary to enter Mexico will probably mirror the regulations of the U.S. Since we are in the midst of it all right now, we'll have to wait until the dust settles before we put it all in ink.
In the meantime it's safe to say that if you are traveling to Mexico by air (commercial airlines or private aircraft) carrying a valid passport is the way to go. You might get in or out of the U.S without one, but it's probably going to be uphill and frustrating.
If you are traveling to Mexico in 2007 by car or water you can still go by the old rules. Drop by the TOURIST CARD section of Baja Expo for more information!