Is a passport required to enter and leave Mexico?

Answer 1

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 Administration’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)
* Hoja de Informacion (pdfPDF)
* WHTI Information Sheet - French (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

Answer 2

i assume its purely honest. We require the French to have a passport to circulate into our usa. And the eastern require a passport to circulate into Canada. So relatively, we've purely been afforded a different privledge for the previous um-teen years with tips from no longer being required to have a passport. i might think of the Canadians might opt to appreciate who's getting into their usa as properly on the grounds that we interior the super united states of america of united states of america of america enable anybody into our borders who're on the instant in a position to easily waft on over to Canada without a passport in the present day. i'm not sure the type you could't see how terrorism isn't addressed with tips from those regulations. Altho a sprint bit an inconvenience to obtain a passport, being blown up is so plenty greater inconvenient in my view. AND, if youre a draft dodger, you greater efficient get working now collectively as you could.

Answer 3

Not now, but it will be next January. If I'm not mistaken......anyone leaving or entering this country from anywhere else, to include taking cruises on cruise lines, will be required to show a passport when they enter customs.

Answer 4

It was actually THIS January 1 that this became law. If you are American, you are now required to carry your passport with you when visiting Canada and Mexico. This was enacted to circumvent use of fraudulent picture identification. Before you could just use your driver's license.

Answer 5

As tuffy said the answer is yes. I live in Massachusetts before you did not have to have your passport to go to Canada But now you do.

Answer 6

the requirement of a passport will come into effect at the beginning of 2008. at this time, you don't need one. at least not from Texas...

Answer 7

yes----the US will now require all Americans to have a passport when traveling to another country....even to those countries that previously allowed entry with only a picture id and birth certificate.

Answer 8

since it is after January first yes. i know because i had to get a passport for when i go in February.

Answer 9

Yes. Mexicans are tight on security.

Answer 10

Yes, coming and going, I believe.