Is passport required??

Question

I'm a US citizen traveling to the bahamas; Is my passport required or could i just bring my birth certificate??

Answer 1

yes u need a passport, they are very strict these days

Answer 2

If you are traveling to the Bahamas via air travel you are now required to have a passport. If you are traveling via boat a birth certificate and drivers license will be fine. The laws are not set to change with regards to sea travel until January of 2008. For more information you can go to the Customs website http://www.cbp.gov/
Hope this helps and have a great trip!

Answer 3

Everybody keeps asking this same question as almost every country in the world requires a passport and america is now doing the same.

Even before it was never a good idea to leave America without a passport. Just go get one and you will never have to bother with this ever again as they are good for ten years. You just go to the post office and apply for one. If you pay enough you can have it in 5 days.

Answer 4

once you're a citizen of Canada, Mexico, or the U. S. - AND are stepping into CANADA via land or sea - AFTER 01 January 2008 ... you *would* be required to offer a passport as evidence of your id and citizenship. ... you *will* require some evidence of citizenship (which may well be passport, beginning certificates, and/or naturalization papers) AND image id (which may well be US or Canada drivers license, passport, or protection rigidity id). once you're a citizen of yet another u . s . a ., you DO require a passport to circulate into Canada, and could require a visa to boot.

Answer 5

With things as they are, you would be a fool not to have your passport with you. The DHS has made it nearly impossible to re-enter the US from abroad without it. I would consider the Bahamas abroad.

Answer 6

It is always wise if you have a passport with you when out of the country.

Answer 7

if flying - yes - if by sea - no - see below:

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)
* Fact Sheet - WHTI's Successful Implementation (01/30/07) (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 8

By air...YES
By boat...NO