The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is the implementation of the requirement to show a

passport A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that contains a person's identity. A person with a passport can travel to and from foreign countries more easily and access consular assistance. A passport certifies the personal ...

or other acceptable document to enter the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, for nationals of certain

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

n jurisdictions who were previously exempt from it when traveling within the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

. The requirement was mandated by the

Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA) is a 235-page Act of Congress, signed by President George W. Bush, that broadly affects United States federal terrorism laws. The act comprises several separate titles with var ...

, enacted in 2004 in response to the

terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...

, and implemented in phases between 2007 and 2009. According to the

U.S. Department of Homeland Security The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...

, the purpose is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for both U.S. citizens and foreign visitors.Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) Frequently Asked Questions
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, September 14, 2020.

History

Passports were required for travel to the

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, and continuously since 1941. However, exemptions from the passport requirement existed for travel within the

by nationals of some

n jurisdictions. Before 2007, to enter the United States from other parts of the Americas except

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

, citizens of the United States,

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = " Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , e ...

were allowed to present any evidence of their citizenship, including merely an oral declaration. Nationals of

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

could present a Border Crossing Card when arriving from Mexico or Canada. These exemptions applied to travel by any means of transportation.Documents Required for Travelers Arriving in the United States at Air and Sea Ports-of-Entry From Within the Western Hemisphere
Federal Register, August 11, 2006. In 2004, the

was enacted in response to the

. Section 7209 of that law required that U.S. citizens, as well as nationals of neighboring jurisdictions who had been previously exempted from the passport requirement, present a passport or other document specified by the

to enter the United States. The law set a deadline of January 1, 2008 for the new requirement to take effect. In 2006, the

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 () is a U.S. Act of Congress signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 4, 2006. The appropriation bill appropriates about $33.8 billion in homeland security Homelan ...

postponed this deadline to June 1, 2009.Documents Required for Travelers Departing From or Arriving in the United States at Sea and Land Ports-of-Entry From Within the Western Hemisphere
Federal Register, April 3, 2008. The implementation of the new requirement was named the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) and was done in phases. In the first phase, effective January 23, 2007, nationals of the United States, Canada, Bermuda and Mexico became required to present a passport to enter the United States by air from the Americas. The regulations retained exceptions for U.S. and Canadian citizens with a

NEXUS NEXUS is a joint Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection-operated Trusted Traveler and Border control#Expedited border controls, expedited border control program designed for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Members ...

card, and for members of the

U.S. military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

and U.S. Merchant Marine. Effective January 31, 2008, oral declarations were no longer accepted as evidence of citizenship. Citizens of the United States, Canada and Bermuda became required to present some document establishing their identity and citizenship to enter the United States by land or sea. The second phase of the WHTI applied the passport requirement also for entry by land or sea from the Americas, effective June 1, 2009. The regulations again provided some exceptions. For entry by land or sea, in addition to the documents acceptable for entry by air, U.S. citizens could present a

passport card The United States passport card is an optional national identity card and a travel document issued by the U.S. federal government in the size of a credit card. Like a U.S. passport book, the passport card is only issued to U.S. nationals exclu ...

, which was developed specifically for this purpose, with a lower cost and smaller size; and U.S. and Canadian citizens could present an

enhanced driver's license An enhanced driver's licence or enhanced ID in common usage, is a card which functions both as driving licence and ID card with limited passport features issued in some provinces in Canada, in some states in the United States, for people who are ...

or a trusted traveler card ( FAST or

SENTRI The Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) provides expedited U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) processing, at the U.S.-Mexico border, of pre-approved travelers considered low-risk. Voluntarily applicants must ...

). For nationals of Mexico, entry with only a Border Crossing Card became restricted to travel within 25 miles of the border (or 75 miles in

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

) for up to 30 days. Other exceptions were made for

cruise ship Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as "s ...

passengers, children, Native Americans, and emergencies. The WHTI did not affect the existing passport requirement for entry to the United States from outside the Americas, or for nationals other than of the United States, Canada, Bermuda and Mexico. It also did not affect the passport exemption for holders of a U.S. permanent resident card or similar immigration document, or for travel between the United States and its territories.

Implementation

As a result of the WHTI, combined with previously existing requirements and subsequent changes, travelers must present one the following documents when entering or departing the

by air, or entering the United States by sea from outside the

:Carrier Information Guide
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, February 2019. *

U.S. passport United States passports are passports issued to citizens and nationals of the United States of America. They are issued exclusively by the U.S. Department of State. Besides passports (in booklet form), limited-use passport cards are issued b ...

* Foreign passport, with a U.S. visa if required * U.S. permanent resident card (Form I-551), temporary I-551 stamp,

re-entry permit A re-entry permit is required by some countries, for their citizens or tourists who leave the country for an extended period of time. For example, the United States issues a re-entry permit to a resident alien who plans to travel abroad for an exte ...

(Form I-327),

refugee travel document A refugee travel document (also called a 1951 Convention travel document or Geneva passport) is a travel document issued to a refugee by the state in which they normally reside in allowing them to travel outside that state and to return there. Re ...

(Form I-571), advance parole authorization (Form I-512), or

employment authorization document A Form I-766 employment authorization document (EAD or EAD card, known popularly as a work permit, is a document issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that provides temporary employment authorization to nonciti ...

annotated "valid for re-entry to U.S." or "serves as I-512 advance parole" *

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

identification with official travel order * U.S. merchant mariner credential indicating

U.S. citizenship Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...

card indicating U.S. or

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

citizenship (only to or from Canadian airports) * U.S. government-issued transportation letter or boarding foil (for entry only) * Foreign emergency travel document or U.S. removal order (for departure only) For entry by land or sea from the Americas, travelers must present one of the documents acceptable for entry by air or one of the following: *

U.S. passport card The United States passport card is an optional national identity card and a travel document issued by the U.S. federal government in the size of a credit card. Like a U.S. passport book, the passport card is only issued to U.S. nationals exc ...

, FAST or

Global Entry Global Entry is a program of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service that allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to receive expedited clearance upon arrival into the United States through automatic kiosks at select airports and via the S ...

card indicating U.S. or Canadian citizenship * U.S. or Canadian

* Enhanced tribal card, Native American photo identification card, or Canadian Indian status card * U.S. or Canadian

birth certificate A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a person. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuin ...

, U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad, U.S. naturalization certificate or Canadian citizenship certificate, only for children under age 16, or under age 19 in a supervised group * Government-issued photo identification along with U.S. birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad or naturalization certificate, only for travel by

returning to the same place of departure in the United States8 CFR §53.2, Exceptions
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Nationals of

may use a Border Crossing Card, which serves as a visa when presented with a passport. Without a passport, the card on its own also allows entry by land or sea while remaining within 25

mile The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of distance; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 English ...

s from the

Mexico–United States border The Mexico–United States border ( es, frontera Estados Unidos–México) is an international border separating Mexico and the United States, extending from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border traver ...

(up to 75 miles in

and 55 miles in

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

) for a stay of up to 30 days.8 CFR §235.1, Scope of examination
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Children born to a U.S. permanent resident mother during a temporary visit abroad do not need a passport or visa at the mother's first re-entry to the United States within two years after birth. Similarly, children born abroad to a parent with a U.S. immigrant visa after its issuance do not need a passport or visa if listed in the parent's passport with a birth certificate. It is also possible for the

U.S. Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...

to waive the passport requirement for a U.S. national in case of an emergency, for humanitarian reasons or national interest.

References

External links

* {{authority control International travel documents Borders of the United States Visa policy of the United States United States Department of Homeland Security Canada–United States relations Mexico–United States relations

History

Implementation

See also

References

External links