Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative


The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is a United States legal framework from 2007 that requires all travelers to show a valid passport, passport card, or other approved secure document when traveling to the U.S. from areas within the Western Hemisphere. The purpose, according to the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for both legitimate U.S. citizens and foreign visitors. The initiative is an outcome of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, which was approved after the September 11th, 2001 al Qaeda mass-terror attacks on the US. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was also implemented to deter or prevent the use of forged documents, both for terror and criminal purposes.

Implementation

The following documents are acceptable for border crossings for most travelers:
US or Canadian citizen children under age 16 can also use other documents as identification, including a birth certificate, for land and sea border crossings.
Native Americans in the United States, Mexico, and Canada may be able to use certain additional forms of identification :
In addition to the other documents designated under WHTI, U.S. citizens on round-trip cruise-ship voyages that begin and end at the same port of entry in the United States may also carry a government-issued photo ID and birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or Certificate of Naturalization. Foreign nationals need a WHTI-designated document to travel to the United States on a cruise ship.

History

Beginning on January 23, 2007, all persons traveling by air to the United States from all foreign countries are required to present a valid passport, NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard/Merchant Mariner Document.
On January 31, 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped taking verbal declarations of citizenship from U.S., Canadian, or Bermudian travelers as proof of citizenship arriving from sea and land ports of entry.
On March 27, 2008, the Departments of Homeland Security and State announced that "full implementation" of the land and sea provisions of WHTI would begin June 1, 2009; on that date, the above listed types of documents would become the only acceptable documents for border crossings for most travelers.

Nations and territories covered

The U.S. Department of State names the following jurisdictions:





















The following jurisdictions in the Western Hemisphere are not specifically named by the Department of State: