Alert! New passport requirements for air travel took effect on January 23, 2007. New U.S. border entry identification rules for U.S. citizens are in place as of January 31, 2008.

Effective January 23, 2007, all persons -- including U.S. citizens -- traveling by air from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda are required to have a passport in order to enter the United States. A second phase of international travel identification requirements (effective January 31, 2008) affects U.S. citizens seeking entry into the U.S. at the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico borders.

(Note: In June 2007, the U.S. State Department announced the temporary Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) accommodation, which allowed U.S. citizens to travel by air within the Western Hemisphere using an official proof of passport application receipt. The WHTI ended as scheduled on Sept. 30, 2007, and the full passport requirements described in this section are in effect.)

Additional information:

• New Passport and Border Entry Rules: The Basics
• End of Temporary WHTI Accommodation (DHS)
• Passport Resources

Related topics in FindLaw:

• Consumer Issues (includes additional resources for travelers)
• Immigration Law Center