Info re: the use US DL or Passport for US re-entry

Posted By: Tom
Date: 5/17/07 9:17a.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

This came to me from Adventure Mexican Insurance Services and I thought it may be of interest to others. This same kind of info is probably also available through Sanbornes, etc.: If you plan on DRIVING to Mexico before June 2009, you can still use your US or Canadian Drivers License as identification for crossing back into the US. You will NOT need a passport for driving or walking across the border back into the US until June 2009. The new passport requirement for 2007 ONLY applies to AIR TRAVEL! There has been a lot of confusion this year about the new passport requirements for traveling to Mexico from the US or Canada. Adventure Mexican Insurance Services has done a lot of research on this issue, and we would like to provide our customers with the most current and clear information on this topic. If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact our office at 800-485-4075 or email: info@mexadventure.com Below is a quick summary of the new passport legislation, and a timeline of when the changes are expected to be implemented: Why is the Passport Law Changing? As part of the The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, the Department of Homeland Security is supposed to implement a plan that requires all travelers to the US to provide a passport or similar documentation upon entry into the US. This requirement applies to all US citizens and foreign travelers. This plan is called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Read more about the WHTI - NOTE - this webpage still lists the January 2008 deadline, but the documentation below will show that the deadline has been changed to sometime around June 2009. Also, note the difference between Air and Land travel. When Will Passports be Required for Re-Entering the US from Mexico? This is where the confusion lies! The passport requirements are being applied at different dates for different types of travel. There are 3 different classifications for traveling into the US. 1: Air Travel - (By airplane): As of January 23, 2007, all travelers - including US and Canadian citizens are now required to have a passport when entering the US by airplane. 2: Sea Travel - (By boat or cruise ship): The exact deadline for when passports (or similar documentation) will be required for entering the US by sea has not been set. However, current legislation has been passed that requires the deadline to be no later than June 2009. The sea travel deadline will be the same as the land travel deadline. 3: Land Border Travel - (Driving a vehicle or walking across the border): The exact deadline for when passports (or similar documentation) will be required for entering the US by land has not been set. However, current legislation has been passed that requires the deadline to be no later than June 2009. The land travel deadline will be the same as the sea travel deadline. Why has the Passport Requirement for Land Border Travel Been Delayed? Originally, the passport requirements for land border travel were supposed to be implemented by January 2008, but in October 2006, the President signed into law a delay of this deadline until June 2009. The main reason for the delay is because the Department of Homeland Security is attempting to develop a PASS CARD system. This system will create drivers license-sized cards that will serve as limited use passports for land border entries from Mexico and the US. The Senate recognized that the PASS CARD system could not be properly implemented by the original deadline, so they passed the Leahy-Stevens Amendment which delayed the deadline until sometime prior to (or on) June 2009. Read the actual legislation from Senator Leahy's website Read the documentation of the President signing the June 2009 deadline - Page 3; bottom right paragraph Should You Get a Passport Now? If you think you may be driving to Mexico after June 2009, then you should probably go ahead and get a passport sometime soon. The passport processing times will only get longer as we get closer to the passport requirement deadline. It is currently taking up to 15 weeks to receive a new passport without paying extra for expedition. Plus - you already need a passport if you want to travel to Mexico by airplane! We hope this information is helpful for you, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the passport requirements for traveling to Mexico. We will also keep you posted if we hear of any updates on this issue. As always, we look forward to providing you with quality Mexican auto insurance on your next trip to Mexico! Regards, Adventure Mexican Insurance Services www.mexadventure.com