WHTI tightens restrictions again

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative first became a household concept in North America last year by causing the biggest passport backlog in American history. The new requirements for US citizens to have a passport to travel to other North American countries that up until then had required nothing more than a driver’s licence caused chaos with processing and wait times forced many to cancel their holidays altogether.

Now that the dust as settled for the plane requirements, the WHTI cyclone is whipping up again. Visitors to the US arriving from Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean won’t need a passport to enter the US by land or sea until 2009, but the rules are getting more stringent as far as what constitutes proper ID.

From the end of the month, any oral admission of citizenship will be denied, and as an American or Canadian over 18, you’ll need to provide proof of citizenship and a government issued ID card. A birth certificate and a driver’s licence for example.

To avoid any confusion, the best thing to do would be to get a passport now to avoid any hassles, and getting one now will assure that you’re beating the rush that is sure to take place sometime in the near future for North American travellers coming in or out of the USA