Sep 5 2007

Homeland Security Reminds Public That the Temporary WHTI Accommodation Has Ended

The Department of Homeland Security has published a reminder to air carriers and the public that the temporary accommodation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) that allowed U.S. citizens to travel by air within the Western Hemisphere using a proof of passport application receipt from the Department of State expired at midnight on September 30, 2007.

As of October 1, 2007, U.S. citizens traveling by air to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to show a passport or other WHTI-compliant document to enter or leave the U.S.

The temporary accommodation was announced in June of this year, in response to the longer than normal wait times people were experiencing waiting for passport applications to be processed.

For more information on WHTI-compliant travel documents, please visit www.dhs.gov. To apply for a U.S. passport, please visit www.travel.state.gov.