Many times clients who are interested in travel don’t realize that they need more than just a driver’s license to travel out of the country.
Leigh Ann Arnholt, owner of Carson Travel, stated that one of the most frequent questions she gets is, “What documentation do I need to get there?” The real question, she noted, is “How do I get back into the United States with no problems?”
After 9/11, travel changed in many respects. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires all travelers to give a form of identification that proves their citizenship when entering the United States. These are the requirements that travelers have to comply with under with this travel initiative.
When people come back from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda by car, rail, port (i.e. ferry, etc) or by foot, they must have either a Passport Card or Passport Book.
When on a cruise, the Passport Card can be used with cruises that depart from a U.S Port and return to that same port. People can also use a Passport Book. If the cruise departs from one U.S. port and ends at another U.S. port they must use a Passport Book.
When people are flying within the U.S., they can use a driver’s license or another approved government I.D. If people are flying outside the U.S. they will need to have the Passport Book.
When a person is traveling within the U.S, he or she will need a valid photo ID.
To apply for a Passport, you will need to fill out a DS-11 form, which is the Application for a U.S Passport, documents that support you are a U.S. citizen, current I.D’s, and a 2 X 2 inch photo.
More details of what is needed can be found at the U.S Department of State website.
You must bring all of this information with you in person to an approved passport agency or acceptance facility. These locations can be found at the above website.
Fees for the Passport Book currently are $110 for the Application Fee and $25 for the Execution Fee. The Passport Card is $30 for the Application Fee and $25 for the Execution Fee. There are different rules for minors under the age of 16. The Passport Books and Cards expire every 10 years for adults and every 5 years for minors (15 or younger).
