| Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) puts a | | | | the United States. |
| damper on many travel plans. | | | | You could, not to long ago, travel to Canada or |
| As many of you may know by now, especially if you | | | | Mexico as easily as traveling to visit your parents 5 |
| have upcoming plans to travel to one of our | | | | states away. Not anymore. The Federal governments |
| neighboring countries like Canada or Mexico, your | | | | goal to strengthen border security and facilitate entry |
| travel plans just might be at risk. The Intelligence | | | | into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate |
| Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act or 2004 | | | | foreign visitors now requires all travelers to basically |
| requires the Department of Homeland Security and | | | | check-in by obtaining a passport for identification and |
| Department of State to develop and implement a | | | | proof of citizenship. This is an absolute necessity to |
| plan to require all travelers, U.S. citizens and foreign | | | | secure our borders against un-authorized access with |
| nationals alike, to present a passport or other | | | | the foremost hopes of preventing terrorist acts by |
| document, or a combination of documents, that | | | | individuals abroad. Unfortunately, the policy and |
| denote identity and citizenship when entering the | | | | enforcement on border security will affect both |
| United States. Congress amended portions of the | | | | incoming travelers and domestic travelers going |
| Act in 2006. The Western Hemisphere Travel | | | | abroad. As of January 2007, traveling to Mexico, |
| Initiative is the Administrations proposed plan to | | | | Canada, Bermuda and the Caribbean is now |
| implement this mandate. So what does this mean? | | | | considered traveling abroad, where once we could |
| Well, for starters, if youre traveling to Mexico, | | | | travel to the above countries with limited or no |
| Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean, you are now | | | | documentation needed at all. |
| required to obtain a passport for your travels outside | | | | |