Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) puts a damper on many travel plans

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) puts athe 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 youMexico as easily as traveling to visit your parents 5
have upcoming plans to travel to one of ourstates away. Not anymore. The Federal governments
neighboring countries like Canada or Mexico, yourgoal to strengthen border security and facilitate entry
travel plans just might be at risk. The Intelligenceinto the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act or 2004foreign visitors now requires all travelers to basically
requires the Department of Homeland Security andcheck-in by obtaining a passport for identification and
Department of State to develop and implement aproof of citizenship. This is an absolute necessity to
plan to require all travelers, U.S. citizens and foreignsecure our borders against un-authorized access with
nationals alike, to present a passport or otherthe foremost hopes of preventing terrorist acts by
document, or a combination of documents, thatindividuals abroad. Unfortunately, the policy and
denote identity and citizenship when entering theenforcement on border security will affect both
United States. Congress amended portions of theincoming travelers and domestic travelers going
Act in 2006. The Western Hemisphere Travelabroad. As of January 2007, traveling to Mexico,
Initiative is the Administrations proposed plan toCanada, 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 nowdocumentation needed at all.
required to obtain a passport for your travels outside