| Much talk has been generated in the last | | | | |
| decade about US border security. Since the | | | | * US Military ID. |
| terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, | | | | |
| America's border security has come under | | | | * Native American Tribal Photo Identification |
| scrutiny, both by the US government and by | | | | card. |
| the public at large. This reassessment of | | | | |
| America's border security lead, at least in | | | | * Form I-872 American Indian card. |
| part, to the development of the Western | | | | |
| Hemisphere Travel Initiative. This | | | | The final stage of the Western Hemisphere |
| initiative ensures that US passport holders | | | | Travel Initiative will take effect on June 1, |
| and citizens in general have a measure of | | | | 2009. All travel by air, and most travel by |
| assurance when it comes to border security. | | | | sea and land will require a US passport. |
| | | | Border agencies at land crossings will still |
| The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is a | | | | be able to accept some limited forms of other |
| cooperative effort between the United States, | | | | documentation in lieu of a US passport. |
| Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean | | | | These are known as WHTI-compliant |
| Region. The agreement creates uniform | | | | identification, and include legal government |
| expectations when it comes to crossing | | | | photo identification plus proof of |
| borders. It applies to every border crossing | | | | citizenship. |
| location in every country involved. | | | | |
| | | | The governments of all countries involved in |
| The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was | | | | the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative are |
| developed in response to the Intelligence | | | | urging citizens to obtain a passport in |
| Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. | | | | anticipation of the last and final phase of |
| It sets forth regulations regarding | | | | the plan in 2009. American travelers should |
| acceptable and required forms of | | | | note that a US passport is the only |
| identification for travelers crossing borders | | | | universally guaranteed travel document in the |
| in the western hemisphere. Since its | | | | world. Border patrol agencies reserve the |
| inception it has been implemented in stages, | | | | right to detain travelers and even deny entry |
| according to type of travel (air, sea, land.) | | | | if they feel that paperwork and |
| The latest regulations came into effect on | | | | identification is amiss or suspect. Carrying |
| January 31, 2008. Current regulations state | | | | a US passport on every trip, even land trips, |
| that air travel over borders can only be | | | | will reduce chances of delays at border |
| undertaken with a valid US passport. Land | | | | crossings. |
| and sea travelers must either present a valid | | | | |
| US passport, or a valid form of government | | | | While there have been some minor kinks in the |
| picture identification, plus proof of | | | | Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, most |
| citizenship in the form of a birth | | | | agree that it is a worthwhile and necessary |
| certificate or naturalization certificate. | | | | endeavor. The US Department of Homeland |
| The list of approved forms of picture | | | | Security feels that the initiative |
| identification include: | | | | strengthens the security of our borders |
| | | | considerably. They also speculate that |
| * A driver's license. | | | | within a few years a majority of American |
| | | | citizens will routinely carry a US passport |
| * Trusted traveler cards, like NEXUS, SENTRI | | | | as a standard form of identification, such as |
| or FAST cards. | | | | is already the case in many European |
| | | | countries. |
| * Enhanced tribal card. | | | | |