A guide for residents of The United States of America returning to the USA

U.S. Citizens
Air Travel
All U.S. citizens including children must present a passport or secure travel document when entering the United States by air.

Land/Sea Travel
Beginning January 31, 2008, the United States will end the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship at the border.

U.S. citizens ages 19 and older must present documentation that proves both identity and citizenship. Identification documents must include a photo, name and date of birth. View the complete list of acceptable documents at CBP.gov.
Children ages 18 and under will only be required to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.
More information for specific populations and situations
Background: U.S. Land Border Crossing Updated Procedures Information on why new border crossing procedures are going into effect.

Important Change in International Land and Sea Travel Document Procedures

(01/15/2008)

( Cambios Importantes en los Documentos Requeridos para Viajes Internacionales Terrestres y Marítimos )
( Important Change in International Land and Sea Travel Document Procedures (Printable Version) (pdf - 116 KB.) )

Effective January 31, 2008, U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older should no longer expect that they will be able to prove identity and citizenship by relying on an oral declaration alone. Instead, travelers will be asked to present documents from one of the options below when entering the United States at land or sea ports of entry. Travelers who do not present one of the documents listed below may be delayed as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers attempt to verify their identity and citizenship.

U.S. and Canadian Citizens – Single Document Option

One of the following documents should be presented to prove both identity and citizenship.

Acceptable Documents as of January 31:

U.S. or Canadian Passport
U.S. Passport Card (Available spring 2008)*
Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)*
State or Provincial Issued Enhanced Driver’s License (when available – this secure driver’s license will denote identity and citizenship.)*
Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)*
U.S. Military Identification with Military Travel Orders
U.S. Merchant Mariner Document
Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card
Form I-872 American Indian Card
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) Card

* Frequent Land Border Crossers — to expedite processing into the United States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends using one of the above asterisked documents.

U.S. and Canadian Citizens – Two Document Option

All U.S. and Canadian citizens who do not have one of the documents from the list above must present BOTH an identification and citizenship document from each of the columns below.

Identification Documents*

Driver’s license or identification card issued by a federal, state, provincial, county, territory, or municipal authority
U.S. or Canadian military identification card

* All identification documents must have a photo, name and date of birth.

Citizenship Documents

U.S. or Canadian birth certificate issued by a federal, state, provincial, county, territory or municipal authority
U.S. Consular report of birth abroad
U.S. Certificate of Naturalization
U.S. Certificate of Citizenship
U.S. Citizen Identification Card
Canadian Citizenship Card
Canadian certificate of citizenship without photo

U.S. and Canadian Citizens – Procedures for Children

Effective January 31, 2008, U.S. and Canadian citizen children ages 18 and under will be expected to present a birth certificate issued by a federal, state, provincial, county or municipal authority.

For Travelers Other than U.S. and Canadian Citizens

All existing nonimmigrant visa and passport requirements will remain in effect and will not be altered by the changes that are implemented on January 31, 2008.

U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents
Permanent Resident Card (I-551) or other valid evidence of lawful permanent residence is required.

Mexican Citizens
Mexican citizens, including children, must present a valid passport and a B-1/B-2 nonimmigrant visa or a Border Crossing Card.

Know Your Destination Country Document Requirements

It is strongly recommended that all travelers leaving the U.S. verify the specific documentary requirements for their destination country. This information is available through the Department of State website or by consulting with the Embassy of the country you are visiting to determine what documents are needed to meet the entry requirements of that country. ( Cambios Importantes en los Documentos Requeridos para Viajes Internacionales Terrestres y Marítimos ) These requirements could include a birth certificate, passport, or passport and visa for entry into that country.

We are implementing new procedures to better serve you and enhance the security of the United States.

Travelers who do not present one of the documents listed may be delayed as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers attempt to verify their citizenship and identity.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will begin the transition to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative secure document requirement over the next 18 months, with implementation as early as June 1, 2009.

Get a Passport by visiting the State Department’s travel Web site , or call the U.S. National Passport Information Center: (877) 4USA-PPT; TDD/TTY: (888) 874-7793.

Get a birth certificate by contacting your state's vital records office. (National Center for Health Statistics)

Pleasure and Business Travel for U.S. Residents. (CBP)

Know Before You Go. (CBP) Travel regulations for U.S. residents. As an international traveler, you should be aware of the rules for bringing items back from your trip.

Lawful Permanent Residents
Air Travel
All travelers including children must present a passport or secure travel document when entering the United States by air.

Land/Sea Travel
Lawful permanent residents may continue to present their Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card. More information available at CBP.gov.

International Citizens
Air Travel
All international visitors regardless of country of origin must present a passport or secure document when entering the United States by air.

Land/Sea Travel
Canadian Citizens
Beginning January 31, 2008, the United States will end the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship at the border.

Canadian citizens ages 19 and older must present documentation that proves both identity and citizenship. Identification documents must include a photo, name and date of birth. View the complete list of acceptable documents at CBP.gov.
Children ages 18 and under will only be required to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.
Bermudian Citizens
Beginning January 31, 2008, the United States will end the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship at the border.

Bermudian citizens must present a passport issued by the Government of Bermuda or the United Kingdom, or government-issued photo identification along with proof of citizenship.
Mexican Citizens
Mexican citizens including children, must present a passport with a nonimmigrant visa or a laser visa border crossing card.

All Others
Travel Document Requirements - Visitors Traveling Under the Visa Waiver Program International travelers entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Program now need to present an e-Passport if their passport was issued on or after October 26, 2006.

US-VISIT. Entry and exit process for visitors requiring a visa, using biometrics such as digital fingerscans and digital photographs, to ensure the person crossing our border is the same person who received the visa.

10-Fingerprint Scanners to Deploy at all Ports of Entry over the next year beginning with Washington Dulles International Airport, November 29, 2007.
e-Passports. The United States requires that travelers entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Program have an e-Passport if their passport was issued on or after October 26, 2006.

Travel For Non-U.S. Citizens (CBP) Information for visitors to the United States that are visiting for the purpose of working, studying, business travel or immigration.

Specific Populations and Situations
Native American Travelers
The Indian and North Affairs Canada Card and Tribal Enrollment Cards with a photo affixed to the card will be accepted during the transition phase.

Members of the Kickapoo Band of Texas and Tribe of Oklahoma would be permitted to present the Form I-872 American Indian Card in lieu of a passport, as they do currently.

Traveling to and from U.S. Territories
U.S. Citizens traveling to and returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the U.S. territory and do not need to present a passport.

U.S. territories include:

American Samoa
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
Puerto Rico
Swains Island
U.S. Virgin Islands
First Responders or Medical Emergency Situations
There is no change for standard processing of first responders or medical emergency personnel.

The department has had and will continue to have procedures in place to ensure prompt processing for these individuals.

Special consideration will continue to be made for urgent medical issues, First Responder situations, and cross-border emergency services. However, presenting an acceptable document is likely to be the most expedient means of crossing the border for personnel who routinely cross the border.

Cruise Passengers
U.S. and Canadian citizens arriving on cruises from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of identity and citizenship, such as a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. View complete list of acceptable documents at CBP.gov.

Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport when you dock at a foreign port, depending on the islands or countries that your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruiseline to ensure you have the appropriate documents for the stops you’ll be making on your cruise.

Ferries and Small Boats
Ferries and small boats are processed much like land travel, and all individuals traveling by these modes of travel are subject to the new requirements.

I-68 Registration Holders
Boaters who have an I-68 form will need to follow the new travel document procedures. Bear in mind that a NEXUS card is an alternative to a passport for entry into the U.S. for Canadian and U.S. citizens, and ensuring that you have either a NEXUS card or a passport will enable you to continue to utilize telephonic clearance procedures currently in place for I-68 holders.

An I-68 form is similar to any kind of vehicle registration, and is not an identity document or a travel document.


Presenting Insufficient Documentation
Travelers who do not have the appropriate documents may be delayed while Customs and Border Protection officers attempt to verify their citizenship and identity. They will also be given an informational sheet explaining the new procedures. The intent of this transition is to raise awareness of the change, educate travelers, and allow ample time for travelers to obtain the necessary documents.