Passport Regulations Postponed for Some
 Pedro Morales - The News-Press
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| | The delay in the passport requirement for land and sea travelers should not be mistaken for anything more than a delay, said the Department of Homeland Security. |
Those coming by land, sea get good news
People traveling by land or sea to the United States will not need a passport to enter the country for at least another year and a half, according to a federal travel initiative.
Congress in late December passed the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which, among other things, requires people traveling between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean to show a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the country.
The new requirement was to take effect this summer, but was delayed a year.
New and more stringent requirements for air travelers will be implemented starting Jan. 31. The delay in the passport requirement for land and sea travelers should not be mistaken for anything more than a delay, said the Department of Homeland Security.
“There should be no ambiguity in our commitment to move forward with it as quickly as possible within the law,” he said.
Starting Jan. 31, minors who are returning to the U.S. by land or sea must carry proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.
Adults on similar trips must show proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate; and proof of identity, such as a valid driver’s license. A passport would prove both.
In Southwest Florida, a magnet for Canadian snowbirds and Mexican immigrants, the land and sea passport requirement was being met with mixed reaction.
Don Pipher of Banff, Alberta, said he welcomes the new, more strict, requirements on travelers. The former Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer said it should lead to better security.
“I think it’s a real good idea,” said Pipher, who lives in The Landings in south Fort Myers.
But Alejandro Ortiz, a Mexican immigrant now living in North Naples, said he can barely afford a trip back home, let alone the passport he will now need.
“If I wanna go home, I guess I’ll need it,” Ortiz said. “It’s just more money.”
The Canadian Snowbird Association said it has recommended for years that its members obtain a passport, which is the safest way to identify oneself.
“We in the association have always encouraged people to use their passport,” said the organization’s executive director, Lawrence Barker.
pmorales(at)news-press.com |
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