US Issues Final Rule on Land, Sea Entry (Passport)

The Homeland Security (DHS) and State departments announced yesterday the final rule for the land and sea portion of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), requiring travelers to present a passport or other approved secure document denoting citizenship and identity for all land and sea travel into the US, effective June 1, 2009.

Air passengers already are required to present a WHTI-secure document on re-entry to the US. The rule announced today affects cruise passengers arriving at US ports, as well as those crossing the border from Canada and Mexico. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was enacted by Congress as part of its response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

In addition to the release of the WHTI final rule, DHS is officially designating the Washington State Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) as a WHTI-compliant document. DHS, in an announcement, said that it is publishing the WHTI land and sea final rule more than a year in advance of its implementation to give the public ample notice and time to obtain the WHTI-compliant documents.

In addition to a valid US passport, WHTI-compliant documents include a Trusted Traveler Card (NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST), or a Washington State EDL. These are used by residents of areas on the Canadian border who frequently travel between the countries.

The State Dept. is accepting applications for the new Passport Cards and additional states and Canadian provinces will be issuing EDLs in the next several months - all of which are options specifically designed for land and sea border use, according to the Homeland Security department.

Beginning June 1, 2009, DHS will institute special provisions that allow school or other organized groups of children ages 18 and under who are US or Canadian citizens to enter the US with proof of citizenship alone.

Since Jan. 1, US and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older have been asked to present proof of identity and citizenship at land border crossings and arrivals by sea. Children ages 18 and under are currently asked only to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.

U.S. citizens on cruise voyages that begin and end at the same U.S. port (closed-loop itineraries) must show proof of citizenship* and government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license). A passport will not be required for passengers that fall into this category. (Note: it is still strongly urged for travelers to hold a current/valid passport in case of emergency situation that might make it necessary to debark in a foreign port)

*Documents include: Original or certified copy of birth certificate; Naturalization papers; Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by Department of State. All other passengers and/or itineraries (such as cruises which begin in one U.S. port and return to a different U.S. port or any cruise that begins or ends in a foreign port) will require a passport or other recognized document.

The good news for a majority of cruise passengers - American citizens that leave and return on their cruise from the same U.S. port - is that the travel document requirements will remain largely unchanged from how the industry is operating today.

CLIA continues to encourage travelers to obtain passports to allow the broadest travel opportunities.

Visit http://www.dhs.gov/ or http://www.travel.state.gov/.

High School Reunion Cruise

I am working on my high school 45th. class reunion. Since I am now selling cruises, I was contacted and asked to set up the reunion cruise. Instead of just a land based reunion as in the past, my classmates wanted a Reunion At Sea. The reunion won't be until November but sending out the information and hearing back from my classmate is great. Since my high school was in Orlando, Florida we picked the port closest to there, which is Port Canaveral. Some of the classmates still live in Orlando or have some family there.

Instead of the normal Friday night get together and the Saturday night dinner we will all be together the length of the cruise. It will give us plenty of time to get with our classmates and see what everyone has been up to, are they retired yet, how many grandchildren do they have and just enjoy ourselves. In the past we could move from table to table and quickly talk to our friends and then move on to the next table. Having it all on a cruise will give us plenty of time to really get to renew friendships with our classmates. Reunions are always nice and I am really looking forward to this Reunion At Sea.

New Passport Fees starting February 1, 2008

A passport fee change will take effect February 1, 2008.

Routine Service (Form DS-11)
Age 16 and older:
Old fee - The passport application fee was $67. The execution fee was $30. The total was $97.
New fee - The passport application fee is $75. The execution fee is $25. The total is $100.

Under Age 16:
Old fee - The passport application fee was $52. The execution fee was $30. The total was $82.
New fee - The passport application fee is $60. The execution fee is $25. The total is $85.

Passport Renewal (Form DS-82)
Old fee - The passport renewal application fee was $67.
New Fee - The passport renewal application fee is $75.

Expedited Service - Add $60 for each application, for any service - e.g., first-time application, renewal, additional pages, name change. Additionally, to receive your passport as soon as ossible, we strongly suggest that you arrange overnight delivery service for sending your passport application and returnin your passport to you.

International Land and Sea Travel Documents

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 ResidentsPermanent 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. These requirements could include a birth certificate, passport, or passport and visa for entry into that country.

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.

U.S. Passport Card

U.S. citizens may begin applying for the new U.S. Passport Card beginning Feburary 1, 2008. This card will only be valid for land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico the Caribbean and Bermuda. The card may not be used for travel by air. It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the U.S.Passport Book, and it looks like the original Passport is now called a Passport Book.

This card is being issued in response to the needs of border resident communities for a less expensive and more portable alternative to the traditional passport book. The card will have the same validity period as a passport book, 10 years for adults and 5 years for children 15 and younger. For adults who already have a passport book, they may apply for the card as a passport renewal and will pay only $20. First time applicants will pay $45 for adult and $35 for children.

If you live in a Southern State bordering Mexico, or a Northern State bordering Canada and travel to and from Mexico or Canada ofter this may be what you want. For cruising I still recommend the Passport Book, as the Passport Card is not valid for air travel back into the United States. If for some reason while you are on a cruise and need to return to the U.S. before the cruise is over, either because of a accident, injury, sickness, or problem at home you will not be able to fly back to the U.S. with the Passport Card as you can with the Passport Book. If you are going on a Alaska Cruise out of Canada and are flying to the cruise port only a Passport Book will allow you to fly to the port.

If you already have a passport book, I would recomment renewing it with another passport book, not the new passport card. If you don't have either and are planning on cruising I would recommend the Passport Book.

New Final Boarding Time Policy

This New Policy comes as a result of a new rule mandated by the US Customs and Border Protection. Beginning February 19, 2008, they are requiring all cruise lines to send an electronic transmission of their passenger and crew manifests no later than 60 minutes prior to departure.

NCL is implementing the policy a little early, starting 1/1/08, but all cruise lines will need to comply by February 19…so I wouldn’t be surprised if all of the other cruise lines come out with revised policies shortly.

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity requirements are you are requested to complete the Online Check-In no later than 3 days prior to the cruise. If you do not complete the Online Check-In 3 days prior, you will be required to complete this process at the pier at least two hours prior to the published sailing time. All guest must be checked-in and onboard the ship no later than 90 minutes prior to the published sailing time or you will not be permitted to sail.

Airlines have said to check-in two hours early, now the cruise lines are saying the same thing, all because of extra security.

Guests will not be allowed to board after check-in has been closed. Late arriving guests may join the ship at an approved port of call in the scheduled cruise itineary. Travel to that subsequent port of call will be at the guests' expense.

Security when traveling.

Be very careful when traveling, especially to places you have never been to before. You may not know which areas of your destenation you should avoid.

Some places are especially prone to pickpockets. Use security wallets inside your clothes, and before you leave home make a copy of your license, credit cards, etc. both front and back. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call to cancel. Take the copy with you on your trip.

When you leave your hotel or cruise ship don't carry every credit card you own, leave all but one card locked in the hotel or ship safe. If something happens and you are robbed, you stil will have backup cards to use. Don't take your debit cards, use only your credit cards.

If your wallet or credit card is stolen You should cancel your credit cards immediately, and the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those copies where you can access them on your trip. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

Here are the numbers to the 3 national credit crporting organizations you will need to contact about your wallet, credit cards, etc, if it has been stolen:
1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

If you are traveling with your passport, you should have a copy of it also and put it with the copy of the license, credit card, etc.