The Big Question: What's New?

The Big Question: What's New?

Last year, the U.S. government implemented the first phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which requires Americans to carry a passport when traveling by air to and from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean region. The second part of the initiative, which covers travel by land or sea to the above areas, is scheduled to start this summer. Trips to such U.S. territories as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are exempt from the initiative.

In addition, on Jan. 31, the government stopped accepting oral declarations of U.S. citizenship at the border. Now, Americans 19 or older must present an official ID, such as a driver's license, and proof of citizenship, such as an official birth certificate; those 18 and younger need to show only proof of citizenship.

Applications are now being accepted for the Passport Card, a wallet-size ID that can be used instead of a passport for land and sea crossings in WHTI regions. The card, which will be sent out starting in the spring, costs $20 for adults with a passport, $45 for adults without a passport and $35 for kids without a passport. It is valid for 10 years for adults, five years for children 15 or younger.

Since August, the State Department has been issuing Electronic Passports, or e-passports, which facilitate biometric comparison at borders. The document is a techy version of the traditional passport, with an embedded computer chip that contains all crucial data, plus a digital photograph and anti-fraud and security features. Chip-less passports will be accepted until their expiration date.

-- Andrea Sachs