The Departments of Homeland Security and State announced this week that all U.S. citizens will be required to show a passport or other accepted secure document to enter or re-enter United States by January 1, 2008.

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA, also known as the 9/11 Intelligence Bill), signed into law on December 17, 2004, mandated that the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, develop and implement a plan to require U.S. citizens and foreign nationals to present a passport, or other secure document when entering the United States.
The Departments of Homeland Security and State are issuing an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the plan to the public and requesting input and/or comment on the suggested documents and possible alternative documents that can meet the statutory requirements. A more formal rulemaking will be issued later this year following review of those comments to implement the first phase of the initiative. This rulemaking will take into account comments received from the ANPRM as well as soliciting further comments on the rulemaking itself.
According to the State Department web site, effective dates for the new rules are:
* December 31, 2005 Passport or other accepted document required for all travel (air/sea) to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America.
* December 31, 2006 Passport or other accepted document required for all air and sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada.
* December 31, 2007 Passport or other accepted document required for all air, sea and land border crossings.
“We recognize the implications this might have for industry, business and the general public, as well as our neighboring countries, and they are important partners in this initiative. The advanced notice of proposed rule making will allow these affected publics to voice concern and provide ideas for alternate documents acceptable under the law,” explained Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Maura Harty. “The overarching need is to implement this legal requirement in a way that strengthens security while facilitating the movement of persons and goods.”
For more information, go to www.dhs.gov or www.travel.state.gov.