Under proposed rules, you will soon need a passport to re-enter the U.S. after traveling to any other country--even if you're going on a quickie getaway to the Caribbean or Canada. But the rules are confusing because they keep changing.
This winter, a new rule required passports for flights home from Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean, just like other countries around the world. But the government was overwhelmed by a deluge of passport applications, and it responded by relaxing the rules for the summer. Until Sept. 30, if you have a confirmation slip that your passport application has been accepted (which can take a week or more for you to receive), you can still fly home from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean with a government-issued ID, such as a birth certificate or a driver's license.
The rules are different if you're driving across the border or sailing a cruise. You won't need a passport for those trips--at least not for this year.
But next year, even driving across the border may require either government-issued ID or a passport, according to the most recent announcement from the Department of Homeland Security. By early January, U.S. citizens may be required to show a passport or an acceptable alternative form of I.D. The bad news: It apparently won't be good enough to show a traditional state driver's license. Under proposed rules, states will be required to create enhanced forms of identification that are more secure than standard driver's licenses.
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02-12-2008, 05:17 PM
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