Do I Need a Passport?

Before you travel, learn the entry requirements of the foreign country you are traveling to. Additionally, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires U.S. and Canadian travelers to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the U.S. It is a result of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA).

The goal of WHTI is to strengthen U.S. border security while facilitating entry for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized documentation that enables the Department of Homeland Security to quickly and reliably identify a traveler.
To learn more about WHTI, travel document requirements, and Trusted Traveler Programs, please visit the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection’s WHTI homepage.

Traveling by Air?

All individuals, regardless of age, must have their own passport when traveling internationally by air.

• If you have never had a U.S. passport, please visit our New Adult Passport or Child Passport page for information on application requirements, application fees, and where to apply.
• If you have previously owned or currently own a U.S. passport.  Please visit our Passport Renewal page to learn more about the application requirements and application fees.

Traveling by Sea?

All adults U.S. citizens arriving by sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean must have a passport.*

• If you have never had a U.S. passport, please visit our New Adult Passport or Child Passport page for information on application requirements, application fees, and where to apply.
• If you have previously owned or currently own a U.S. passport.  Please visit our Passport Renewal page to learn more about the application requirements and application fees.

*“Closed-Loop” Cruises: If you are a U.S. citizen, and you board a cruise ship at a U.S. port, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship, you may present government-issued photo identification, along with proof of citizenship (an original or certified copy of your birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization). Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

Traveling by Land?

All adults arriving by land from Canada or Mexico must have a passport.

• If you have never had a U.S. passport, please visit our New Adult Passport or Child Passport page for information on application requirements, application fees, and where to apply.
• If you have previously owned or currently own a U.S. passport.  Please visit our Passport Renewal page to learn more about the application requirements, application fees and application fees.