In the face of pressure from would-be travelers and the travel industry, the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security announced today that U.S. citizens traveling between Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda won't have to show a passport until Sept. 30.
Under legislation to secure the borders in the wake of 9/11, the government imposed the passport requirement starting Jan. 23, but a backlog of applications led to this postponement.
Now, travelers who have applied for but not yet received passports can temporarily enter and depart from the U.S. by air with a government-issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport through Sept. 30.
Adults who have applied for but not yet received a passport should present government-issued photo identification and an official proof of application from the U.S. Department of State. Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child's proof of application. Travelers who have not applied for a passport should not expect to be accommodated. U.S. citizens with pending passport applications can obtain proof of application at by clicking here.
This accommodation does not affect entry requirements to other countries. Americans traveling to a country that requires passports must still present those documents.
