San Carlos Mexico

No passport required for driving to the U.S. until 2009

December 15th, 2007

If you plan on DRIVING to Mexico before June 2009, you can still use your US or Canadian Drivers License as identification for crossing back into the US. You will NOT need a passport for driving or walking across the border back into the US until June 2009.

The new passport requirement for 2007 ONLY applies to AIR TRAVEL!

There has been a lot of confusion this year about the new passport requirements for traveling to Mexico from the US or Canada. Adventure Mexican Insurance Services has done a lot of research on this issue, and we would like to provide our customers with the most current and clear information on this topic. If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact our office at 800-485-4075 or email: info@mexadventure.com Below is a quick summary of the new passport legislation, and a timeline of when the changes are expected to be implemented:Why is the Passport Law Changing?
As part of the The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, the Department of Homeland Security is supposed to implement a plan that requires all travelers to the US to provide a passport or similar documentation upon entry into the US. This requirement applies to all US citizens and foreign travelers. This plan is called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
Read more about the WHTI - NOTE - this webpage still lists the January 2008 deadline, but the documentation below will show that the deadline has been changed to sometime around June 2009. Also, note the difference between Air and Land travel.

When Will Passports be Required for Re-Entering the US from Mexico?
This is where the confusion lies!

The passport requirements are being applied at different dates for different types of travel. There are 3 different classifications for traveling into the US.
1: Air Travel - (By airplane):
As of January 23, 2007, all travelers - including US and Canadian citizens are now required to have a passport when entering the US by airplane.
2: Sea Travel - (By boat or cruise ship):
The exact deadline for when passports (or similar documentation) will be required for entering the US by sea has not been set. However, current legislation has been passed that requires the deadline to be no later than June 2009. The sea travel deadline will be the same as the land travel deadline.
3: Land Border Travel - (Driving a vehicle or walking across the border):
The exact deadline for when passports (or similar documentation) will be required for entering the US by land has not been set. However, current legislation has been passed that requires the deadline to be no later than June 2009. The land travel deadline will be the same as the sea travel deadline.

Why has the Passport Requirement for Land Border Travel Been Delayed?
Originally, the passport requirements for land border travel were supposed to be implemented by January 2008, but in October 2006, the President signed into law a delay of this deadline until June 2009. The main reason for the delay is because the Department of Homeland Security is attempting to develop a PASS CARD system. This system will create drivers license-sized cards that will serve as limited use passports for land border entries from Mexico and the US. The Senate recognized that the PASS CARD system could not be properly implemented by the original deadline, so they passed the Leahy-Stevens Amendment which delayed the deadline until sometime prior to (or on) June 2009.
Read the actual legislation from Senator Leahy’s website
Read the documentation of the President signing the June 2009 deadline - Page 3; bottom right paragraph

Should You Get a Passport Now?
If you think you may be driving to Mexico after June 2009, then you should probably go ahead and get a passport sometime soon. The passport processing times will only get longer as we get closer to the passport requirement deadline. It is currently taking up to 15 weeks to receive a new passport without paying extra for expedition. Plus - you already need a passport if you want to travel to Mexico by airplane!

Links on How to Obtain a US Passport:
First Time Passport
Where To Apply for a Passport
Renew or Get a Paspport in a Hurry

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Gracias a participantes

December 6th, 2007

A todos los participantes e este proximo fin de semana en San Carlos, para la visita de canal 3 de Phoenix, muchas gracias por su apoyo, y estaremos promocionando sus negocios, junto con nuestras casas, en el programa de TV “Your Life, A to Z”. Filmaremos restaurantes, actividades, casas, playas, vistas, el futuro de San Carlos, cruceros en Guaymas, etc.

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Casa en la Playa

October 30th, 2007

El fin de semana rente una casa por medio de seaside reservations en San Carlos, en Costa del Mar, nos la pasamos muy bien! Es un desarrollo bien tranquilo, muy relajante, la playa esta bien limpia, nos tomamos unas cervezas en la playa, la gente de seaside de seguridad vino y nos pregunto que si todo estaba bien, y nos dijo que nos recomendaba estar tranquilos, se nos hizo muy buena onda que cuiden el ambiente familiar.

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Hello world!

October 29th, 2007

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

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About

October 29th, 2007

This is an example of a WordPress page, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many pages like this one or sub-pages as you like and manage all of your content inside of WordPress.

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Border Talk

February 18th, 2007

By Almer Elzink, Cortez Paradise Magazine

Many people heading to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean now travel with just a driver’s license for identification. Under the new rule, named the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), U.S. citizens traveling by air, land or sea will be required to present a valid passport upon their return. While air travelers already need the document, land or sea travelers have until January 1^st, 2008 to obtain theirs.

As federal officials try to bring the process of identification into the digital age by incorporating cutting – edge technology, the new initiative strengthens border security by designating verifiable secure documents to quickly reliably and accurately identify a traveler.

Since there are currently over 8,000 different state and local entities in the United States that issue birth certificates and driver’s licenses still enabling passing the land ports of entry, it is difficult to quickly verify authenticity of the documents. Just one document to check should make inspection easier and more efficient for both inspectors and travelers.

To facilitate the frequent travel of those who living in U.S. border communities and U.S. residents who don’t want to pay $97 for a passport, the Department of State also is proposing by the end of 2007 to introduce a “PASSport Card” that would work like a passport. The proposed wallet-sized card would cost $10 for children and $20 for adults, but is only good for those traveling by land or sea to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean.

Even though your driver’s license will no longer be sufficient soon, some exemptions may apply . It is also anticipated that the following documents will continue to be acceptable for their current travel issues under the Initiative: SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST, and the U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document.

We would encourage all U.S. citizens to obtain the appropriate documents before they travel. A study showed that over half traveling to Mexico have one already, and for the ones that don’t: there is really no reason for concern. A valid U.S. passport is required to enter and leave most foreign countries, and it is fairly easy to get one.

For more information, visit the State Department’s web site, http://travel.state.gov, or call the U.S National Passport Information Center: (877) 4USA-PPT. U.S. citizens living outside the U.S. should contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Source: U.S. Department of State.

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