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New Passport Initiative
The Departments of Homeland Security and State announced today the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative to secure and expedite travel. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will require all
U.S.
citizens, Canadians, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and citizens of
Mexico
to have a passport or other accepted secure document to enter or re-enter
United States
by
January 1, 2008
.
Currently,
U.S.
citizens, and some citizens of other countries in the
Western Hemisphere
are not required to present a passport to enter or re-enter the
U. S.
when traveling within the
Western Hemisphere
. 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.
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