What is the WHTI?

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is a new U.S. law that will require all travellers, including Canadians, to carry a valid passport or other appropriate secure document when travelling to the United States from within the western hemisphere.

This is a change from prior travel requirements.

What is a secure document?

The U.S. government released the final rules for air travel to the United States on November 24, 2006. The following items will be considered acceptable for entry into the United States from within the western hemisphere by air:

• A valid passport;
• A NEXUS Air membership when used at a NEXUS Air kiosk;
• A valid Merchant Mariner's Document for U.S. citizens; or
• Valid U.S. military identification and orders, when travelling on active duty.

The United States has yet to release the rules for land and sea travel; however, a passport will be valid for all modes of travel under the WHTI.

When does the WHTI come into effect?

The WHTI will be implemented in two phases.

The first phase will affect travel to the United States by air only. As of January 23, 2007, Canadians will require:

• A valid passport or
• A NEXUS Air membership when used at a NEXUS Air kiosk.

It is advisable that Canadians planning to travel by air to the United States obtain a passport or join NEXUS Air if they plan to travel to the United States via the Vancouver International Airport where NEXUS Air kiosks are located.

More information about passports: Passport Canada

The second phase will include travel to the United States by all modes of travel, including land and sea.

On September 29, 2006, the U.S. Congress passed the Fiscal Year 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, which was signed into law by President Bush on October 4, 2006. The Act includes, among other things, an amendment granting permission to delay the implementation of the WHTI for travel by land and sea.

This permission to delay is until June 1, 2009, or until three months after the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security have jointly certified that specific security criteria for travel documents have been established, including the following:

• The U.S. PASS (People Access Security System) card must meet or exceed International Organization for Standardization (ISO) security standards and best available practices for protection of personal identification documents;
• The technology for reading PASS card data must be compatible with information technology systems and infrastructure used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection;
• The technology and any subsequent changes must be shared with the governments of Canada and Mexico;
• An agreement must be reached with the U.S. Postal Service on the fee to be charged to individuals for the PASS card;
• An alternative procedure must be developed for groups of children travelling across an international border under adult supervision with parental consent;
• Consideration must be taken for frequent travellers, including those who reside in border communities; and
• The implementation dates for land and sea borders must be amalgamated.

This means that the WHTI could be fully implemented before June 1, 2009, if all the criteria are met.

Does it affect both Canadians and Americans?

Yes. The WHTI will apply to all people travelling to the United States from within the western hemisphere, including Canadians and Americans.

Will the U.S. accept alternate documents from Canadians?

The rules for air travel provide the majority of Canadian travellers to the United States the option of either a valid passport or a NEXUS Air membership when used at a NEXUS Air kiosk.

The Government of Canada is working closely with its U.S. counterparts to investigate other acceptable alternate documents for Canadians for the land portion of the WHTI implementation.