Traveling to Jamaica: Do You Need a Passport? - Expedited Passports

UPDATED INFORMATION AS OF JUNE 1st, 2009: 

Air travel to Jamaica requires a valid US passport for everyone, of all ages. For adults, land or sea travel requires a passport, passport card or a membership card from one of the following trusted traveler programs: NEXUS, FAST or SENTRI. Children under the age of 16 may travel with a copy of their birth certificate only if they are traveling by land or sea. Children under the age of 19 may use a birth certificate for land or sea travel as long as they are traveling with an organized school, church, sports or volunteer group with adult supervision.

With US travel regulations changing so frequently over the past few years, you may be wondering whether or not a passport is required to go to Jamaica. The answer depends on a few different factors.

First, are you sailing to Jamaica or are you flying in? All American citizens, even children, must have a US passport to re-enter the US if they are traveling to Jamaica by plane.

Next, when are you traveling? Currently, US citizens who sail to and from Jamaica can re-enter the country using proof of citizenship (a birth certificate or naturalization certificate) and government-issued photo ID (like a driver’s license or state ID card).  This only applies to tourists-if you are entering Jamaica on a business trip, you must have a US passport regardless of your method of travel.

However, on June 1st, 2009, the rules will change. June 1st is when the final stage of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative becomes effective. After that date, all travelers to and from Jamaica will need to have US passports to re-enter the United States. There are a few exceptions to this requirement, including:

• Passengers on closed-loop cruises that begin and end at the same port in the United States can continue to use photo IDs and birth certificates.
• Children under the age of 16 can use their birth certificates.
• Children aged 18 and under can use their birth certificates if they are traveling in an organized, chaperoned school group, church group or sports team.

If you need to get a passport for a trip to Jamaica, experts recommend that you apply a few months in advance to make sure you have your passport in time.  If you are leaving within the next month or two and need a passport, submitting your passport application through a private passport expediting service will ensure you have your passport in plenty of time for your trip.

Expediting companies work with the US Passport Agency, hand-delivering your application to them for faster processing. Expediting companies also offer personal service and instructions to make the expediting process easier.

With an expediting company, you can have your passport application processed in as little as 24 hours, or choose a more affordable option and wait just a few days more.  Visit RushMyPassport.com and see how easy it is to get an expedited passport for your trip to Jamaica!

UPDATE: Effective June 1st, 2009, the requirements to travel to the Bahamas have changed. Please see this entry for the most up-to-date information.

Changing travel regulations have left many people scratching their heads, wondering whether or not you need a passport to go the Bahamas.

Actually, it depends. Right now, if you’re traveling to or from the Bahamas by sea, all you need is government-issued photo identification and proof of citizenship, such as your birth certificate.  However, if you’re flying, you have to have a US passport to re-enter the US from the Bahamas.

On June 1st, 2009, the rules are changing again. After that date, almost everybody who is traveling to the Bahamas will need a passport to re-enter the US, whether they are traveling by land or by sea.  There are only a few  exceptions: (more…)

Updated information as of June 1, 2009:

Passports are required for all air travel to and from Mexico. For travel by land or sea, adults should have a passport, passport card, enhanced driver’s license or a trusted traveler card like NEXUS, FAST or SENTRI. Children under the age of 16 may travel with only a birth certificate, as may children under the age of 19 who are traveling with an organized group like a school, church or sports group. However, keep in mind that Mexican regulations typically require US citizens to have a passport if they travel beyond the “border zone” into the interior of the country.

Instead of a passport, passengers on closed-loop cruises, which begin and end in the US,  may cruise with a state-issued photo ID and birth certificate or naturalization certificate.

Right now,  whether or not you need a passport to go to Mexico  depends on two factors: how you’re getting there and when you’re planning to go. Passports are already required for travel to Mexico if you are traveling by plane.  However, currently land and sea travelers can cross the border with state-issued ID (like a driver’s license) and proof of American citizenship  (like a birth certificate).

On June 1st, the rules will change as the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative becomes effective. After June 1st, everyone will need a passport to go to Mexico, whether you’re flying, sailing or walking across the border. The only groups of people who will still be able to cross the border using birth certificates after this date will be children under 16 traveling with family and children under 18 if they are on an organized trip with a school, church or sport group.

These exceptions only apply for children traveling by land or sea. Everyone flying to or from Mexico will still need a passport, regardless of age. As a safety precaution, it’s best  that all travelers to Mexico have a passport in case they need to fly home unexpectedly.

If you’re planning a trip to Mexico, it’s important to apply for a passport at least 6 weeks and preferably several months in advance.  Since the rules are about to change, the wait time for a US passport may get longer as the deadline approaches.

If you need a passport to Mexico in a hurry, you should consider using a private passport expediting service to submit your passport application. With an expediting company, your application will be processed more quickly, bypassing the normal wait times. With RushMyPassport.com, you can have your passport processed in as little as 24 hours!

Click here to view our passport processing options, and order your passport to Mexico the easy way!

Are you trying to decide what to do when the kids get out of school for summer vacation? Here’s a surprisingly cheap idea: take the family on  a cruise! B-Net.com has a post up that describes the deep discounts the cruise industry is offering to keep itself afloat.  According to the post, some cruises are even cheaper than staying in a nice hotel!

Of course, if you have little ones, you’ll want to make sure they have fun, too.  Royal Caribbean is offering family-friendly Nickelodeon-themed cruises over the summer. So, adults get all the luxuries of life at sea, and kids get green slime and their favorite Nickelodeon characters. Everyone wins!

If you decide to take the family on a cruise, remember that you may need passports. Currently, only air passengers need US passports to enter the country from Mexico or the Caribbean. However, on June 1st, 2009, the rules change and getting a passport will become a necessity for land and sea passengers as well.  (more…)

Effective June 1, 2009, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will go into effect.  Any change in federal regulations is likely to cause some confusion, and the WHTI is no exception to this rule.  One common question people have been asking is this: Do I need to renew my passport to comply with the new travel regulations?

The answer, fortunately, is simple: only if it’s expired! The final phase of the WHTI requires that anyone traveling to Mexico, Canada, or the Caribbean by land, sea or air present a valid US passport when they re-enter the country.  Currently, US passports are only required if you are traveling by plane.

So, if your passport is expired and you’re planning a trip to any of the regions listed above, you will need to renew your passport before you go. If you already have a valid passport, there’s no need to renew it early. Just remember to bring it with you! Passport renewal is usually a simple process. You may even be eligible to renew your passport by mail!

However, you do need to allow enough time before your trip for your passport renewal to be processed. You should allow at least 6 weeks if you request regular processing with your passport renewal, and you may need to allow even more time if you are applying near the June 1st deadline.

If you need to get your passport more quickly, a private passport expediting company can get it back to you much faster. With an expediting company, your application is delivered by hand to the US Passport Agency, where it goes to the “top of the pile” for faster processing.

For great service, renew your passport with RushMyPassport.com today!

UPDATED INFORMATION as of June 1, 2009: 

A passport, a passport card, a NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST enrollment card, or an enhanced driver’s license is required to travel to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean by land or by sea.  

However, if you are on a closed-loop cruise to any of the above destinations, one that begins and ends at the same US port, you do not have to carry a passport and can use your driver’s license and birth certificate instead.

Also, children under the age of 16 can travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean by land or sea using only a birth certificate.

Passports are still required for any air travel out of the country  (with certain exceptions for NEXUS card holders), and you may wish to carry one even for closed-loop cruises in case you miss the  boat and need to fly to the next port, or in case you need fly home for an emergency.

Cruises that involve foreign countries other than Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean require a passport book.

Are you considering taking off on a cruise to the Caribbean for some fun in the sun? How about sailing to Mexico or Canada? Starting June 1, new passport regulations go into effect, and you may need to pack your passport.

What are the new passport requirements for cruises? Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, starting June 1 passengers on cruises that go outside the US will need a passport to re-enter the country.  There are two exceptions: (more…)

Travel requirements have been changing so quickly, it can be hard to keep track of what documents are required to go where. However, it’s important to stay up-to-date, since not having the correct paperwork can derail your trip!  One of the common questions about travel requirements involves travel to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean, countries covered under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).

Do you need a passport for travel to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean? Currently, it depends on how you are traveling. If you travel by plane, you have to have a valid US passport to travel from the US to any of these countries. However, if you are driving or traveling by sea, you just need to carry proof of identity (like a driver’s license) and proof of citizenship (such as your birth certificate).  No matter what method of travel you choose, it’s still a good idea to get a passport if you are leaving the country. What if you have an emergency and you need to fly back home? When it comes to foreign travel, it’s always a good idea to think like a Boy Scout!

Also, on June 1, 2009, the travel requirements are changing again. On this day, the final phase of the WHTI will go into effect, and land and sea travelers will also be required to have a passport to travel to Mexico, Canada, or the Caribbean. The only exceptions are people who have other types of WHTI-compliant identification (such as the Enhanced Driver’s Licenses offered in some states) and children under the age of 16. A passport will still be required for all international air travel.

If you need to get a new passport quickly, consider using the services of a private expediting company. An expediting company can cut through the red tape to help you get your passport quickly and easily, in as little as 24 hours!

On June 1st, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will begin. That means that almost all travelers crossing into Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean will need to have a US passport or a US passport card. However, starting February 17, Vermont will begin issuing enhanced drivers’ licenses, which can take the place of passports for a quick jaunt over the Canadian border.

What makes these Enhanced Drivers’ Licenses so special? The new licenses contain a radio frequency identification chip  which can be read up to 20 feet away. To reassure Vermonters concerned about the privacy of their personal data, the chip only contains a number. The government can use the unique number programmed into your chip to bring up your picture and other information in a government database, ensuring that the license you’re carrying belongs to you.

Citizens of Vermont will pay an extra $25 for the enhanced IDs, which will undoubtedly be worth it for people who don’t have a passport but make frequent quick trips over the Canadian border. However, the Enhanced Drivers’ License can only be used in place of a passport for trips to countries covered by the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which includes Canada, Mexico, and some countries in the Caribbean.  You will still a need a passport for any other international trips.

If you need to get a passport quickly, the easiest way to get one is to use a passport expediting service like RushMyPassport.com. An expediting company whisks your passport application form through the application process, significantly cutting down on processing time.  In fact, with the help of an expediting service, you can have your passport issued in as little as 24 hours!