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Very important!
Please
read the following information regarding changes to passport
requirements.
These changes impact US Citizens and
non-US Citizens. For more information, please see the
U.S. State
Department website for passport information. Expired
passports are not acceptable.
WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND CARRYING A PASSPORT VALID FOR SIX MONTHS
BEYOND THE DURATION OF YOUR TRAVEL.
U.S. and Canadian citizens: Beginning on January 23, 2007, with
the implementation of the first phase of the Western Hemisphere
Travel Initiative, all persons, including citizens of the United
States, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central
and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda will be required to
have and carry a valid passport to enter or re-enter the United
States by air. In addition, this new requirement will also
impact Canadian travelers that travel by air to or from any of
our U.S. destinations. The passport requirement does NOT apply
to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S.
territory. U.S. citizens returning directly from a U.S.
territory are not considered to have left the United States and
do not need to present a passport.
It is highly recommended that all guests travel with a valid
passport during their travels. This will enable guests to
fly back to the U.S. due to an emergency (medical or otherwise)
without significant delays and complications.
As early as January 1, 2008, with the implementation of the
final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, all
persons, including citizens of the United States, traveling
between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America,
the Caribbean and Bermuda will be required to have and carry a
valid passport to enter or re-enter the United States by air,
land or sea.
For more information and implementation dates, please visit
www.travel.state.gov/passport or call the National
Passport Information Center toll free at: 877-487-2778.
Prior to the final implementation date,
U.S. and Canadian
citizens may travel without a passport on itineraries that do
not require re-entry to the US by air. In these cases, all U.S.
and Canadian citizens must carry the following documents as
proof of citizenship for travel within the western hemisphere
countries listed above: 1) picture identification issued by an
official government agency AND an original or certified copy of
birth certificate from the state or province of your birth; or
2) picture identification issued by an official government
agency AND a U.S. or Canadian Naturalization Certificate.
For travel outside of the western hemisphere countries, U.S. and
Canadian citizens must have and carry a passport valid for six
months beyond the duration of their travels.
Non-U.S./non-Canadian citizens: You must have and carry a
passport valid for six months beyond the duration of your
travels. Please carefully verify the existing identification
requirements for your particular travel situation. In addition,
non-U.S. citizens who have previously been admitted to the
United States for permanent residence must carry their Permanent
Resident Card (Form I-551), commonly known as a Green Card.
Resident aliens not in possession of this must obtain one at the
nearest office of the U.S. Immigration Service.
Visas: Some countries require that you obtain official
authorization (called a visa) before entering the country.
Usually there is a fee required. You are responsible for
obtaining any necessary visas. If your itinerary requires a visa
prior to travel, contact your travel agent for assistance.
Citizens of other countries should contact the nearest
representative embassies or consulates for the proper
information.
Non-US or -Canadian citizens may be required to hold a Canadian
Visa when traveling to Alaska or Canada. Please visit the
Canadian government website at
http://canada.gc.ca to verify your nationality's
requirements.
Schengen Visa holders (applies to those EU-Member citizens
only): New requirements pertaining to proof of medical insurance
coverage have been adopted for all Schengen Visa holders. This
requirement does not apply to US or Canadian citizens. All
guests should keep themselves advised of changes in government
requirements. If you have questions about visa requirements,
call Zierer Visa Service at 866-788-1100 or local (202)745-4470.
You may visit their website at:
www.zvs.com.
MACHINE-READABLE PASSPORTS
Effective June 26, 2005, travelers from the 27 countries
participating in the United States' Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
must have a machine-readable passport to enter the United
States.
If you are in possession of a passport issued by any of the 27
countries listed below, please contact the passport issuing
authority to ensure that you are in possession of a
machine-readable passport.
The 27 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program
include: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Additional
information regarding the Visa Waiver Program is available
online at www.dhs.gov.
Please note that boarding your airplane or cruise ship may be
denied to travelers from VWP countries that do not have
machine-readable passports. |
