The Department of Homeland Security has initiated the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative in phases.
The first phase was implemented in January, 2007 and applied to passport requirements if traveling by air. Unfortunately, the Department of Homeland Security and, I suppose, the State Department didn’t realize that lots of United States citizens travel to foreign countries. Passport applications skyrocketed and processing times rose to 16 weeks. Michael Chertoff, Department of Homeland Security Secretary, referred to this as a “hiccup” and has advised that the backlog should drop by half at the end of September.
Phase two will be implemented on January 1, 2008, but having learned the lesson of 2007, will be implemented in stages. So, to be clear, phase two will be introduced…in phases.
Secretary Chertoff gave a speech at a press conference on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Land and Sea Notice of Proposed Rule Making. Read Secretary Chertoff’s speech. In it, he outlined the phases of implementation and what the acceptable documents will be. This is an excerpt from his speech that explains. (The bold highlights are mine)
“As I said, this first phase, beginning in January 31, 2008, where we will accept non-WHTI documents but will require at least two documents, meaning a driver’s license with a photo or an ID with a photo and a birth certificate, will last for about six months, maybe seven or eight months. And as early as the summer of 2008 we will then move to the second phase of the rule where we fully implement WHTI. And that’s the phase where we will require a WHTI compliant identification, passport, pass card, WHTI compliant driver’s license, NEXUS card, FAST card or SENTRI card, valid Merchant Marine Document or a valid U.S. military ID.”
Is this going to simplify the identification process and enhance security?
Filed under: Passports, international travel security, passport applications, tsa
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