Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

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

More on 3-1-1

I recently came across two pages on the TSA.gov website that refer to the 3-1-1 rule and how it will apply to international passengers. One page announces new regulations regarding liquids in carry on bags and the effect on duty free purchases and the other announces the “International Harmonization” security measures that will be implemented on November 6, 2007.

All duty-free items purchased in European airports will be placed in sealed tamper-evident bags and they will be permittted through the European security check points. Duty-free liquids purchased in US airports will be permitted only if the passenger flies nonstop to Europe. If the passenger is connecting to another flight in a European airport, US duty-free purchases will not be allowed through security because those items will not be in a tamper-evident bag.

30 countries will have similar security measures in place regarding liquids in carry on bags. The statistic that approximately one half of the world’s travelers will follow the 3-1-1 rule is impressive.

As for the duty-free prohibition on US purchases because of a connection, why aren’t US duty-free shops placing these purchases in the same or similar tamper-evident bags? It just doesn’t make sense.

These two pages aren’t linked and are found in different headings on the TSA.gov website. I found them by accident. I think the TSA.gov website very difficult to navigate through and pages like these should be linked. A redesign and reworking of this site is in order.

International Passenger Travel Alert
International Harmonization of Security Measures

Filed under: airline industry, airport security, airports, international travel security, tsa