Passport Requirements

General Passport Information

Traveling abroad? On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will require U.S. citizens entering the United States via land, sea, or air to have a passport, passport card, or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security. Sam’s Club Travel strongly recommends that every traveler have a passport; if you don't have one, allow a minimum of 6–8 weeks to obtain one.

Children: All U.S. citizen children ranging in age from birth to 18 years-of-age will now be required to present their own passport when entering the United States at airports.

Air Travel: Passports are now required for U.S. citizens traveling to or from all international destinations, including Mexico or Canada.

Land & Sea Travel: U.S. citizens returning home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda, by land or sea, will be required to present one of the travel documents listed below:
- U.S. Passport
- U.S. Passport Card
- Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)
- Trusted Traveler Program Cards
EXCEPTION: U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port) and visit Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and/or countries of the Caribbean will be able to enter or depart the US with a birth certificate and government issued photo ID.

As of July 2009, Mexican nationals will be required to present a visa in order to travel to Canada. For more information on this new policy, and how to obtain a visa, please visit: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/backgrounders/2009/2009-07-13.asp

For further information, see U.S. Customs and Border Protection's website Ready, Set...Go!

For information on passports, U.S. citizens can visit the State Department's web site http://travel.state.gov, or call the U.S. National Passport Information Center: (877) 4USA-PPT. Please allow at minimum 6–8 weeks for processing of the passport application. If you need to travel urgently and require a passport sooner, expedited processing is available.

To find out more information about how to obtain a passport, please visit: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

To find foreign country entry requirements, please visit: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html

To find U.S. entry requirements for non-citizens, please visit: http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html