U.S.
Borders
1)
Re-Entry
Requirements -
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
(WHTI) is now in effect.
The
U.S. Customs & Border Protection website lists the identification
documents necessary for land re-entry back into the U.S. at the following
link:
http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/lang_eng/index.html
The
three most common accepted documents are:
|
1) |
A U.S.
passport book,
or |
|
2) |
A U.S.
passport card,
or |
|
3) |
An ENHANCED Drivers License - ( EDL, shows citizenship). |
|
|
NOTE:
The WHTI provides the following two exceptions for children: |
|
|
a) |
Under
16 years of age travelling with their family, OR |
|
b) |
Groups of Children under 19 years of age, under adult supervision with parental/guardian
consent. |
|
|
|
Both
exceptions allow children in the listed category to use a certified copy of a birth
certificate as acceptable I.D. Category (b) needs to also
present a notarized
form showing parental/guardian consent to travel outside the U.S.
Photo I.D., while always helpful, is not required for either category. |
|
WHTI
Reference Information:
The
complete text of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (38 Pages!) as
published in the Federal Register is available at this link:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-6725.pdf
For
your convenience, here
is a link to the one page (Page 18407, or 25/38) in the above .PDF document that
describes all U.S. Border re-entry requirements.
The section on exceptions for children is highlighted in Red.
2)
Border
Crossings -
Click on this
link for the maps page, and read section 1)
Getting to the border crossings for the details on getting
to the Mexican border. We recommend you enter Mexico via the TECATE
border crossing.
3)
Border
Wait Times -
A real-time
listing of wait times at the San Ysidro, Otay Mesa and Tecate border
crossings. This nifty web application will also work on any internet
enabled PDA or phone that has service in Mexico. Click
on this link, or point your browser to:
