Passport Requirements
Puerto Vallarta
Travel: "Do I need a passport to
travel to Mexico?"
Passport Requirements for Mexico
By Jon Wuebben
Making plans to
travel to Mexico this year? Is a
Mexico family vacation in your
future, or are you looking to
take a little time for rest and
relaxation on the sandy white
beaches of Cancun or Puerto
Vallarta? Well, your timing is
right. It promises to be another
fantastic year south of the
border for all of the major
Mexico resort hot spots! In
fact, 16 million Americans will
probably visit Mexico this
year.
Be sure you are
prepared before you travel, as
there have been some new
requirements issued by the
U.S. State
Department.
Although it’s a minor change
from prior travel requirements,
it affects all U.S. citizens
entering the United States from
countries within the Western
Hemisphere who do not currently
possess valid passports.
Essentially, all that is
required is a passport, which
most frequent travelers have
anyway. The goal? To make it
safer for you and to strengthen
United States border security.
Here are some important facts
you should know:
·
The
Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention
Act of
2004
requires that by January 1,
2008, travelers to and from the
Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama,
Mexico and Canada have a
passport or other secure,
accepted document to enter or
re-enter the United States.
In the proposed
implementation plan, which is
subject to a period of initial
public comment, the Initiative
will be rolled out in phases,
providing as much advance notice
as possible to the affected
public to enable them to meet
the terms of the new guidelines.
·
The proposed timeline will be as
follows:
December 31, 2006
- Requirement applied to all air
and sea travel to or from
Canada, Mexico, Central and
South America, the Caribbean,
and Bermuda.
December 31, 2007
- Requirement extended to all
land border crossings as well as
air and sea travel.
The Easy Way to get a Passport
First, when
applying for a passport, make
sure you allow enough time! It
typically takes 6 weeks to
process a passport application.
Where can you apply for a
passport? The State Department
provides a handy search tool to
help you find the
Passport
Acceptance
Facility
nearest you. What’s the busiest
time for passport processing?
Usually between January and
July. Of course, if you have an
emergency and need to travel to
Mexico right away, the State
Dept does offer some options. Go
to their website at
http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html,
or call the U.S. National
Passport Information Center:
1-877-4USA-PPT
Additional Tips
for Travel to Mexico
·
Be sure to leave your travel
itinerary and passport
information with a friend or
relative in case the originals
are lost. It can also be helpful
to carry a copy of your travel
documents with you in a separate
location from the originals.
·
Avoid traveling with large
amounts of cash. Credit cards
are widely accepted and most
areas visited by tourist will
have an ATM machine. These are
great options because they are
safe, convenient and you get a
favorable exchange rate. Another
option is to use traveler’s
checks.
·
Using a fanny pack or travelers
wallet for your cash and
passport is a great idea.
·
While they are making great
strides in improving the water
quality throughout Mexico, it is
advisable to drink bottled
water. In addition, avoid
drinking beverages over ice as
the ice may have been made from
tap water.
·
Wash vegetables and fruits in a
purifying solution of some type.
·
Before leaving, check with your
health insurance provider so
that you are aware of your
coverage.
If you are
planning to drive over the
border be sure to obtain a
temporary import permit and all
the necessary insurance.
So now that
you’ve been informed, what are
you waiting for? Mexico is a
land of incredible beauty and
natural wonder! Whether you’re
going to sunny Cancun, festive
Acapulco, and especially Puerto
Vallarta, your perfect Mexican
vacation getaway is just
a flight away!
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