Floridacargocat
10-23-2006, 03:35 PM
For the latest information regarding passports for US citizens please see http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html.
The essence of this is, that US citizens traveling by AIR, must present a passport upon returning from abroad (WHTI) as of January 8, 2007.
The same US citizen, returning by SEA, must present a passport upon returning from abroad (WHTI) as of January 1, 2008.
As the majority of travelers to The Abacos use air transportation, they MUST have a passport by latest January 8, 2007, when they intend to return.
In case an air carrier (scheduled or non-scheduled) does not ask the necessary question for your outbound/inbound flight, and you arrive at the check-in counter at MHH or TCB (or wherever) for your return flight (=inbound flight), and you are not able to show a passport, then this passenger will not be authorized to board the aircraft, and can only return via boat (private pleasure vessel) and present birth certificate and photo ID.
Confusing? Do not ask for my opinion, I am just a provider of information, gleaned from official and public sources.
Was asked recently by a non-scheduled carrier, if infants and minors will also need a passport.
To express that correctly, the first question you would have to ask yourselves is: What is the nationality of the infant or minor? If the answer is: If s/he is a US citizen, then a passport is required. I am not aware of any exception.
If the answer is, s/he is not a US citizen, then a passport and/or visa is required for entry into the USA. And these passports must be machine-readable, and passports issued after October 28, 2006 must comply with the e-passport requirements. Passports issued before October 28, 2006 are still valid, as long as they are machine-readable.
Technical detail: Passports for infants and minors are valid only for 5 years (they are cheaper than the passports for adults). Passports for adults are valid for 10 years.
There is lots of talk about passport alternatives, but if you look very closely at al these publications and newspaper reports, these developments have not progressed very far, and may not be applicable to air travel, and could be restricted to very specific circumstances only.
The essence of this is, that US citizens traveling by AIR, must present a passport upon returning from abroad (WHTI) as of January 8, 2007.
The same US citizen, returning by SEA, must present a passport upon returning from abroad (WHTI) as of January 1, 2008.
As the majority of travelers to The Abacos use air transportation, they MUST have a passport by latest January 8, 2007, when they intend to return.
In case an air carrier (scheduled or non-scheduled) does not ask the necessary question for your outbound/inbound flight, and you arrive at the check-in counter at MHH or TCB (or wherever) for your return flight (=inbound flight), and you are not able to show a passport, then this passenger will not be authorized to board the aircraft, and can only return via boat (private pleasure vessel) and present birth certificate and photo ID.
Confusing? Do not ask for my opinion, I am just a provider of information, gleaned from official and public sources.
Was asked recently by a non-scheduled carrier, if infants and minors will also need a passport.
To express that correctly, the first question you would have to ask yourselves is: What is the nationality of the infant or minor? If the answer is: If s/he is a US citizen, then a passport is required. I am not aware of any exception.
If the answer is, s/he is not a US citizen, then a passport and/or visa is required for entry into the USA. And these passports must be machine-readable, and passports issued after October 28, 2006 must comply with the e-passport requirements. Passports issued before October 28, 2006 are still valid, as long as they are machine-readable.
Technical detail: Passports for infants and minors are valid only for 5 years (they are cheaper than the passports for adults). Passports for adults are valid for 10 years.
There is lots of talk about passport alternatives, but if you look very closely at al these publications and newspaper reports, these developments have not progressed very far, and may not be applicable to air travel, and could be restricted to very specific circumstances only.