Air Travel For U.S. Citizens: Necessary Documents For WHTI Countries - My Family Travels
caption

Read on to see if your family can save money on required identification papers when crossing borders between the US and WHTI countries.

These regulations concern the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) as it affects Air Travel for U.S. Citizens and are excerpted from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website. They are valid as of February 2010.

Please be sure to visit the C&BP site to verify the latest regulations before you begin your family vacation.

WHTI and Air Travel for U.S. Citizens

When traveling by air between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda, you are required to present a U.S. passport, except as noted below. This applies to everyone including newborns, infants and children. 

The only exceptions to this requirement are for:

  • U.S. citizens on active duty with the U.S. Armed Forces, traveling with military ID and travel orders
  • U.S. citizen merchant mariners traveling in conjunction with maritime business, with U.S. issued Merchant Mariner Document
  • Travelers with a NEXUS card used at a NEXUS kiosk at Canadian Preclearance airports
  • U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents with a Permanent Resident Card or other evidence of permanent residence status and required documentation; refugees and asylees with a Refugee Travel Document

To read more about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit Families Have Cheaper WHTI Options for Kids’ at Land and Sea Borders.

Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.