Everything You Need to Know About Leaving the United States

Ever-tightening security measures bring about ever-changing rules for international travel. Travelers can avoid stress by being prepared and aware of new guidelines.

Since Jan. 23, 2007, everyone traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean has been required to present a passport or other valid travel documents to enter or re-enter the United States. Until Sept. 30, 2007, U.S. citizens traveling by air were allowed to use their official proof of passport application receipt in lieu of a passport to enter or re-enter.

Beginning Jan. 31, 2008, U.S. and Canadian citizens traveling by land or sea will have to present government-issued photo identification, such as a driver’s license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, or they can present a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative-compliant document, including a passport. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is a result of the Intelligence Reform and Prevention Act of 2004, which requires all travelers to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the United States.

By the summer of 2008, the U.S. Department of State anticipates that most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry will be required to have either a U.S. passport, U.S. passport card or a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, FAST or SENTRI, a valid Merchant Mariner Document or a valid U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders.

Anyone who is thinking about a vacation abroad or has a job that could require international travel or has family living or traveling abroad should maintain a valid U.S. passport, according to Passport Services at the U.S. Department of State. In case of an emergency, last-minute airfare deals or an unexpected business trip, already having a valid passport will prevent stress and save time and money.

Travelers should also be aware of a little-known six-month rule that can spell trouble for travelers who are not expecting it.

“It's true, some countries require Americans, or other foreign travelers, to have six months' validity on their passport, or they will deny them entry,” said David Donahue, a senior consular affairs official at the U.S. State Department.

The reason is to ensure that visitors' passports are still valid at the end of their trips so they can return home. But the rule can catch unsuspecting travelers by surprise when they arrive in the foreign country with a valid passport and are turned away. The most reliable way to find out if your destination enforces the six-month rule is to call its embassy in the United States. But the best way to ensure it will not ruin your trip is to travel with a passport that has at least six months of validity.

Passport applications can be downloaded from the travel.state.gov Web site, or can be picked up at public offices such as United States Post Offices or federal courthouses. The instructions are on the back of the forms.

For regular processing, the application must include a departure date. It usually takes four to six weeks to receive a passport. The status of an application can be checked online. It takes about seven to 10 days for the system to start tracking an application.

The application fee for travelers 16 and older is $67, and the execution fee is $30. The total of $97 does not include the photo required for the passport. When paying at a passport acceptance facility such as a post office, the application fee and the execution fee are paid at the same place. The application fee can be paid by personal check, money order or bank draft. Some locations accept exact cash, but that should be verified before going into the agency.

The execution fee can be paid with money order or bank draft at all locations. Some locations accept personal checks, exact cash or credit cards. Again that should be confirmed before going in.

To expedite the passport process, an additional fee of $60 per application will be charged in addition to overnight delivery costs. Two-way overnight delivery is recommended, and applicants should clearly mark “expedited” on the envelope. Anyone can request that their passport be expedited. Expedited service usually takes two to three weeks for the passport to arrive.

Passport photos have very specific requirements. Although it is possible for travelers to take their own photos with a digital camera, it is recommended that the picture be taken by a professional because it is sometimes difficult to achieve the image quality required for passport photos without professional equipment. Two identical color photos must be submitted with the passport application. The photos must have been taken in the past six months, and have to measure exactly two inches by two inches.

Because regulations change frequently, travelers should always plan ahead and check the U.S. Department of State travel Web site at travel.state.gov for the most up-to-date information.