Heading to Canada? Plan on coming back? New document requirements go into effect June 1

May 21, 11:50 AMLouisville Travel ExaminerZach Everson

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A U.S. or Canadian passport is one of the four kinds of acceptable identification for traveling between
the United States and Canada effective June 1.
(Photo: Flickr/swimparallel)

Effective June 1 travelers between the United States and Canada will be required to have one of the following forms of identification:

• U.S. or Canadian passports
• Trusted Traveler Card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST/EXPRES)
• U.S. passport card
• State or province-issued enhanced driver’s licenses (when and where available)

People under 16 years old arriving by land or sea from Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean only need proof of their citizenship such as a birth certificate (original or a copy), a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Naturalization Certificate or a Canadian Citizenship Card.

if you don't have those documents and are planning on traveling to Canada, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection urges you to get them as soon as possible. The beaucracy does not move quickly.

This new requirement is part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), a result of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), requiring all travelers to present a passport or other document that proves identity and citizenship when entering the United States.

Or -- put more succinctly -- it's the result of Americans being scared.

“Obtaining a WHTI-approved document and complying with the law will help make our borders more secure,” said CBP Acting Commissioner Jayson P. Ahern. “We will be practical and flexible in implementing this new travel requirement, but encourage travelers to get these documents now to expedite border crossings from day one.”