_{*US commonwealths/territories: American Samoa, Baker Island, Howland Island, Guam, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas), and Wake Island.}

Passports and Western hemisphere travel are an issue because historically US citizens have been allowed to travel between Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Bermuda and Panama bearing only US citizenship proof like an "official" birth certificate (usually embossed with state seal) and a government-issued id (like a driver's license); that's still the case for land travel by US citizens between Mexico, Canada and the US until June 1, 2009; new passport rules now require a passport when returning to the US by air from Mexico and Canada and will require a passport or passport substitute when traveling by land or sea starting June 1, 2009.

Do I need a passport to travel to Mexico and Canada?

Recommendations made by the Department of Homeland Security's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative caused passport rules to change in 2007: travelers now need passports if returning to the US by air from Canada and Mexico. DHS will be requiring passports from US citizens crossing Mexican and Canadian borders by land or sea as of June 1, 2009, and will give 60 days notice before that requirement goes into effect. Some things have happened or will happen before the legislated mandatory date of June 1, 2009 (issued by Congress in order to allow the Department of Homeland Security to make the change effectively and smoothly) arrives:

• The PASS card passport substitute have become available -- US citizens were able to begin applying for a PASS card as of February 1, 2008
• High-tech driver's licenses will be introduced for border crossing purposes
• Teens under 19 may be allowed to continue crossing borders with only a birth certificate, as is currently possible (read more)

Stay tuned to the passport news to keep up, or read more on documents needed for Mexico travel.

Do I need a passport to travel to the Caribbean?

Some Caribbean islands are US territories -- you do not need a passport to travel to Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands by sea, air or spaceship any more than you need a passport to drive from Manhattan to Montana. Guam, US Samoa, Palau and other Micronesian islands are also US territories (complete list above).

In order to travel to and from US territories in the Caribbean (Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands -- St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John), you will need:

• Official government issued picture identification like a current driver’s license or a photo ID card, which can be issued to non-drivers by your state’s motor vehicles department, or a passport (of course) or two forms of non-photo identification (one needs to be state-issued)
• Proof of US citizenship to return to the mainland from the US Virgin Islands (like a certified birth certificate), because the USVI is considered a "port of entry"

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands:

These are U.S. territories, so it's just like crossing a state border. No passport is required; if you are over age 18 you'll need an unexpired driver's license, state-issued photo ID, passport, or government employee ID; or two forms of non-photo ID, including at least one that has been issued by a state or federal agency. Note: you'll need a passport, Passport Card or other secure documents to cross over to the British Virgin Islands and then reenter the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Cuba:

For most U.S. citizens, this is simple: it is illegal to travel to Cuba under federal law, and those who do (say, by taking a flight from Canada) faces still fines. A number of travelers have been caught coming back into the U.S. after a secret trip to Cuba by sharp-eyed U.S. Customs officials who noticed a Cuban customs stamp in their passport. Those who do travel to Cuba also need to obtain a visa from the Cuban government. For more information, see the U.S. State Department's website.

All other Caribbean destinations:

Generally require a valid passport for entry, and regardless, you'll need a passport to get back into the U.S. Some countries also may require you to present a return airline ticket and/or proof that you have enough money to support yourself during your stay.   The U.S. State Department spells out each country's entry and visa requirements in detail in its online Foreign Entry Requirements brochure.

More Advice:

It's sometimes tempting to think of "the Caribbean" as a single entity, like "Canada" or even "Europe," but the truth is that the region is a polyglot of independent nations and territories that are sometimes politically linked to larger nations, including the U.S., France, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. Each has its own custom and entry requirements for visitors.

Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), all air travelers returning to the U.S. from the Caribbean are required to present their passports at U.S. Customs.

Effective in January 2008, WHTI required that adult U.S. citizens arriving in the U.S. by sea or land from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Mexico or Canada present either a passport, Passport Card, or other approved documents proving citizenship, including a government-issued photo ID and birth certificate.

Effective June 1, 2009, however, only a passport, Passport Card, or other acceptable forms of primary ID will be valid for land and sea travel. Air travelers must have a passport or other primary ID; the Passport Card is not valid for air travel. Effective June 1, only children under age 16 will be permitted to travel with only a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship, although passports for children also are recommended.

FEES WHEN SUBMITTING PASSPORT APPLICATION IN PERSON (FORM DS-11)

What Are You Applying For? (In Person)	Application Fee Make Payable to "Department of State"	Execution Fee Paid separate to the facility where you are applying	Total Amount You Pay
Passport Book (Age 16 & Older)	$75.00	$25.00	$100.00
Passport Book (Under Age 16)	$60.00	$25.00	$85.00
Passport Card (Age 16 & Older)	$20.00	$25.00	$45.00
Passport Card (Under Age 16)	$10.00	$25.00	$35.00

FEES WHEN SUBMITTING PASSPORT APPLICATION BY MAIL (FORM DS-82)

What Are You Applying For? (By Mail)	Application Fee Make Payable to "Department of State"	Execution Fee	Total Amount You Pay
Passport Book (Age 16 & Older)	$75.00	Does Not Apply	$75.00
Passport Book (Under Age 16)	Minors Under Age 16 Cannot Use Form DS-82
Passport Card (Age 16 & Older)	$20.00	Does Not Apply	$20.00
Passport Card (Under Age 16)	Minors Under Age 16 Cannot Use Form DS-82

See specific instructions on how to submit your payment on page 2 of Form DS-82.  

Are You Eligible to Renew By Mail?

OPTIONAL FEES

The following services are optional and include the additional fees described below.

Expedited Service

To request Expedite Service, in addition to the Passport Fee (see tables above) you must pay a $60.00 Expedite Fee for each application requesting Expedite Processing.

 

Expedite Service Fees
What Are You Applying For & How?	Routine Service Total	Expedite Service Total
Passport Book - Applying In Person (Age 16 & Older)  Form DS-11	$100.00	$160.00
Passport Book - Applying In Person (Under Age 16)  Form DS-11	$85.00	$145.00
Passport Book - Applying By Mail (Age 16 & Older)  Form DS-82	$75.00	$135.00

Overnight Delivery

In order to receive your passport as soon as possible, no matter what you're applying for (first-time application, renewal, additional pages, name change, etc.), we strongly suggest that you use an overnight delivery service to:

1. Send your passport application to the Department of State
(See your overnight delivery service provider for fee information)

and

2. Return your newly issued passport from the Department of State
(Include a overnight delivery service fee of $14.85 with each application)

NOTES:

• We strongly encourage applicants to use a mail service which provides delivery confirmation, at minimum, when mailing a passport application or any additional documentation to the Department of State
• The overnight delivery service provider that you use to send your passport application to the Department of State must be capable of delivery to a P.O. Box
  

Methods of Payment

When applying at a Passport Agency, you may submit your payment using one of the following:

• Credit Cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover)
• Debit/Check Cards
• Checks (personal, certified, cashiers', travelers')
• Money Orders (U.S. Postal, international, currency exchange)
• Bank Drafts

When applying at an Acceptance Facility, you may submit your payment using one of the following:

For Passport Application Fee:

• Personal checks, money orders, and bank drafts at all locations
• Exact cash at some locations (verify with the Acceptance Facility)
  

For $25.00 Execution Fee:

• Money orders and bank drafts at all locations
• Personal checks and exact cash at some locations (verify with the Acceptance Facility)
• Credit cards at U.S. Postal Facilities and some other locations (verify with the Acceptance Facility)
• When applying by mail, pay the application fee (as well as the expedite and overnight delivery return fee, if applicable) to the "Department of State". There is no execution fee when applying by mail (i.e. Form DS-82)

When applying for a U.S. passport from outside of the United States, you should check with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for guidance on accepted methods of payment. U.S. Embassies and Consulates accept the foreign currency equivalent to the dollar ($) amounts listed above.

Prevent Application Processing Delays by Submitting the Correct Fees the First Time!

Before submitting your passport application, read the information above carefully and entirely to ensure that your payment is correct.  Submitting incorrect passport fees could delay the processing of your passport application.

Passport Fees as of February 1, 2008