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 Donald Trump | ||
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It's time to prepare for new border crossing rules
— -- All borders are created equal. It may sound overly simplistic to point this out, but every day Americans who would never forget to bring proper documentation when traveling outside the country on a commercial airline flight or cruise ship attempt to drive or walk from Canada or Mexico without making the same provisions.
And starting on June 1, visiting some of our closest neighbors—including Bermuda and most Caribbean countries, as well as Canada and Mexico—will become much more complex with the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. In fact, if you haven't applied for a passport yet, it may be time you give it serious thought.
Not so friendly anymore
After 9/11, all U.S. border entrances were tightened, leading to severe disruptions at certain crossings. Subsequently, over the last seven years there has been a severe drop-off in cross-border traffic, on both the Canadian and Mexican fronts. And congestion has gotten critical in many locations. This has probably had a greater impact on the northern side, on what was once termed "The Friendliest Border in the World," since some may recall a more innocent era when you could cross back into certain states from Canada without even being stopped at times.
But statistics underscore a dramatic shift: In 2000 more than 90 million passengers in private vehicles crossed over from Canada; by 2007 that number had dropped to 58 million. Pedestrian traffic on the northern border also fell off, though not as dramatically. As for Mexico, 240 million people entered the U.S. by car in 2000, but by 2007 that figure had fallen to 165 million. However, pedestrian traffic increased from 47 million to 50 million during that seven-year span.
Obviously there are specific issues related to immigration that differentiate the Mexican and Canadian borders. But one factor remains the same, whether you're in Maine or New Mexico: Border crossings by car and on foot—let alone by bus or train—are being treated much more seriously now, and regulations are tightening.
A new era
The new rules that kick in on June 1 will affect travel from 19 countries in all (see box at left), and many are nations that millions of Americans have been traveling to and from for years without carrying valid passports. But two months from now, new rules mandate that "most" U.S. citizens entering the country by land, sea, or air must establish both identity and citizenship and therefore must possess one of the following:
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