The goal of the Western Hemisphere Travel Intitiative is to strengthen U.S. border security while also facilitating entry for U.S. citizens and visitors.

Before you travel into or out of the United States it will be important to familiarize yourself with the travel requirements for doing so. Created in conjunction with the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), the Western Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires all travelers to present a valid passport or other form of documentation that indicates a person’s identity and citizenship at the time that they enter the U.S.

The goal of WHTI is to strengthen U.S. border security while simultaneously aiding in the facilitation of entry into the country for U.S. citizens and foreign visitors. To accomplish this goal, a standardized form of documentation was created which enables the Department of Homeland Security to effectively and reliably identify any traveler who wishes to cross the border.

To ensure that your documents are properly filled out and ready to go, work with a New York immigration attorney from Pozo Goldstein, LLP. We are intimately familiar with WHITI regulations, and we can help ensure that you are fully prepared for your travels. For both foreign-born nationals and U.S. citizens alike, we offer our services to those traveling into and out of the U.S. when they need help with a matter of immigration law.

WHTI Changes as of 2009

On June 1, 2009, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative officially amended the requirements for crossing the U.S. border. Now, all U.S. citizens who return home from Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, or Mexico (by land or sea) are required to present one of the following travel documents:

U.S. Passport

U.S. Passport Card

Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL)

Trusted Traveler Program Card

Special Groups

Special groups offer information for children, groups of children, U.S. lawful permanent residents, Native Americans, ferries and small boats, “closed loop” cruises, U.S. military members, boaters, and merchant mariners.

When the proper documents are readily accessible upon your return home from one of the four countries listed above, the re-entry process into the U.S. can be much smoother. This is true for both nationally born citizens of the U.S. and lawful permanent residents of the country.

Call Pozo Goldstein, LLP Today

When you work with an immigration lawyer from Pozo Goldstein, LLP, you will be in the hands of a trusted team of legal professionals, all of whom have years of experience working in the field of law. Our team consists of former immigration prosecutors, as well as a former U.S. Judge. Together, we have spent more than half a century handling legal cases of every degree, and we are now prepared to do the same for you.

Whether you’re seeking re-entry into the U.S. as a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the country, or you’re looking to learn more about the visa application process, we are here to extend our services. From deportation defense to personal representation for families, we cover it all. Don’t wait to contact a New York City immigration lawyer at our office to learn more.