USA-T - It's time to prepare for new border crossing rules

From my archive of press clippings:

USA Today

It's time to prepare for new border crossing rules

By Bill McGee, special for USA TODAY

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.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"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."

"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:
• passport
• passport card
• other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security
Those "other travel documents" include Lawful Permanent Resident Cards; certain Native American tribe member cards; North American trusted traveler program cards, such as NEXUS (Northern Border program), SENTRI (Southern Border program), or FAST (Free and Secure Trade program); military ID with official travel orders; U.S. Merchant Mariner Documents; or enhanced driver's licenses (EDLs). Currently, four border states—Arizona, New York, Vermont, and Washington—have announced EDL programs, which issue driver's licenses imbedded with security chips that will expedite crossings. "

&

" NEVER give attitude to federal employees. Whether they represent Customs and Border Protection, Immigration, Agriculture, or any of the other agencies you may encounter at a border crossing, these folks should command the same respect as when you're trapped behind those heavy doors at an international airport's arrivals hall. (And consider for a moment how angry you'd be if they allowed a terrorist into the United States through a "side door" such as Canada or Mexico.)"

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Bill McGee, a contributing editor to Consumer Reports and the former editor of Consumer Reports Travel Letter, is an FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher who worked in airline operations and management for several years. Tell him what you think of his latest column by sending him an e-mail at USATODAY.com at travel@usatoday. Include your name, hometown and daytime phone number, and he may use your feedback in a future column.