New Requirements for Travel between the US and Western Hemisphere This for customers that travel with only a notarized birth certificate or some other form of identification. Quoted from part of the US Department of State web site: New Requirements for Travelers between the United States and the Western Hemisphere. Travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico, and Canada will be required to have a passport or a other secure ,accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. This change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States Citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess a valid passports. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who do not currently are required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexico citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement. "The proposed timeline is as follows: December 31, 2005- Passport or other accepted document required for all travel (air/sea) to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central, and South America" To get more information please refer to this link: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html A nice printable pdf file goes to link: http//travel.state.gov/pdf/WHTI.pdf Please keep in mind that it can take as long as 4-8 weeks to process a new passport application. Larry Hilliard NuHorizon's Dive & Travel