All international air passengers are required to carry a valid passport, and all cruise destinations also require a valid passport.  The most complete and current information may be found by visiting www.travel.state.gov.  As a service to our clients we offer   passport photographs for a nominal fee, BUT ONLY BY APPOINTMENT. Please call ahead to schedule an appointment so that we can ready our photograph equipment. Your photos will be ready in 48 hours. If you are in a rush for photos, you can also visit the East Greenbush Post Office, the UPS store in Hannaford Plaza, and CVS pharmacy.

Click here for a printable passport application for new passports and renewals or for more information about applying for a passport.

New Requirements for Travelers:

AIR TRAVEL

Implemented on January 23, 2007, ALL PERSONS traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region ARE REQUIRED to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States.

Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the date you enter a foreign country.

LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
The following summarizes information available on the Department of Homeland Security’s website.

• JANUARY 31, 2008
  U.S. and Canadian citizens will need to present either a WHTI-compliant document, or a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. DHS also proposes to begin alternative procedures for U.S. and Canadian children at that time.
   
• SUMMER 2008
  At a later date, to be determined, the departments will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have either a U.S. passport; a U.S. passport card; a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, FAST, or SENTRI; a valid Merchant Mariner Document (MMD) when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or a valid U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders.
  Note: The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a .

U.S. PASSPORT AND OTHER TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

• U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air, land or sea between the U.S. and the aforementioned Western Hemisphere countries.
• The Passport Card: This limited-use, wallet-size passport card is not yet available and is under development.  When available it will only be valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean region (includes Bermuda).
• Other Accepted Travel Documents: SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST and the U.S. Coast Guard Mariner Document.  Members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty traveling on orders are exempt from the passport requirement. DHS has more information on these travel documents.  This information may be seen at www.dhs.gov.

ABOUT WHTI

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is a result of the Intelligence Reform and Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), requiring all travelers to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the U.S.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on February 22 its intent to propose, as part of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), significant flexibility regarding travel documents required for U.S. and Canadian children as part of WHTI requirements for U.S. land and sea border entry in 2008.

The goal of the initiative is to strengthen U.S. border security while facilitating entry for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized documentation that enables the Department of Homeland Security to quickly and reliably identify a traveler.

 

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Redress Numbers

The Department of Homeland Security's Travel Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP) is a program  for individuals who are seeking a resolution regarding difficulties experienced during  travel screening at transportation hubs--like airports and train stations--or while crossing U.S. borders. These could include:

• denied or delayed airline boarding
• denied or delayed entry into and exit from the U.S. at a port of entry or border checkpoint
• continuously referred to additional (secondary) screening

How Does It Work?

Secure Flight will help prevent watch list name confusion by using DHS TRIP. Requests will be reviewed and  a determination about a traveler's status will be reached. Secure Flight will then use these results in its watch list matching process to help prevent future delays for misidentified passengers.

For more informatio, please visit:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/customer/redress/index.shtm

To apply for Redress, please visit:

http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1169676919316.shtm