Travel by air or sea between Mexico, Canada or USA requred to present travel passport. If you are planning business travel, a ski trip, Spring Break, family vacation or warm weather excursion, be prepared to carry a federally recognized identification to enter the US, even if you are a US citizen. The same rules will apply to roads and land border crossings in 2008.

Beginning January 8, 2007 anyone traveling by air or sea to or from the United States and Canada or Mexico must carry a passport or other federally recognized identification to return to the United States.

These new rules also apply to U.S. citizens entering from Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

On January 1, 2008 the rules will be extended to all border crossings, including those on land. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of British Overseas Territory of Bermuda and Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement.

Check your passport and make sure that it is current, or get one if you do not have it already. Getting a passport takes time. The Passport Services Office provides information and services to American citizens about how to obtain, replace or change a passport. A passport is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue or verify United States passports.

To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to go in person to one of 9,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States with two photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship, and a valid form of photo identification such as a drivers license. This also applies if your passport has expired and is not in your possession, if it was issued more than 15 years ago, if it was issued when you were under 16 years of age, or if your passport is being replaced because it was lost or stolen.

Plan ahead and allow at least eight to ten weeks to process your request for a new Passport. All the more reason to make sure that you have a current Passport now. You may have the opportunity or need to travel, and may not have more than two months to wait for a Passport. Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. There are also 13 regional passport agencies, and 1 Gateway City Agency, which serve customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. Appointments are required to request expedited processing.

Passports can also be used as identification for domestic travel within the US. Tired of pulling out your wallet and Drivers License every time that you approach a ticket counter, security or gate check? You can keep your wallet, credit cards and cash in your pocket or purse and present your Passport instead. Many business travelers have learned the convenience of keeping their Passport in a convenient pouch with carry-on luggage to expedite the security identification verification process.

For a convenient list of Carry-On Restrictions:

Sharp Objects
Column1	Column2	Column3
Item	Carry-on	Checked
Box Cutters	No	Yes
Ice Axes/Ice Picks	No	Yes
Knives - except for plastic or round bladed butter knives	No	Yes
Meat Cleavers	No	Yes
Razor-Type Blades - such as box cutters, utility knives, razor blades not in a cartridge, but excluding safety razors.	No	Yes
Sabers	No	Yes
Scissors - metal with pointed tips and blades shorter than four inches	Yes	Yes
Swords	No	Yes
NOTE: Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and inspectors.
Sporting Goods
Column1	Column2	Column3
Item	Carry-on	Checked
Baseball Bats	No	Yes
Bows and Arrows	No	Yes
Cricket Bats	No	Yes
Golf Clubs	No	Yes
Hockey Sticks	No	Yes
Lacrosse Sticks	No	Yes
Pool Cues	No	Yes
Ski Poles	No	Yes
Spear Guns	No	Yes
For more information, please read our Traveling with Special Items section.
Guns & Firearms
Item	Carry-on	Checked
Ammunition - Check with your airline or travel agent to see if ammunition is permitted in checked baggage on the airline you are flying. If ammunition is permitted, it must be declared to the airline at check-in. Small arms ammunitions for personal use must be securely packed in fiber, wood or metal boxes or other packaging specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition. Ask about limitations or fees, if any, that apply. Read our Firearms & Ammunition section.	No	Yes
BB guns	No	Yes
Compressed Air Guns (to include paintball markers) - Carried in checked luggage without compressed air cylinder attached.	No	Yes
Firearms - firearms carried as checked baggage MUST be unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided container, and declared to the airline at check-in. Read our Firearms & Ammunition section.	No	Yes
Flare Guns - May be carried as checked baggage MUST be unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided container, and declared to the airline at check-in. Read our section on Camping.	No	Yes
Flares	No	No
Gun Lighters	No	Yes
Gun Powder including black powder and percussion caps	No	No
Parts of Guns and Firearms	No	Yes
Pellet Guns	No	Yes
Realistic Replicas of Firearms	No	Yes
Starter Pistols	No	Yes
NOTE: Check with your airline or travel agent to see if firearms are permitted in checked baggage on the airline you are flying. Ask about limitations or fees, if any, that apply.
Tools
Column1	Column2	Column3
Item	Carry-on	Checked
Axes and Hatchets	No	Yes
Cattle Prods	No	Yes
Crowbars	No	Yes
Hammers	No	Yes
Drills and drill bits (including cordless portable power drills)	No	Yes
Saws (including cordless portable power saws)	No	Yes
Tools (greater than seven inches in length)	No	Yes
Tools (seven inches or less in length)	Yes	Yes
Screwdrivers (seven inches or less in length)	Yes	Yes
Wrenches and Pliers (seven inches or less in length)	Yes	Yes
NOTE: Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and Security Officers.
Martial Arts & Self Defense Items
Column1	Column2	Column3
Item	Carry-on	Checked
Billy Clubs	No	Yes
Black Jacks	No	Yes
Brass Knuckles	No	Yes
Kubatons	No	Yes
Mace/Pepper Spray - One 118 ml or 4 Fl. oz. container of mace or pepper spray is permitted in checked baggage provided it is equipped with a safety mechanism to prevent accidental discharge. For more information visit www.faa.gov., click on Passengers, then Preparing to Fly.	No	Yes
Martial Arts Weapons	No	Yes
Night Sticks	No	Yes
Nunchakus	No	Yes
Stun Guns/Shocking Devices	No	Yes
Throwing Stars	No	Yes
NOTE: Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and Security Officers.
Explosive & Flammable Materials, Disabling Chemicals & Other Dangerous Items
Column1	Column2	Column3
Explosive Materials	Carry-on	Checked
Blasting Caps	No	No
Dynamite	No	No
Fireworks	No	No
Flares (in any form)	No	No
Hand Grenades	No	No
Plastic Explosives	No	No
Realistic Replicas of Explosives	No	No
Column1	Column2	Column3
Flammable Items	Carry-on	Checked
Aerosol (any except for personal care or toiletries in limited quantities)	No	No
Fuels (including cooking fuels and any flammable liquid fuel)	No	No
Gasoline	No	No
Gas Torches	No	No
Lighter Fluid	No	No
Common Lighters - Lighters without fuel are permitted in checked baggage. Lighters with fuel are prohibited in checked baggage, unless they adhere to the Department of Transportation (DOT) exemption, which allows up to two fueled lighters if properly enclosed in a DOT approved case. If you are uncertain as to whether your lighter is prohibited, please leave it at home.	Yes	No
Torch Lighters - Torch lighters create a thin, needle-like flame that is hotter (reaching 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit) and more intense than those from common lighters. Torch lighters are often used for pipes and cigars, and maintain a consistent stream of air-propelled fire regardless of the angle at which it is held. Torch lighters continue to be banned.	No	No
Strike-anywhere Matches - One book of safety (non-strike anywhere) matches are permitted as carry-on items, but all matches are prohibited in checked baggage.	No	No
Flammable Paints (See Other Items below for non-flammable paints)	No	No
Turpentine and Paint Thinner	No	No
Realistic Replicas of Incendiaries	No	No
NOTE: There are other hazardous materials that are regulated by the FAA. This information is summarized at www.faa.gov, click on Passengers, then Preparing to Fly.
Disabling Chemicals & Other Dangerous Items	Carry-on	Checked
Chlorine for Pools and Spas	No	No
Small compressed gas cartridges	Yes	Yes
(Up to 2 in life vests and 2 spares)
Fire extinguishers and other compressed gas cylinders	No	No
Liquid Bleach	No	No
Spillable Batteries - except those in wheelchairs	No	No
Spray Paint	No	No
Tear Gas	No	No
NOTE: There are other hazardous materials that are regulated by the FAA. This information is summarized at www.faa.gov.
Other Items
Column1	Column2	Column3
Item	Carry-on	Checked
Gel-type candles	No	Yes
Gel shoe inserts - Gel shoe inserts are not permitted, but shoes constructed with gel heels are allowed and must be removed and screened. Read more on our shoe screening policy.	No	Yes
Non-flammable liquid, gel, or aerosol paint	Yes - 3 oz. or smaller container	Yes
Flammable liquid, gel, or aerosol paint	No	No
Snow globes and like decorations regardless of size or amount of liquid inside, even with documentation.	No	Yes