Field trips abroad will require valid U.S. passports for students, teachers, chaperones as of January

Students, teachers and chaperones traveling by air will be required to carry a valid U.S. passport to reenter the United States starting Jan. 8, 2007, according to a new regulation issued by the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and State.

The new plan, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, adds Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and Bermuda to locations requiring a passport or selected other documents.

The Departments of State and Homeland Security also plan to require passports to re-enter the United States by land and sea. The deadline for that mandate will be on or before June 1, 2009.

“This is a major change facing schools offering their students international educational travel opportunities, and there has been considerable confusion about the start date and other specifics,” said Michael Palmer, executive director, Student and Youth Travel Association. ”We urge all schools to be aware of this new requirement and act now to encourage their traveling students to obtain a passport in order to simplify the travel process.”

Information about obtaining passports can be found at www.state.gov or by phoning The National Passport Information Center, 1-877-487-2778.

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Submitted by Lew Armisted, LA Communications

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