All travelers between the U.S. and the Caribbean will be required to carry passports starting January 8, 2007, as mandated by the United States Department of Homeland Security. Under a new immigration law known as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, all U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, whether traveling by air or sea, must provide a passport to enter or re-enter the U.S. from both vacation and business travel.

All travelers are encouraged to begin application processes for their passports as soon as possible to avoid expected delays towards the end of the year. Travelers should allow for at least eight weeks between the submission of their application and the receipt of their passport.