One of the beauties of traveling to Mexico and Canada has always been that there was never a need to have a passport to make the trip. Now imagine having planned and paid for a trip over a year ago and then realizing that a passport to Cancun may be needed because of the new laws that are in effect. It will depend on what type of a trip is being made, but chances are a passport will be needed.
Since Cancun is not a part of the United States, one can safely assume that they would need a passport to travel there. However, while this will usually be the case, there can be exceptions. It is perfectly understandable how some people are very confused by the whole process because these laws were not even in place about a year ago.
In order to figure out if you will need a passport to Cancun, it is first important to understand the new passport laws. As of June 1st, 2009, passports are required for travel to Mexico, Canada and nearby Caribbean Islands. These laws apply to air, land and sea travel. Prior to these laws, passports were not required for land and sea travel to Mexico. International Mexican travel only required a valid driver’s license or other government issued identification.
Anyone who is considering traveling to Cancun for a trip will definitely need a passport. But hold on, this is where the exception comes in at. The rules are adjusted for people that are taking cruises. It is because of this very exception that much of the confusion about needing a passport started in the first place.
The one loophole in the new passport laws are related to trips categorized as “closed loop” voyages. This is a cruise ship trip that starts in a US port and ends up in a US port. Because the traveler is not technically leaving the ship, meaning one-way travel, they can get away with only having a driver’s license on their trip. However, there are restrictions involved in the actual destinations of these cruises.
Approved international countries include: Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, the Virgin Islands, and select Caribbean Islands. That being the case, a passport is not necessary for a closed loop cruise to Cancun. However, a closed loop cruise to South America would necessitate a passport.
Citizens have been screaming at Homeland Security from day one about these new rules, but they are in place to protect everyone. Cancun has always been a location that US citizens could pretty much travel to and from without any hassle. In all honesty, the hassles will remain minimal; there are just some extra security measures in place to make the borders more secure.
Having said all of that, it is still always better to have too much documentation than not enough. Obtaining a US passport application to Cancun will give assurances that there will be no problems. In you do not want to get a regular passport, a passport card can be used instead. Regardless, anyone planning to travel would do wise to obtain a United States passport sooner or later to avoid the long waits or extra fees that will have to be paid to get one on short notice.