Dive Travel Services - Pretrip Stuff

You can check for current travel warnings by visiting the U.S. Department of State web site at http://travel.state.gov and then clicking on the travel warnings link at the top of the lefthand column.

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a new system available that makes estimated security checkpoint wait times available to travelers. Note that the estimates are based upon historical information and are not real-time. Access the TSA Security Checkpoint Wait Times page at: http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov/index.html

On Sept. 29, Congress passed language to extend the deadline for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Here's what the extension means for passport requirements for U.S. citizens:

WHAT'S THE SAME ...
Air Travel
Passport Deadline: Jan. 8, 2007
U.S. citizens will be required to have a valid passport for exiting and reentering the United States starting Jan. 8, 2007 for all air travel.

WHAT'S CHANGED ...
Sea and Land Border Entry Ports
Passport/PASS Card Deadline: June 1, 2009
U.S. citizens traveling by sea and land within the Western Hemisphere - Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada and Mexico - will be required to have a valid U.S. passport or a yet-to-be-determined, new economical travel document known as a Passport Card on or before June l, 2009.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Congress stipulated that the Departments of State and Homeland Security must meet seven criteria in developing and implementing the PASS card for sea and land ports of entry. If the seven criteria are met within the 17-month extension period, the implementation of WHTI becomes effective three months after the criteria is approved, or by June 1, 2009; whichever is earlier. In other words, the June 1, 2009 implementation date for WHTI may be moved back if the agencies can comply with the seven specifications set out by the Congress in the extension legislation.

The U.S. Department of State's Office of Passport Services reports that 70 million U.S. citizens now have passports. U.S. Passport Services is receiving 225,000-250,000 passport applications a week, which is up 60 percent from two years ago. The current turn-around period for obtaining a U.S. passport four to six weeks without expedited processing.

New Requirements for Travelers Between the United States and the Western Hemisphere: Effective December 31, 2006, All nationals of the U.S., Canada and Bermuda will be required to hold a passport to enter or re-enter the United States if coming from the Caribbean (except Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands), Bermuda, Central and South America by air and by sea. This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. For additional information on this new policy and instructions on how to obtain a passport, visit the following website: http://www.travel.state.gov.

U.S. Department of State location search page to help you find the location nearest to you to apply for a passport: http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/

Travel Guard - Dive Travel Services offers travel insurance through Travel Guard International, America's leading travel services provider covering more than 6 million travelers each year. Get insurance against trip cancellation penalties, travel interruptions and delays, emergency medical expenses, lost baggage and more. All Travel Guard coverage includes 24-hour "911" travel emergency service for emergency medical assistance, last-minute or emergency travel changes, lost luggage tracking, pre-trip travel advice and more.

Divers Alert Network (DAN) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit medical and research organization dedicated to the safety and health of recreational scuba divers and associated with Duke University Medical Center (DUMC). DAN is supported by the largest association of recreational divers in the world.

CDC Travelers' Health The CDC's National Center for Infestious Diseases web site has a ton of health information for travelers, including information on specific diseases, current outbreaks in other countries and recommendations for vaccinations.

ScubaDoc.com Comprehensive updated information about diving and undersea medicine for the non-medical diver, the non-diving medical professional and an excellent reference source for the diving medical specialist.

Dive Travel Services, 29480 Ten Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48336