Upcoming Travel Requirements

Happy New Year!  We hope the first days of 2007 have been going great for you, and that they set the tone for the rest of the year.  Being that it’s a brand new year, we wanted to update you on some brand new travel rules that will become effective in a few short weeks and will likely affect you if you’re planning on traveling out of the country for medical reasons or otherwise.

On January 23^rd, per a Congressional law passed in 2004, American travelers who visit most destinations in the Western hemisphere will need a passport to re-enter the United States.  The new rule applies to air passengers entering or re-entering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda, countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The exceptions to the rule include those traveling between the U.S. and U.S. territories like Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

The new passport provisions are part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Imitative passed by Congress in late September. According to the U.S. Department of State and Department of Homeland Security, the purpose of the rule change is to strengthen border security, and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors. 

For those traveling to countries in the Eastern Hemisphere, this new law does not apply and all the previous requirements remain in place.  For instance, U.S. citizens traveling to Thailand require a passport, but do not require a visa if staying for fewer than 30 days.    

However, U.S. citizens require a passport and a visa to enter and exit India for any purpose and any duration.  All visitors must obtain visas at an Indian Embassy or Consulate abroad prior to entering the country; there are no provisions for visas upon arrival and visitors without visas are subject to immediate deportation.  It is noteworthy that, to promote medical tourism, India has initiated a medical visa program, in which international visitors coming to the country for medical treatment are able to acquire a modified visa.   

No matter where you’re going, you should be aware of the travel customs and laws that the U.S. and the foreign country require.  If you’re going on a medical tourism journey and seek out the assistance of a medical tour provider, your representative from that company should be aware of the rules and will assist you in obtaining all necessary documentation.