Entering the United States as a child requires a passport. Expedia requires children 18 years old and younger to have their own passport when traveling to America via airports. Under the CBP Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), U.S. and Canadian children 16 and younger are only required to show proof of citizenship through a birth certificate or naturalization certificate.
Traveling to and from all international countries requires a passport. Expedia requires all U.S. citizens to have a passport for international destinations, including Mexico and Canada. The WHTI requires U.S. and Canadian travelers carry passports or other documents showing identity when entering the United States. The purpose of WHTI is to strengthen U.S. border security.
Returning to the United States via land or sea requires a passport. Expedia expects all U.S. citizens returning from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean to have either a U.S. passport or passport card, enhanced driver's license or trusted traveler program cards.
There are exceptions to the rule. U.S. travelers on cruises visiting Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and the Caribbean that start and end in the same U.S. port do not need passports to re-enter the United States. Cruise travelers can use a government issued photo ID or a birth certificate. However, passports may be required by a foreign country visited on the cruise itinerary if cruise passengers choose to disembark at a foreign port of call. Check with your cruise line to be sure.
