Currently, Americans and some citizens of other countries in the Western Hemisphere are not required to present a passport to enter or re-enter the United States when traveling within the Western Hemisphere, the department said in a statement.

They need only a government-issued photo identification card and proof of US citizenship for returning from Mexico, Panama or Bermuda, and a driver's license or other government-issued photo identification card for returning home from Canada.

But under the initiative being worked out by the Homeland Security and the State Department as called for by the intelligence reform legislation signed into law last December, US citizens and foreign nationals are required to present a passport,or other secure document, when entering the United States.

The new rules will be phased in on Jan. 1, 2008, when all US citizens, Canadians, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and citizens of Mexico are required to have a passport orother accepted secure document to enter or re-enter the United States.

The statement said the two departments propose to roll out the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to those affected to enable them to acquire the necessary documents before the deadline.

The passport will be the document of choice for entering or re-entering the United States, and another document acceptable under the travel initiative is the Border Crossing Card, which serves inlieu of a passport and a visa for citizens of Mexico traveling to the United States from contiguous territory, the statement said.

Other documents acceptable include cards of the Customs and Border Protection Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection for Mexico travel, and NEXUS cards for Canada travel, according to the statement. Enditem