A joint announcement was released by the Department of State (DOS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on June 8, 2007 regarding U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. These individuals who have applied for passports, but not yet received them, according to the two departments, will be temporarily allowed to enter and leave the U.S. by air with a government-issued photo identification and with official proof that they have applied for passports through September 30, 2007.

The two departments are allowing for this exception to the rule because of the longer than expected processing times for passports. The departments have received record-breaking amounts of requests for passports this year.