Documentation, ID soon to be required to cross border

BY STEPHANIE SANCHEZ, SPECIAL TO THE SUN

December 25, 2007 - 9:25PM

Soon, just saying you're a U.S. citizen at a U.S. land port of entry won't be acceptable if you want to re-enter the country, and a driver's license alone won't be enough either.

Starting Jan. 31, U.S. citizens and Canadian citizens will be required to show a birth certificate as well as a government-issued photo ID to prove their citizenship if they don't have a passport.

"We are coming into a transition phase and it's to raise awareness among travelers that the passport requirement will come into play here soon," said Brian Levin, spokesman for Customs and Border Protection in Arizona. "And it's to get people used to carrying and showing documentation when coming through."

U.S. citizens and Canadian citizens who are 19 years of age and older will need to show a birth or naturalization certificate with a government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license. People 18 and under are required to show a birth certificate, Levin said.