ACE Modified to Accept All WHTI Travel Docs (e-Manifests Without Docs to be Rejected June 1st)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message announcing that on April 25, 2009, the Automated Commercial Environment was modified to accept all Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative compliant travel document types.
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WHTI Goes Into Effect June 1st, e-Manifests Without Approved Docs Will be Rejected
On June 1, 2009 the WHTI will go into effect at land and seaports of entry, requiring travelers - including U.S. and Canadian citizens - to present an approved travel document to enter the U.S.
(In April 2008, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a final rule which, effective June 1, 2009, requires U.S. citizens and nonimmigrant citizens of Canada, Bermuda, and Mexico to present a government-approved document that denotes both citizenship and identity when entering the U.S. from within the Western Hemisphere at sea and land ports of entry. See ITT's Online Archives or 04/04/08 news, 08040405, for BP summary of the final rule.)
As of June 1, 2009, electronic truck manifests submitted via ACE without approved WHTI documents for truck drivers will be rejected. CBP states that all other documentary requirements (visas, etc.) will remain in place.
List of WHTI Compliant Documents That Can be Used for ACE e-Manifests
The identifying number of at least one of the following documents should be submitted with each crew and passenger record in an ACE e-Manifest (those that were newly added or underwent name changes with the April 25th ACE update are marked with an asterisk):
Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)*1
SENTRI Card*
NEXUS Card*
Free and Secure Trade (FAST) Card2
Passport
U.S. Visa (Non Immigrant)*
U.S. Visa (Immigrant)*
Laser Visa (Border Crossing Card)
Permanent Resident Card (C1)*
Permanent Resident Card (C2)*
U.S. Alien Registration Card (A1)*
U.S. Alien Registration Card (A2)*
U.S. Passport Card*
DHS Refugee Travel Document*
DHS Re-entry Permit*
Enhanced Tribal Card/INAC*
U.S. Military ID Document*
U.S. Merchant Mariner ID Document*
e-Manifest Preparers Without WHTI Docs Will be Sent a Warning Message
CBP states that e-Manifest preparers will be sent a warning message if they have transmitted a manifest without a WHTI approved travel document or have not saved the drivers country of citizenship in the driver's ACE account after the April 25th update.
The messages that will be sent are:
via ACE Portal (description in parenthesis will not be displayed in the portal): "Drv Acct No Citznshp" (Driver account information needs to be updated with country of driver's citizenship) or "Drv Act No WHTI doc" (Driver account needs to be updated with an approved WHTI travel document).
via EDI: STV - Driver account info needs to be updated with country of driver's citizenship or SUV - Driver account info needs to be updated with an approved WHTI travel document.
These messages will be sent to carriers either via EDI or the ACE Portal. ACE portal warning messages will appear in the "Transactions" tab, which is only visible to the Trade Account Owner. Trade Account Owners are encouraged to check for Customs status messages in their "Transactions" tab.
If the carrier files their manifests via EDI, they will receive one or both of the above warning messages in either an ANSI X.12 350 message or an EDIFACT CUSRES message.
(See CBP's CSMS message for information on "one-time" crew members.)
1An EDL is a state issued driver's license that provides additional information not included in a traditional driver's license or a commercial driver's license (CDL) such as citizenship information. An EDL has a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip and a Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) or barcode that CBP officers can read electronically if the RFID is not available. An EDL will satisfy both requirements to supply a driver's license and a travel document in an e-Manifest.
2Although FAST ID Cards are WHTI compliant documents, ACE portal filers are reminded that FAST drivers are not to be stored in ACE Portal driver accounts. FAST drivers are to be added to the manifest through "Add Crew Member by ID," selecting "Travel Document" "Fast Card" as the ID type and then entering the FAST Card number.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 03/31/09 news, 09033105, for BP summary announcing CBP will reject e-Manifests submitted without approved WHTI documents for drivers effective June 1st.
See ITT's Online Archives or 04/27/09 news, 09042720, for BP summary of DHS Secretary Napolitano stating that WHTI land/sea is on track for the June 1st implementation.
See ITT's Online Archives or 04/08/09 news, 09040855 1, for BP summary announcing that ACE would be updated to accept new WHTI compliant travel documents for truck drivers.)
CSMS message 09-000203 (dated 04/27/09) available at http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/viewmssg.asp?Recid=17592&page=&srch_argv=&srchtype=&btype=&sortby=&sby