Travel Update-Weekly Edition

State Dept Travel Warnings and Public announcements - For the full announcements or further detail on Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, please see  http://travel.state.gov/travel

Uganda - On July 29 the U.S. Embassy in Kampala issued the following Warden Message: "This warden message is being issued to remind American citizens of the continuing potential for terrorist actions against U.S. facilities, personnel and interests in East Africa, particularly along the East African coast. It also alerts Americans of the approaching ten-year anniversary of the Tanzania and Kenya Embassy bombings on August 7th, 1998. "A number of Al-Qaida operatives and other extremists are believed to be operating in and around East Africa. Americans considering travel to the region and those already there should review their plans carefully, remain vigilant with regard to their personal security, and exercise caution. Terrorist actions may include suicide operations, bombings, kidnappings, or targeting maritime vessels. Terrorists do not distinguish between official and civilian targets. Increased security at official U.S. facilities has led terrorists to seek softer targets such as hotels, beach resorts, prominent public places, and landmarks. Americans in remote areas or border regions where military or police authority is limited or non-existent could also become targets. "The U.S. Embassy reminds American citizens to invest in their own personal security, to vary routes and times, and to be conscious always of their surroundings."

The U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said that the new U.S. Passport Card is in full production and is now being distributed. The Passport Card is a convenient, wallet-sized document for land and sea travel between the United States and Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. It is not valid for international travel by air. Beginning in June 2009, travelers will be required to present a single Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative-compliant document denoting both citizenship and identity when entering the United States through a land or sea border. More than 350,000 Americans pre-ordered the U.S. Passport Cards since the State Department began taking orders on February 1. Over 7,600 cards have already been mailed to advance customers, and all pre-orders are expected to be filled by September 30, 2008. After that initial distribution, the processing time for passport cards should be the same as for passport books – less than four weeks. Customers will be able to track the progress of their passport card application online beginning in mid-August. The passport card will facilitate the frequent travel of Americans living in border communities by utilizing a vicinity-read radio frequency identification (RFID) chip. With this technology, DHS' U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers will be able to access photographs and other biographical information stored in secure government databases before the traveler reaches the inspection booth so that inspection can be facilitated. For privacy protection, no personal information is stored on the electronic chip itself. The chip will have only a unique number pointing to a stored record contained in secure government databases. The Passport Card is available for $45 for first-time adult applicants and $35 for children under 16. Adults who currently have valid passports can apply for the passport card by mail for $20. Information on how to apply for a U.S. Passport Card or the traditional passport book is at travel.state.gov.