Quick answer
You don't need a passport for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Hawaii or Alaska. You do need one for foreign countries. Flying to Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas or the Caribbean requires a passport book. Driving or sailing there accepts a passport card, and some round-trip cruises from a U.S. port accept a birth certificate and photo ID.
Destination by destination
| Where you're going | Passport needed? | What works |
|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | No | Government photo ID (a REAL ID or passport to fly) |
| U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix) | No | Government photo ID |
| Guam, Northern Mariana Islands | No | Government photo ID |
| American Samoa | Passport or certified U.S. birth certificate | Plus a return or onward ticket |
| Hawaii, Alaska | No | Government photo ID |
| Canada, by air | Yes, passport book | Passport book (or a NEXUS card) |
| Canada, by land or sea | No book required | Passport card, passport book, Enhanced Driver's License, or a NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card |
| Mexico (including Cancún), by air | Yes, passport book | Passport book |
| Mexico, by land or sea | No book required | Passport card, passport book, Enhanced Driver's License, or a trusted traveler card |
| Bahamas, Bermuda, Jamaica, Aruba, Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos and other Caribbean countries, by air | Yes, passport book | Passport book |
| The same destinations on a round-trip (closed-loop) cruise from a U.S. port | Not always (see Cruises) | Birth certificate plus government photo ID, or a passport card or book |
| Costa Rica, Europe and everywhere else | Yes, passport book | Passport book (check how much validity your destination requires) |
| Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau | Yes | Passport book |
U.S. territories: no passport needed
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are part of the United States, so traveling there directly from the mainland is a domestic trip. You'll need only the ID required for any domestic flight. American Samoa is the exception: it runs its own entry rules and asks U.S. citizens for a passport or a certified U.S. birth certificate, plus a ticket out.
A passport becomes necessary the moment your trip includes a foreign stop, such as a day trip from St. Thomas to the British Virgin Islands. Official details.
Hawaii and Alaska
Both are U.S. states, so no passport is needed to fly there. Watch Alaska cruises: many sail through Canadian waters or start or end in Vancouver. A one-way cruise between Vancouver and Alaska isn't a closed loop, so you need a passport book or card, and a book if you fly home from Canada.
Canada and Mexico
The rule depends on how you cross:
- Flying: a passport book is required (or a NEXUS card for Canada).
- Driving, walking or sailing: a passport card works, as do an Enhanced Driver's License or a trusted traveler card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST). A passport book works everywhere.
The passport card is cheaper and fits in a wallet, which makes it handy for frequent border crossers. See Passport book vs. card. Entering Mexico by land? See Mexico FMM tourist card.
Cruises: closed loop or not?
A closed-loop cruise starts and ends at the same U.S. port, for example Miami to Miami, visiting the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada or Bermuda. On these cruises, U.S. citizens can usually travel with a birth certificate and government photo ID instead of a passport.
Why a passport is still the safer choice:
- If you miss the ship or need to fly home early from a foreign port, you'll need a passport book to board a flight back to the U.S.
- Ports of call and cruise lines can set their own rules, so check your cruise line's requirements before booking.
- One-way cruises, which start and end at different ports, aren't closed loops, so a passport is required.
Children
- Under 16, by land or sea from Canada or Mexico: a birth certificate (original or copy), Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certificate of Naturalization is accepted.
- Closed-loop cruises: children can travel with a birth certificate.
- Flying abroad: children need their own passport book, at any age.
Flying within the U.S.: REAL ID
You don't need a passport to fly domestically, but since May 7, 2025, adults need a REAL ID-compliant license or another accepted ID, and a U.S. passport or passport card counts. Since February 1, 2026, travelers without an accepted ID can pay a $45 TSA ConfirmID fee to verify their identity, valid for 10 days, and boarding still isn't guaranteed. If your license isn't REAL ID-compliant, a passport card is an inexpensive way to fly without the fee. Official details.
Before you go: check the dates
If you're going abroad, many countries require your passport to be valid for months after you arrive. See Passport validity and the six-month rule, or check your destination in our Passport validity checker.
Questions
No. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so U.S. citizens fly there with the same ID they'd use for a domestic flight, such as a REAL ID-compliant license or a passport.
To fly there, yes: a passport book. On a round-trip cruise from a U.S. port, U.S. citizens can usually use a birth certificate and photo ID, though a passport is recommended in case you need to fly home.
Yes, by land or sea. Not by air: international flights require a passport book.
For a closed-loop cruise (round trip from the same U.S. port), usually not, although it's strongly recommended. For a one-way cruise, or one that starts or ends in a foreign port, yes.
If it's a foreign trip by air, you need a passport book. Through us, it takes as quick as 4 business days from when your documents reach us. See How to Get a Passport: 4 Ways Compared.