Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Transportation
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Getting to California by air or overland by bus, car or train is easy, although it's not always
cheap. Flights, cars and tours can be booked online at lonelyplanet.com/bookings.
Entering the Region
Under the US Department of Homeland Security's Orwellian-sounding Office of Biometric
Identity Management, almost all visitors to the USA (excluding, for now, many Canadians,
some Mexican citizens, children under age 14 and seniors over age 79) will be digitally
photographed and have their electronic (inkless) fingerprints scanned upon arrival. Regard-
less of your visa status, immigration officers have absolute authority to refuse entry to the
USA. For more information about entering the USA, visit the
US Customs & Border Pro-
tection website
(
www.cbp.gov
)
.
California is an important agricultural state. To prevent the spread of pests and diseases,
certain food items (including meats, fresh fruit and vegetables) may not be brought into the
state. Bakery items, chocolates and hard-cured cheeses are admissible. If you drive into
California across the border from Mexico or from the neighboring states of Oregon, Nevada
or Arizona, you may have to stop for a quick questioning and inspection by
California De-
partment of Food & Agriculture
(
www.cdfa.ca.gov
) agents.
Passports
Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), all travelers must have a valid
machine-readable (MRP) passport when entering the USA by air, land or sea.
The only exceptions are for most US citizens and some Canadian and Mexican citizens
traveling
by land
who can present other WHTI-compliant documents (eg pre-approved
'trusted traveler' cards). For details, visit
www.cbp.gov/travel.
All foreign passports must meet current US standards and be valid for at least six months
longer than your intended stay in the USA.
MRP passports issued or renewed after October 26, 2006 must be e-passports (ie have
a digital photo and integrated chip with biometric data).
