In place of a passport, you can use WHTI-compliant documents like passport cards, trusted traveler's cards, and NEXUS cards. While these allow you to travel to these regions by sea and road, they are not acceptable for international flights.

For U.S. citizens in 2026, leaving the country without a passport book is possible via "Closed-Loop" cruises or using a U.S. Passport Card. A "Closed-Loop" cruise is one that begins and ends at the same U.S. port (e.g., Miami to Miami) and visits the Caribbean, Bahamas, or Mexico; for these, you only need an original birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID. The U.S. Passport Card allows for land and sea entry (but not air travel) to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. Additionally, U.S. citizens can fly to U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands without a passport, as these are domestic flights. For most other international travel, a valid passport book remains a legal requirement for both departure and entry.