Passport exceptions, if you're under 16 years old

Good news in your U.S.-Canada travel, but only if you are under 16 years old. Both U.S. and Canadian children will be exempt from new rules requiring passports when entering the United States.

Those children will need parental consent and will still need certified copies of their birth certificates.

Also, U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 16 through 18 traveling with school, religious, cultural, or athletic groups and under adult supervision can also get by with birth certificates.

It's definitely great to see exceptions made to ease the transition. I confess I would get a passport even for a child, since it never hurts. Traveling with certified copies of birth certificates seems more daunting than a passport that can be replaced if lost or stolen.