If you\u2019re planning to visit one of the 11 most popular national parks in the U.S. \u2014 two of which are in California \u2014 staff might ask a question that could be disquieting: Are you an American citizen?<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the Department of the Interior said that the question is being posed only to confirm whether the visitor will have to pay a nonresident fee \u2014 which is hefty.<\/p>\n
The updates to visitor verification and fees was announced<\/a> in November by the Trump administration, which said that beginning Jan. 1 it would implement \u201cAmerica-first\u201d entry fee policies.<\/p>\n \u201cU.S. residents will continue to enjoy affordable pricing, while nonresidents will pay a higher rate to help support the care and maintenance of America\u2019s parks,\u201d according to the announcement. <\/p>\n When you present your pass, or if you purchase one at a park entrance, staff must ask for your identification and determine your citizenship status.<\/p>\n According to an internal National Park Service directive obtained by the Washington Post<\/a>, staffers are instructed to ask visiting groups, \u201cHow many people visiting are not U.S. citizens or residents?\u201d The document also stated that \u201cthe fee collector does not need to check the identification of every visitor.\u201d <\/p>\n The Times reached out to staff at Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon national parks for comment; both parks referred questions to the National Park Service. <\/p>\n When is Park Service staff checking a visitor\u2019s citizenship status?<\/p>\n You will only be asked your citizenship status, by way of ID verification, when buying or using an annual pass, officials say.<\/p>\n \u201cNational Park Service staff are not checking immigration status, citizenship, or residency beyond what is necessary to confirm eligibility for a specific entrance fee or pass,\u201d said Elizabeth Peace, spokesperson for the office of the secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. <\/p>\n Peace told The Times in an email that the Park Service had \u201clong required staff to confirm that the name on the interagency pass or fee-based credential matches a valid photo ID.\u201d <\/p>\n The agency\u2019s updated policy is that all digital-pass holders must show a photo identification matching the name on the pass. Acceptable forms of ID include:<\/p>\n U.S. passportU.S. state or territory-issued driver\u2019s licensestate IDpermanent residency card<\/p>\n You can only use a U.S. birth certificate to validate your identity for an Access Pass<\/a>, which is for residents who have a permanent disability. <\/p>\n Visitors who do not have a U.S. government-issued ID will be asked to purchase a nonresident annual pass, Peace said. Those passes are much more costly.<\/p>\n How much do the passes cost?<\/p>\n The cost of an annual pass, which covers entrance to thousands of recreation areas but not other amenities including camping and parking<\/a> is: <\/p>\n $80 for U.S. residents$250 for nonresidents<\/p>\n If a non-U.S. resident is looking to purchase a day-of entrance, it will cost an additional $100 on top of the regular admittance fee, which is $20 to $35.<\/p>\n The increased fees have sparked controversy. The National Parks Conservation Assn. said it backs efforts to increase funding that will support parks but doesn\u2019t want fees to become a barrier \u201cthat keeps people from experiencing America\u2019s most iconic places.\u201d<\/p>\n