Crossing the US Border?

I've checked half a dozen websites and they all tell me different things.

Some told me that all the ID I would need to cross would be my state/province issued drivers license and my birth certificate/canadian citizenship.

But then another said that they will no longer allow a drivers license to be used.


I am supposed to be taking some cats across the border into New York on Sunday.. but now I'm not sure if I can do it!

Are those two pieces of ID enough?

It looks like passports are not needed until after June 1, 2009

http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs....php?p_faqid=74

We will be taking Jack to a show (hopefully) in Canada this summer. As of June 1, 2009 you will need a passport or passport card (good for only Canada/US/Mexico) to go up there and back.

For now the photo ID license is ok. If you are planning any other trips in the summer or later, then you might just get a passport now and will be ok.

I think you have to have the cats vet records and description of the cat (we can use our cat's registration).

Honestly, it will depend on which agent you are lucky enough to get going across and coming back.

The latest word is that you will need a passport to cross by car in July 2009 but for now your birth certificate will work fine. You might want to ensure you have other ID as well such as your Driver's License. They keep changing their minds and extending the deadline so it's really hard to get a true handle on it.

I would think as long as you have the above and proof of vaccinations from a vet for the cat(s) you will be fine but I would recommend you get that passport for future use.

I applied for and got mine within 3 weeks so it's not a big deal. I will tell you though that it's much faster if you actually fill out the form, get your passport photo taken and go directly to a passport office rather than mailing it in. They'll look at your birth certificate and give it right back to you, process the paperwork and you'll have your passport by Registered Mail in a couple weeks.

Thanks.

The cats already have their paperwork. They came from Buffalo so they already had it to cross over, now I'm taking them back. I had everything needed for the cats.. but wans't sure what I needed.

Thanks a ton.

The do still accept Birth cetificate and drivers license, but it's a LOT quicker if you have a passport. My friend and I went cross-border shopping. I have a passport, she doesn't andthey barely looked at me but questioned her for a good 10 minutes.

For me it was worth the trip to the passport office just to avoid the hassle.