Canada

starjam · Jul 18, 2009

Next week I will be driving with my husband and some other family, into Canada from somewhere around Lake Superior to Missinable. I can not find my passport anywhere, last time I used it was 8 years ago!!!

Has anyone traveled between the US and Canada recently, and was your passport mandatory? I have my California driverâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s license and my birth certificate, but will that be enough to get me into Canada and back into the US???

Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m supposed to be going to a 2 week family reunion and I sure hope I can go!!!

snake_lady · Jul 18, 2009

I believe you should be fine with your id, if you are driving in...

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/security-...dmiss-eng.html

But I would call to be on the safe side.

katachtig · Jul 18, 2009

Here is the official word on the subject from the US: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

ETA - you need to find out if your driver's license is the enhanced version.

yosemite · Jul 18, 2009

You probably won't have a problem getting into Canada, but you may have a problem getting back into the US.

mrblanche · Jul 18, 2009

If your passport is 8 years old, I think it has expired, anyway.

It's possible to get a new one in a day, but usually you have to pay a company to walk it through all the steps.

carolina · Jul 18, 2009

Here is the official entry/exit law from the US Department of State:

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: Entry into Canada is solely determined by Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officials in accordance with Canadian law . Canadian law requires that all persons entering Canada carry both proof of citizenship and proof of identity. A valid U.S. passport, passport card or NEXUS card (see below) satisfies these requirements for U.S. citizens. If U.S. citizen travelers to Canada do not have a passport, passport card or approved alternate document such as a NEXUS card, they must show a government-issued photo ID (e.g. Driverâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s License) and proof of U.S. citizenship such as a U.S. birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or expired U.S. passport. Children under sixteen need only present proof of U.S. citizenship.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1082.html
You do NOT need a passport, but you DO need to prove your citizenship - so, on your case, your driver's license and the ORIGINAL/OFFICIAL (not a copy) Birth Certificate will do it.
You could also use an expired passport - the deal here is not the passport itself, but to prove your citizenship status.
You will be fine - Enjoy your trip!!!

goldenkitty45 · Jul 18, 2009

As of June 1, you need a passport to go between Canada and the US. You can get a Passport Card (which is good only between Canada, US, and Mexico) for less money.

Not sure if you will get it in time tho.

yosemite · Jul 18, 2009

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

As of June 1, you need a passport to go between Canada and the US. You can get a Passport Card (which is good only between Canada, US, and Mexico) for less money.

Not sure if you will get it in time tho.

I believe it is only Canadians that NEED a passport to go into the US. US citizens don't need a passport to get into Canada. That all came about when the US decided that most terrorists get into the US from Canada.

carolina · Jul 18, 2009

Originally Posted by Yosemite

I believe it is only Canadians that NEED a passport to go into the US. US citizens don't need a passport to get into Canada. That all came about when the US decided that most terrorists get into the US from Canada.

Please see the info I posted from the US dept of State - that is the update information, valid for AFTER June 1st.
You need proof of citizenship now - passport is the easiest way; however Valid Id AND Birth Certificate can also be used instead.
Before you only needed an Id.
Linda - this is not really about Canada, but all borders - meaning Canada AND Mexico. From everywhere else you already need a passport.

yosemite · Jul 18, 2009

Originally Posted by carolinalima

Please see the info I posted from the US dept of State - that is the update information, valid for AFTER June 1st.
You need proof of citizenship now - passport is the easiest way; however Valid Id AND Birth Certificate can also be used instead.
Before you only needed an Id.
Linda - this is not really about Canada, but all borders - meaning Canada AND Mexico. From everywhere else you already need a passport.

That's what I said - a US citizen doesn't NEED a passport to get into Canada from the US but Canadians NEED a passport to get into the US as of June 1st, 2009.

Naturally you would require ID but it does not need to be a passport.

I'm not certain about the international laws now, but I was always able to travel freely to the US, Barbados and the Caribbean without a passport in my younger days. I believe (not sure) that I was also able, as a born Canadian to travel to England or any British Colony with just ID such as birth certificate.

starjam · Jul 19, 2009

Thank you everyone, for all your great responses! Sounds to me like getting into Canada will be fine, getting back into the US may be diffiucult.... but if it is still up to the border patrol maybe it'll be okay. We will be with 3 other car full of people, and everyone else has passports and proof of citizenship, I"m the only dufus that can't find her passport. I also have a slew of other paperwork that will hopefully proof my citizenship. Too bad I don't have that enhanced driver's license, that would be really cool, but, unfortunately, not enough time to get one.

Thanks again, I'll let you know if and when I make it home!!

coolcat · Jul 19, 2009

Originally Posted by StarJam

I'll let you know if and when I make it home!!

Please let us know the you have a safe trip...

for all goes fine!

carolina · Jul 20, 2009

Have a good trip!!! You will be fine!

starjam · Aug 8, 2009

Just thought I'd follow up with this post. Going into Canada, I had no problems. Had my drivers license, birth certificate, and my marriage certificate and my husband had his passport. The border patrol looked at everything and said, have a good trip! Coming back into the US, I was so nervous.... Still had all the same ID, my husband was driving and he still had his passport, this time the border patrol asked all kinds of questions. He asked all of us what we do for a living, he mentioned we certainly drove a long way, from CA to Ontario, Canada, he asked where we were in Canada, how long we were there... and so on and so on; we were probably there being questioned for 15 minutes, the whole time with me sitting on the edge of seat. Then, finally, he says , have a good day, and on we go! I was so happy to hear him say that!!! We had a great vacation, but it sure was nice to get home!

Thanks everyone for all you replies! Appreciated the help.

yosemite · Aug 9, 2009

Originally Posted by StarJam

Just thought I'd follow up with this post. Going into Canada, I had no problems. Had my drivers license, birth certificate, and my marriage certificate and my husband had his passport. The border patrol looked at everything and said, have a good trip! Coming back into the US, I was so nervous.... Still had all the same ID, my husband was driving and he still had his passport, this time the border patrol asked all kinds of questions. He asked all of us what we do for a living, he mentioned we certainly drove a long way, from CA to Ontario, Canada, he asked where we were in Canada, how long we were there... and so on and so on; we were probably there being questioned for 15 minutes, the whole time with me sitting on the edge of seat. Then, finally, he says , have a good day, and on we go! I was so happy to hear him say that!!! We had a great vacation, but it sure was nice to get home!

Thanks everyone for all you replies! Appreciated the help.

Glad you had a nice trip. I was fairly confident you would have more difficulty with the US crossing guards than you would with the Canadian.

Canada

starjam

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