Question re: crossing the border at Niagara Falls (Buffalo, Ontario: sales, 2009)

[Weedydidi]

We want to go to Niagara Falls this weekend, but I can't find my birth certificate. I have DH's, and all three kids' but not mine. I have a driver's license with the same address as DH and my name on all three kids' birth certificates. I also have my Social Security card, but apparently that's not proof of citizenship.

We have reservations at a hotel on the Canadian side of the Falls. Do you think this will be possible? Can I get back into the US?

[CAugust]

chances are pretty good, but check with the border first -

if you were born in buffalo - go down to city hall and get a copy, i think its $10 or it was the last time i had to get one...........

[Buffalonian4life]

Don't worry too much about it - However, if you really want to be safe- just get a passport. But that's not necessary when you can just get a copy of your birth certificate and that you have your driver's license available.

[Rochester-WNY]

Originally Posted by Weedydidi

We want to go to Niagara Falls this weekend, but I can't find my birth certificate. I have DH's, and all three kids' but not mine. I have a driver's license with the same address as DH and my name on all three kids' birth certificates. I also have my Social Security card, but apparently that's not proof of citizenship.

We have reservations at a hotel on the Canadian side of the Falls. Do you think this will be possible? Can I get back into the US?

Actually the same thing happened to me the other day. I went to Montreal the other day. I couldn't find my birth certificate. The canadians were easy. I just gave them my drivers license. But getting back in they gave me a harder time. I played dumb about not knowing I had to bring one and it wasn't that bad.

[XNYgirl]

Are they death on out of state people? I have an NC drivers license and copies of my birthcertificate and a passport, but the passport has my maiden name on it.

[BuffaloTransplant]

Originally Posted by XNYgirl

Are they death on out of state people? I have an NC drivers license and copies of my birthcertificate and a passport, but the passport has my maiden name on it.

Is the copy of the Birth cert a VALID stamped copy? That is legal. BUT....
Your passport has the same name as the Birth cert, right? Just show the passport. If they give you grief, give them the birth cert and NC driver's licence ( it has DOB? Right?). They check the same DOB. You are proving that you are the poerson with that DOB and an citizen.

When I went last time, I had a birth cert. and license. I took my marriage license, only they didn't want it. They cross reference DOB. Now I have a passport and will use that.

Remember, out-of-state tourists are common!

[want1too]

depending on how long your stay is in canada..could be anywheres from 200 to 400$ worth of goods that your allowd to bring back

[jlmerritt36]

Originally Posted by Buffalonian4life

Don't worry too much about it - However, if you really want to be safe- just get a passport. But that's not necessary when you can just get a copy of your birth certificate and that you have your driver's license available.

From what I hear you can't leave this country without a passport. But, I see an awful lot of Ontario plates here in our stores.

[12buttons]

Originally Posted by want1too

depending on how long your stay is in canada..could be anywheres from 200 to 400$ worth of goods that your allowd to bring back

What if I buy a big ticket item like kitchen cabinets or a car? I saw a really neat old anitque car in Canada - and a house I fell in love with bought the cabinets in Ontario...dollar and CDN are almost equal..are we charged sales tax if we have them shipped UPS?

thanks 12buttons

[Hatless Wonder]

Originally Posted by Weedydidi

We want to go to Niagara Falls this weekend, but I can't find my birth certificate. I have DH's, and all three kids' but not mine. I have a driver's license with the same address as DH and my name on all three kids' birth certificates. I also have my Social Security card, but apparently that's not proof of citizenship.
Can I get back into the US?

I went through this a few weeks ago. Hubby and I went to Montreal by bus. Both of us have passports, but Hubby couldn't find his, so he brought a copy of his birth certificate. We got into Canada just fine, but when we came back to the US, we found out that Hubby's birth certificate wasn't a certified copy, with an official seal. We almost weren't allowed back in.

In June 2009, The US will require all Americans to enter the US with a passport. The State Department now has passport cards (broken link), which are cheaper than a full passport, but have the same photo and data as a passport information page. They're only good at land and sea border crossings.