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I remember if you were an American citizen all you needed to get into Canada was your birth certificate and valid ID stating you're a citizen of America.
I was wondering if its still like that now or have the rules change and you need a passport to get in?
I know it sounds silly to ask but I do want to know and be safe.
Location: Living near our Nation's Capitol since 2010
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If you are going and returning by car to Canada prior to June 1, 2009, you do not need a passport but you will need government issued ID (drivers license, birth certificate, etc). If you are flying to Canada, you will need a passport even before 6/1/09. I cross the border very often and I suggest that you go ahead and get the passport. It will make your crossing less stressful.
If you are going and returning by car to Canada prior to June 1, 2009, you do not need a passport but you will need government issued ID (drivers license, birth certificate, etc). If you are flying to Canada, you will need a passport even before 6/1/09. I cross the border very often and I suggest that you go ahead and get the passport. It will make your crossing less stressful.
Okay. I plan on going by train or bus though. They'll eventually stop the train or bus to check passengers right?
Okay. I plan on going by train or bus though. They'll eventually stop the train or bus to check passengers right?
Count upon it. I would just get the passport process moving ASAP. Even before June, I think you're apt to get far less less flak entering Canada with a passport than you would with a driver's license. I base this on the last time I entered Canada, at the Sumas/Abbotsford (WA/BC) crossing:
"What are your citizenships?" scowled the Customs Canada officer. (I was surprised. I'd never been scowled at by a Canadian border guard in my life. My own fellow Americans, every time; the Canadians, never. How times change.)
"United States," we replied politely.
"How do I know that?" he snipped, as though we were lying.
"We have our passports, sir," I answered.
At that point, because we unhesitatingly produced passports to show, we had a ready answer for the question. A driver's license wouldn't serve as an answer to that question. I think he was a little disappointed that we actually did have passports, because his attitude suggested that he would be quite glad to give us a hassle if we gave him any excuse, and having a ready answer to his question kind of nerfed that.
While he asked us the usual questions and more, in the end there was nothing suspicious about us or our answers, and he sent us on our way. The slightest bit of lip, of course, would have seen us either turned inside out, refused entry, or turned inside out then refused entry.
Now, suppose we had just had our WDLs to show him. Now he has a reason to ask us if we brought our birth certificates, which he is well within his rights to expect us to bring. It is, of course, his country and he's manning the gates; his question about our citizenships is valid and he doesn't have to take our word for it, any more than he has to believe me when I tell him we are not carrying any handguns, surface-to-air missiles, 81mm mortars or phosgene. He can opt to verify anything he wants. If we also don't have our birth certificates, then he is within his rights to suspect we're entering Canada under false pretenses. We may have a bad day, even though our only plans in Canada are to spend money, enjoy natural beauty, be courteous to everyone and obey every law in sight.
Thus. Get a passport. If you produce that, Customs Canada is inclined to believe that the US government believes you're a US citizen. If you have that, and refuse to be baited by questions that challenge your integrity, and there is no other reason (prior criminal record, for example) to keep you out, they won't send you back. Best behavior: 'yes, sir/ma'am,' 'no, sir/ma'am,' 'here it is, sir/ma'am,' direct answers without hesitation or elaboration. Behave as if you've been stopped by the cops on the highway, because essentially, you have.
I am not sure what some of you are complaining about. the US obviously has even stricters rules when it comes to entering its border.
Speaking just for me, I'm not complaining. In the past, getting back into my own country was by far more agitating than leaving it for Canada, and I think I clearly acknowledged Customs Canada's right to be as strict as they choose, whether as retaliation, or for any reason or no reason. I was just helping the OP understand what to expect and how to handle it so s/he doesn't have a problem. The modern touch of border guard attitude simply represents a major shift from the previous twenty-odd times I've entered Canada (and is still a major difference from the way Canadians treat me as a visitor, which is just about uniformly friendly and welcoming), and the OP should be prepared.
The oddest thing last time was the friendly welcome back into the States. I couldn't believe it. It was like US Customs were my fellow citizens and supported by my tax dollars or something. Completely took me aback. I have no doubt that they're a lot meaner to non-US nationals; they probably treat them the way they always treated me before.
I remember if you were an American citizen all you needed to get into Canada was your birth certificate and valid ID stating you're a citizen of America.
I was wondering if its still like that now or have the rules change and you need a passport to get in?
I know it sounds silly to ask but I do want to know and be safe.
Thank you.
For the sake of clarity, you will not require a passport to get into Canada; the USA is changing its requirements so you will need a passport to re-enter the United States at land crossings as of June1, 2009.
Any cross-border travel always goes easier with a passport. Take the time to obtain one.
Well, folks, let's sum up:
To enter Canada, and to enter the U.S., you need two things:
-- proof of identity, and
-- proof of citizenship.
Only one of them is not proof of the other -- which is why a passport is so handy as it proves both.
Here are the links you need for full, accurate and authoritative information.
To enter Canada:
Entering Canada • U.S. Consular Services in Canada (http://www.consular.canada.usembassy.gov/enter_canada.asp - broken link)
To enter the U.S.:
Documents You Will Need to Enter the United States - CBP.gov (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/ready_set_go/air_travel/documents_needed.xml - broken link)
You will need a passport or any other proof of citizenship anyways if you want to come back into the states.
going into Canada is easy.....coming back to the states is a nightmare
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