canadian border
 

Hey,
I plan on having a road trip to Canada from Pennsylvania next month. I was wondering what the border procedures are now? Last I remember, they just looked at your passport. My friend said that he didn't even need a passport. I plan on bringing my passport, but a friend of mine who will be going with me doesn't have a passport. Can another form of government ID be used or does he need a passport?

Thanks,
Robert

Bring your passport to make things easier... They don't always look at them but it's better to be safe than sorry.

US State Department/Visting canada
Visas are not required for U.S. citizens entering Canada from the U.S. You will, however, need:

(1) proof of your U.S. citizenship such as your U.S. passport (For information on obtaining a U.S. passport, check with one of the regional passport agencies located throughout the U.S.) or certified copy of your birth certificate issued by the city, county or state in the U.S. where you were born. If you are a naturalized U.S. citizen and do not have a passport, you should travel with your naturalization certificate. A driver’s license or Social Security card is NOT valid proof of citizenship.

(2) photo identification, such as a current, valid driver’s license.

All U.S. citizens entering Canada from a third country must have a valid passport.

I live just outside of Detroit and make the trip across the border to windsor on a pretty regular basis. You need to be 21 to gamble in Detroit, but only 19 to do it in Windsor.

Anyways, the only thing they really hassle you about is proof of citizenship. Resident aliens are permitted to acquire a driver's license so this doesn't qualify. What you should have is a passport, or birth certificate. The passport is really a golden ticket for all border situations, but if you don't have one bring a driver's license and birth certificate and you'll be all set.

Thanks alot!

-Robert

Sort of depends on where you're passing. In Niagara Falls it shouldn't be a problem.

Until you get the border chick who asks "How do you have friends in Waterloo if you live in Albany?" :rolleyes:

Somewhere like in st. kitts you don't need to but here you would find it difficult to survive without passport.

You may or may not need a passport to get into Canada, at the discretion of the border official, but you will definitely need some proof of US citizenship (e.g. birth certificate).

The bigger problem will be getting back into the US. My brother-in-law and his family are American-born Americans that live near the Canadian border. They came across to Canada recently without their passports, but they had a major problem trying to get back into the US without them (>3 hrs detained at the border while the US border officials tried to verify their identity and citizenship).

wooo... that's a good point. A wrinkle that may not be thought of.

I thought you needed a passport now at any border crossing? I wish it was just as easy as walking across the border like I did yesterday to get into Mexico, but coming back into the US was a long wait.

Getting into Canada has always been easy for me, yet you need to have some paperwork done first. And if they ask you why a Canadian can't do the job you are coming into the country to do, don't say "because I do the work of two Canadians for half the price..." ;)