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Traveling to Canada (Passport...?)
Poot
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I live in Washington and have never been outside of the US, and therefore do not have a passport. I've been invited on a trip to Canada via land/sea, and I am wondering whether or not I need a passport. I know I would not need one to enter Canada (I would only need an ID and my birth certificate); what I am worried about is what I will need to go back to the US. I've heard that I would need a passport, but I have also heard that I don't and I can use the same things I used to go to Canada in the first place (my ID and birth certificate). Sooo...what do I need? The important thing to remember is that we will only be traveling by land/sea, and will be gone no longer than a week. Thanks in advance.
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I didn't have my greencard on me so when I went across bridge the canadians politely turned me away. On the way back the american guard said he could fine me and throw me and jail because I didn't have my greencard on me. It was pretty lame.
I'm a Canadian and I can get into your country with proper proof of citizenship. I'm sure as an American you could do so as well.
Travelling around Europe requires an ID card (like a driving's licence) and no more. Unless you want to go to the UK, but they're the weird Europeans who don't want to be Europeans.
With the inception of DHS America is going backwards. Where you used to need only some kind of ID/proof of residence soon you'll need a passport to get in from Canada/Mexico. Europe is making great leaps what with the much relaxed requirements to move between EU member countries. Its sad, really.
My father remarked once that this is a part of what brought the Soviet Union down, the weight of the efforts they went to to enforce their way of life. He once was on a train going through some section of the Union and at every stop a large contingent of soldiers boarded the train and insured everyone had proper IDs, travel papers, visas, etc. While even more troops stood around outside for security.
While the US isn't like that, yet, at times it seems we are moving towards that.
If you don't have your passport, you need something proving your identity (usually a Driver's License or state photo ID) and proving your residency (usually your birth certificate). The passport fits both qualifications, which is why you can cross with just it by itself.
However, as mentioned, right now if traveling by land/sea you do not need a passport to go from US->Canada or back. You will need proper ID (the easiest probably being a driver's license AND birth certificate, though there are other possibilities). A driver's license alone will NOT be enough to get through. And sometime like June/July of 2009 this will change and you will need a passport.
Oh that's not true. I got my passport the day I applied for it. It only took a few hours. It was a replacement passport and all that, but seriously a year wait? I'm not convinced.
Keep in mind this is run by the same agency that had to do a background check so I could work a job. The job lasted 4 months, and it was another 3 1/2 past when it ended before the successful background check arrived.
Hey... listen.
Listen to these people telling you to get a passport.
OP, you're thinking about this the wrong way round. "Why shouldn't I get a passport?" is a better question, and has no good answer.
Replacement != new application, in-person appointment != typical mail-in application process. Your experience is very atypical of the experience 95% of Americans will have.
I got a passport pretty recently, and I was advised at the time that even with expedited service, I'd be looking at up to a two-month wait. It has supposedly eased up a bit since, but from what I've heard, my sister is currently going through a pretty epic wait for her (non-expedited) passport.
Something for the OP to keep in mind (as this almost bit me in the ass) is that you really need to get a second certified copy of your birth certificate. Most people only have one, and if it's tied up in the passport system (it goes with your application, and is mailed back to you later), you have no way to cross the border until you get it back with your passport. As long as you have a birth certificate, you can probably at least drive in.
Some other helpful tips from a frequent visitor to Canada (I'm there now!
+ Be honest in declaring things. You're a lot more likely to be inspected than you think.
+ Travel light. I got stopped at the Canadian border once for having two cellphones, which was "suspicious".
+ Have cash. I got stopped at the Canadian border once for not having enough money on me, I shit you not. They don't care about your credit cards.
+ Remember that the 4th amendment doesn't apply at the US border. They have every right to confiscate your laptop, memory cards, and cellphone, hold them indefinitely, copy everything on them, and deny you re-entry to the States if you don't surrender them voluntarily. Make sure there's nothing on your hard drive/MP3 player/phone you wouldn't want Uncle Sam seeing, or better yet, don't bring anything with you that you can't live without for a couple of weeks.
Beyond that... have fun, and be sure to go see the Great Canadian Igloo since it sounds like you'll be up in that part of Canuckistan. It really is a pretty awe-inspiring sight.