U.S. Canada border

What paper work is needed to cross into Canada (visit) and then back into the U.S.????????

I have crossed into Mexico and back with only a U.S. drivers license but am unsure of what the Canada border requires.

Thanks

June 9, 2009 is when the crossing gets tough, either direction. For land travel (different for boat or plane) - you'll need either a passport or an enhanced drivers license that some states issue.

You can go to Canada's border website and read all the regs. It is complicated. My family is now using the new New York enhanced drivers license for ID intead of passport - even my five year old kid.

As of January 31, 2008, Canadian citizens entering the United States by land must present one of the following valid documents:

a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s licence, PLUS a birth certificate or citizenship card;
a passport;
a NEXUS card;
a Free and Secure Trade (FAST) card;
an enhanced driver’s licence (EDL) or an enhanced identification card (EIC) from a province or territory where a U.S. approved EDL/EIC program has been implemented;
a Certificate of Indian Status; or
for those aged 18 years and under, only proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or citizenship card, is required.
There will be a transition period during which time travellers who do not present the appropriate documents may be delayed while U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers attempt to verify their citizenship and identity. Travellers may also be given an information sheet explaining the new procedures. The intent of this transition period is to raise awareness of the change, educate travellers and allow ample time for them to obtain the necessary documents.

The transition period will continue until the WHTI document requirements for entry into the United States by land and water take effect June 1, 2009.

Upon full implementation of the U.S. WHTI on June 1, 2009, Canadian citizens will be required to present one of the following valid WHTI-compliant documents when entering the United States by land:

a passport;
a NEXUS card;
a FAST card; or
an EDL or EIC from a province or territory where a U.S. approved EDL/EIC program has been implemented.
NOTE: Canadian citizens entering the United States by land but exiting by air must present a valid passport in compliance with U.S. air exit requirements. Refer to the air travel requirements for more information.

The Government of Canada is seeking approval from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to accept the new Secure Certificate of Indian Status as a WHTI-compliant document. If accepted, the document could be used when entering the United States by land and water when the U.S. WHTI is fully implemented on June 1, 2009.

Canadian citizens 15 years of age or under will only require proof of citizenship, such as an original or a copy of a birth certificate, or a Canadian citizenship card. Canadian citizens 18 years of age or under who are travelling with a school or other organized group, under adult supervision with parental/guardian consent, may also present proof of citizenship alone.

Entry requirements to the United States have not changed for non-Canadian citizens residing in Canada. For more information on U.S. entry requirements, consult the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Web site.

Getting into Canada is less of a problem than returning to the US. Carrying a passport last summer, I had no problems at all. Though others on the northbound bus delayed us an hour from not having papers in order.

There is now (good for surface travel only to Canada, Mexico, and the Carribean) a passport card. Last summer it took a lot longer to get than the standard passport because they were just starting to make them.

I went north by bus, south by train, with passport, and declaration forms filled out ahead of time, conversations with agents were very short and simple. "Welcome" they said and moved on.

Air travel requires the passport, not the card.

Getting passport or card takes an approved picture, a good birth certificate copy, some cash, and 2 to 8 weeks. Your own snapshot won't be accepted. A photo from an experienced passport photo place (and the US Post Office that runs the local passport window, can take pictures for a price) properly trimmed with rounded corners and just the right size is required.

Gerald J.

John,
Last year I crossed the border 5 times. I showed Canadian and US customs my passport, they look at it, hand it back to me, ask a few questions and tell me I"m cleared to go.
Canadian customs will almost always ask about firearms and alcohol; if going fishing they will ask about live bait. Don"t even think of taking a handgun and buy Canadian liquor, it"s high priced but will you need much as you see such a pretty country?.
US customs always ask where you are from, where were you born (even after looking at the passport), and what are you bringing into the US.
If you are going up to go fishing (and you should at least once in your life), shoot me an email and I might be able to help you.
For passport, just go to Post Office, get forms, get picture taken at any photo shop or Walgreens, fill out form, and send in. Should only take about 2 months...but do it now just in case there"s lots of applications leading up to spring/summer travel.
You never know when they want to examine your vehicle, so don"t even think of "hiding" anything because they will find it and this just complicates your day.
Oh, one last thing...don"t try to cross the border with an attitude, be nice, they can ruin your day if you ask for it. They have a very tough job, I"m glad they are thorough.
LA in WI

For us to go into the states this summer all that was needed was birth certificates for under 18 and a drivers license for adults. We pulled over and they took a glance at the luggage and that was it. This was at the peace gardens crossing. Took about 5 minutes Then at the Port Huron/Sarnia crossing they took a quick look at the same stuff and about 2 minutes later we were on the canadian side.

one more comment
do not try to take a child under 18 across the border without written permission from both parents if they are not with the kid.
so if divorced you need written permission from the ex to take kids across the border
ron

John
I live 12 miles from the border (us) so i know very well what can happen......First off, get your passport or at the very least carry your birth certificate to get back to the US
If you have ever had a DUI,,even if it was befor the birth of christ,,ha! it is a felony in Canada and if they just happen to ask they can turn you around if they want to,,,,for a fee you can buy what they call a sorry card,,,,But it must be had BEFOR you get to the border.
If for some reason they dont like the way you look,,, i have seen truckers or others sent back south for as little as a bad check as far back as 30 years ago..Most times thats not the case but i have seen it many times...
If you clean up and shave and dont act like a total jerk and have a good reason to go north you should be fine,,,,,And enjoy your trip north as it is a great country and the people are really nice,,,,at least out west ware i have been...)

To piggyback on this I'm curious about taking a 4 legged friend or two along? Any paperwork dogs need to cross either way?

After June 1 the US is requiring Canadians to have a passport to cross by car, I don't know if it applies to US citizens to get back into the states.

Thanks for the heads up.
Was thinking about taking my grand daughter with us.

So is a notarized letter good enough.

Thanks;

I have a CDL with H enforcement and a TWIC card so I have been finger printed twice. Nothing found.
No DWI or anything like that. Might have a NSF from my younger days but it would have been paid off and cleared up.

From everything I can find a drivers license and a birth certificate is all that is needed to cross both ways but I really do not know. Have never had a passport in my life but might get one just to be safe.

Have plans to go to Niagara Falls this summer and wanted to have the option of crossing over to the Canadian side if we choose to.

Chris
Bring your rabies shot papers with you and you should be good to go......For the dog i mean...
LOL Sorry about that,,,I just had to say that...

John: I think the day is fast approaching that passport will be necessary. In fact my thoughts are if you have one right now it may avoid surprises. Customs agents can be a volatile crowd. One day they are nice as blueberry pie, next day like dealing with a grizzley bear. Nice to one person, nasty to the next.

I don't envy them their job, they have a lot of faces show up in front of them every day. I expect they see a lot of nutcases, criminals, etc.

I used to cross twice weekly. One thing I've always said about crossing that border, be polite and be quick and decicive with your answers. They usually ask purpose of your trip and where you are going. On the way home they always ask how long you've been out of the country, and did you buy anything.

Very ocasionally Customs agents will let their hair down and joke with you. For example, one morning I was going to Hamtramck a suburb of Detroit with a trailer load of cabbage. I passed him the manifest which tells him details of the delivery. He asked what I had on? I replied. "cabbage". I detected a slight eastern European accent. He then asked where I was going? I replied, "Hamtramck". (Very important to say Hamtramck rather than just Detroit) His next responce,"A whole trailer load cabbage going into Hamtramck, when those old Polish guys get that boiled and eaten, the resulting gas will be the worst pollution Detroit has known."

Another morning and this was the first commercial delivery I made to Detriot. I had been there a couple of times with other drivers. My son was visiting, so I took him along as navigator. You have to remember to Canadians most Michiganites tend to pronounce o as a, some worse than others. I got this lady Customs agent and she asked if I was only making one "STAP" in Detroit. I'm a bit deaf in my left ear and the result I had to ask her 4-5 times "What or Pardon". My son got laughing so hard he had to pretend to scratch his forehead to hide his laughter. He figured the old man was headed for the big house in the US Customs compound. Finally in disgust she said, "just go to Detroit", and she slambed the window. I turned to Sandy, said, "what is so damn funny, and what the hell was she saying?" I soon learned Michiganeeze.

thanks