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Calling All Canadians! (Border question)

SuperCompu2

SuperCompu2

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 23, 2006
852
1
MA
Hello all!

I have a question about an upcoming trip to Canada. Since June 2009, it's been necessary to have a passport, Passport card, or a NEXUS card to get in, but I was wondering if anyone has been able to travel to & from with the old information (US License/Birth Cert.)?

I need to be going soon, and will be cutting it very short with even expedited passport service, as I have never travelled out of the country before. You think this has even a slight chance of still flying?

All help appreciated!
 
Re

super slim chance in my opinion. I go fairy often driving from Vancouver to Blaine / Seattle and even road trips to LA. These guys almost always ask me for my pass port since the rule. Also I am brown, and that does make a difference.

As for flying, zero chance.

Advice: Get your pass port and hold on to it in a very secure fashion. If that does not work, you can try the high tech drivers license, see which one comes quicker.

Not to get in a political debate, but it was the Americans who changes this. We had over 10 years without pass ports. :)
 
I wouldn't risk it.

Even if you are able to sneak in from the States into Canada, you'll have a heck of a time getting back out. The border crossing North to South is a lot more paranoid then it is the other way around.
 
I wouldn't, I tried that just a while after the new rules came out and I was allowed to cross but not after they searched our whole car and questioned us. As for flying, I don't think so, I wouldn't even bother trying.
 
Nope, everything I've found online says you need a passport (or one of the alternatives you listed like the nexus card)
 
I dunno if you can get it in the US, but in Europe you can get an emergency passport.
It takes about an hour to get it issued, it costs as much as a regular passport, but it only lasts for 14 days.
 
you can get passports in 24 hours, and 72 hours for extra fee
depending on the quality of your document preparation and where you go , even the regular passport can be less than week

and NO do not try to cross border without one
 
Thanks for all the replies!

Yeah, as far as the trip goes, if I can't get a passport in the next couple days, I'm not going. Really tragic, but the US State Department should really have an up-to-date website. Their site still says the two-ID format is acceptable!

BTW I would be driving.
 
In the UK if you go to the offices in London you can get a new passport within 24 hours. Maybe you can do the same in the US in major cities?
 
SuperCompu2 said:
Thanks for all the replies!

Yeah, as far as the trip goes, if I can't get a passport in the next couple days, I'm not going. Really tragic, but the US State Department should really have an up-to-date website. Their site still says the two-ID format is acceptable!

BTW I would be driving.
Click to expand...

There is only 1 place in Canada/USA border you can pass uncontested and non-protected. Its a common known location I forget where but I'll bet its in Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba provinces ... and dates back to the late 1800's.

Either way be smart and don't try to screw over "The Man" he's got a wicked belt and you DON'T want to be WHIPED by it.

BTW, forgive our manners ... and Welcome to Canada!! :D Regardless of the mayhem you might of read what happened in Toronto during G8/G20 summit this is a beautiful, peaceful and friendly country.

PS: Shame on my fellow Cannucks for forgetting this ;)
 
Prom1 said:
There is only 1 place in Canada/USA border you can pass uncontested and non-protected. Its a common known location I forget where...

PS: Shame on my fellow Cannucks for forgetting this ;)
Click to expand...

Were you trying to be funny ???? Because it makes me smile.... :D

In any case, I have never heard of this place.... perhaps it's an urban legend, and even it did exist I doubt that it does now.

There is actually one way to cross without a valid passport. If you are of Aboriginal descent (called different things on the two sides of the border), and have your status card you may be able to claim entry rights based on an old treaty. There may be conditions based on which band etc you belong to as well.
 
I know for a fact that you do *not* need to follow the new ID requirements to travel to/from Canada.

Crossing to Canada isn't a problem, the Canadians are pretty lax. Driver's license should do (always works fine when we and everyone else I know crosses over)(I live ~10 miles away from Canada).

Coming back to the U.S... they may give you a small scolding and a slip of paper. After you accumulate a certain number of slips of paper.. you can build a fire (quote from a u.s. customers officer that's the father of a friend of mine).

The U.S. will not and cannot deny you entry with a license/birth certificate. The Canadians probably won't care.
 
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