passports required for Canadian citizens to enter the US?

leviathan · Post by **leviathan** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 12:10 pm

The topic subject speaks for itself but it's probably proper that I restate it in the message body: do Canadian citizens require a passport to enter the United States? I know at one point it wasn't necessary but I am not sure if the rules have changed. I believe it's OK for US citizens to enter Canada, is that true?

LostinReno · Post by **LostinReno** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 12:17 pm

leviathan wrote:The topic subject speaks for itself but it's probably proper that I restate it in the message body: do Canadian citizens require a passport to enter the United States? I know at one point it wasn't necessary but I am not sure if the rules have changed? I believe it's OK for US citizens to enter Canada, is that true?

Concerning land: Photo ID plus a birth certificate (under 18 need only present a birth certificate) is currently still an option, but a passport will become required as of June 1, 2009.

We've been up there both by air and car in the past year and was asked for a passport both ways.

LostinReno · Post by **LostinReno** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 12:20 pm

I just found this;
U.S. Border Crossing Requirements Have Changed - Make sure you are compliant today!
Simplify your travel checklist!

Starting June 1, 2009, Canadian citizens traveling to the U.S. by land or sea are required to present one of the travel documents listed below.

Canadian Passport â€“ This is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies a personâ€™s identity and citizenship. It is accepted for travel by air, land and sea.

Enhanced Driverâ€™s Licence/Enhanced Identification Cardâ€“ Canadian provinces have begun issuing these documents that denote identity and citizenship that are WHTI-compliant for cross-border travel into the U.S. by land or sea.

Trusted Traveler Programs â€“ NEXUS, FAST/Expres and SENTRI enrollment cards can speed your entry into the U.S. and are issued only to pre-approved travelers. FAST/Expres cards are valid for use at land or sea ports of entry; the NEXUS card can be used at land or sea ports of entry and at kiosks at participating airports.

Special Groups â€“ Children, Groups of Children, Native Americans, Ferries and Small Boats, and Boaters.
From this site
http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/lang_can/index.html

Google is your evil little friend!

leviathan · Post by **leviathan** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 12:25 pm

So my girlfriend doesn't have a passport, does this mean she will be unable to come? She has an ID and birth certificate. I don't think I could get a passport mailed to us in time unfortunately. Maybe there's some sort of temporary card that can be administered?

jofezasa · Post by **jofezasa** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 12:32 pm

US citizens can get a "passport card" that is good for Canada and Mexico and the Caribbean. I don't know if Canada has something similar. Also, in the US, you can bribe, I mean, pay extra to get an expedited passport though it usually requires having plane tickets. A friend found out that driving across the border in the near future is not worthy of the expedited passport. Of course, Canada could have none of those things. You are likely better talking to the Canadian authorities than ePlaya, though ;).

LostinReno · Post by **LostinReno** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 12:44 pm

leviathan wrote:So my girlfriend doesn't have a passport, does this mean she will be unable to come? She has an ID and birth certificate. I don't think I could get a passport mailed to us in time unfortunately. Maybe there's some sort of temporary card that can be administered?

Maybe look into this option;

Enhanced Driverâ€™s Licence/Enhanced Identification Cardâ€“ Canadian provinces have begun issuing these documents that denote identity and citizenship that are WHTI-compliant for cross-border travel into the U.S. by land or sea.

I know Nevada has started this....not too sure about the provinces. If you live far from the border, it would really suck to get turned away. It also depends on the mood of said border patrolperson.

Rice · Post by **Rice** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 12:46 pm

leviathan wrote:So my girlfriend doesn't have a passport, does this mean she will be unable to come? She has an ID and birth certificate. I don't think I could get a passport mailed to us in time unfortunately. Maybe there's some sort of temporary card that can be administered?

Without the proper papers, no...

If you live where you can go into the passport office in person, you can get the passport expedited. http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/urgent.aspx?lang=eng

I think its $30 more, but you should get it in time.

Good Luck!

Rice

Token · Post by **Token** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 1:23 pm

Ooooooh! So I hear you might be coming to the playa alone this year, without the ol' ball n chain.

.

.

.

You know, what happens on the Playa stays on the Playa!

Leviathan suggests a big hunk of a man. Are you like a big muscular meat soup? yum.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 2:40 pm

I know that it has been possible to get a passport (us) in one day (for a fee, of course.) That makes sense, as there have to be scenarios in which that happens. So, get off this piece of the internet and get on the part of the internet that the Canadian passport agency puts up and find out how to get the proper paperwork.
Tomorrow, start making phone calls, visits or whatever.

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 2:45 pm

...big muscular meat soup...

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 2:49 pm

I thought Canadians could come across as long as they were microchipped?

Stickygreen · Post by **Stickygreen** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 6:36 pm

to answer your Question, YES you need a passport to enter the US, can you get a passport in 2 weeks? maybe? ask your local passport office, but be prepared to pay, I think last time I got a new CANADIAN passport it was over $100 for the express service, and I don't think express was as fast as 1 day like these americans are claiming is possible in there country..

canada customs is not known for there speed......

trystanthegypsy · Post by **trystanthegypsy** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 6:40 pm

do it MONDAY MORNING and you MIGHT get it in time. Theoretically expedited is 10-12 business days, so there's a tiny little chance you will get it on the friday before the burn.

This is a big one where I'm looking at you and going, "WHEN exactly did you decide to go to this party? Don't you think this would have been a good thing to check, oh, 3 months ago??"

You absolutely cannot get across the border without a passport.

C187 · Post by **C187** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:02 am

If your not talking to a bureaucrat at this moment, you've lost the game.
I still think your a winner!
But really you need to get this taken care of today, and pay for the fastest timeline.

For the sake of not wasting your investment so far into this burn. I'd suggest you all have a sit down, and figure out a realistic point of no return day. By that I mean, if she doesn't have the passport by X day, you'll head on down anyway. Just don't be a dick and want to show up on the 30th.

Side bar: I blame both governments for pushing back the implementation dates, and laxing rules because of bureaucracy (passport application backups, states not doing enhanced-id, the cluster-fuck that is NEXUS, ext). For making everyone confused about crossing for the last three years.

mudpuppy000 · Post by **mudpuppy000** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:12 am

jofezasa wrote:US citizens can get a "passport card" that is good for Canada and Mexico and the Caribbean. I don't know if Canada has something similar. Also, in the US, you can bribe, I mean, pay extra to get an expedited passport though it usually requires having plane tickets. A friend found out that driving across the border in the near future is not worthy of the expedited passport. Of course, Canada could have none of those things. You are likely better talking to the Canadian authorities than ePlaya, though .

Just a FYI, that passport card only works for land crossings, not flights. I met a guy in Vancouver that had one and he had to fly into Seattle and take a 6 hour bus ride, lol.

caveatlector · Post by **caveatlector** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:17 am

If you're near a city like Toronto you can get your passport done in a day (or next day) as long as you're willing to shell out the fee.

To do this, though, you need to show up to a passport office bright and early with all your supporting documents and photos signed. Bring any documentation for your trip-- like your airfare receipt or ticket.

I had my guarantor with me when I last got my passport, which saved the passport office the effort of calling them at some point later on in the day.

I've had to renew my passport for a surprise business trip and was able to get it done in a day. Your girlfriend shouldn't have a problem.

Fufa · Post by **Fufa** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 8:33 am

When I got my (canadian) passport a few months ago, I went in to the office in downtown Edmonton to submit. I didn't pay the extra fee to get it faster, and it still arrived at my house EXACTLY one week later. You should be fine.

Also, there's a spot on the first page of the application where you put the date of departure for your trip. Maybe they'll take that into consideration.

Go to a passport office ASAP!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:20 am

Just a couple of thoughts here.
Edmunton is a big city, and probably has it's own local office for processing.
The volume of passports being issued in the summer may be more that were being issued "a few months ago." (Maybe not, we don't have a way of knowing.)
Might be better to just go for the two day thing if at all possible.

Stickygreen · Post by **Stickygreen** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 11:18 am

[quote="theCryptofishist"]
Edmunton is a big city, and probably has it's own local office for processing.
[/quote]

Edmunton is a big city... that's funny!

ROTFL

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 1:17 pm

Big enough to have a hockey team and a ginormous mall!

How else are us geographically challenged americans going to judge this?

trystanthegypsy · Post by **trystanthegypsy** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 2:03 pm

Stickygreen wrote:
theCryptofishist wrote: Edmunton is a big city, and probably has it's own local office for processing.
Edmunton is a big city... that's funny!

ROTFL

We do indeed have our own local office!

And a million people IS a big city in canada.. we only have, what, 33 million total? After Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, we're pretty big.

And damn we are geographically big. uggghgghh urban sprawl so ugly.

Dear Edmonton:
I think we should see other people. I hate you, and I'm leaving. Right after the burn.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 2:08 pm

You probably serve a lot of people in the surrounding rural areas. Farm towns do.

Okay, probably an oil town...

Fufa · Post by **Fufa** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:41 pm

trystanthegypsy wrote:
Stickygreen wrote:
theCryptofishist wrote: Edmunton is a big city, and probably has it's own local office for processing.
Edmunton is a big city... that's funny!

ROTFL
We do indeed have our own local office!

And a million people IS a big city in canada.. we only have, what, 33 million total? After Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, we're pretty big.

And damn we are geographically big. uggghgghh urban sprawl so ugly.

Dear Edmonton:
I think we should see other people. I hate you, and I'm leaving. Right after the burn.

Yah, the urban sprawl is bordering on the extremely ridiculous. At least we have tonnes of urban greenspace though! The most in North America.

jpx · Post by **jpx** » Wed Aug 18, 2010 11:49 am

trystanthegypsy wrote:Dear Edmonton:
I think we should see other people. I hate you, and I'm leaving. Right after the burn.

ooh, are you going east or west? i made it to montreal and haven't looked back, except via facebook.

trystanthegypsy · Post by **trystanthegypsy** » Wed Aug 18, 2010 3:18 pm

west, though I do love montreal. I have an extended pirate family waiting for me on the west coast and the island

Stickygreen · Post by **Stickygreen** » Thu Aug 19, 2010 11:12 am

I once heard a great quote regarding edmonton

"Edmonton, the arm pit of Canada"

so true, and so funny!

big baby jesus · Post by **big baby jesus** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 3:02 pm

Technically speaking, Canada is a country.

LostinReno · Post by **LostinReno** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 3:06 pm

Stickygreen wrote:I once heard a great quote regarding edmonton

"Edmonton, the arm pit of Canada"

so true, and so funny!

I thought that honor went to Regina?

Go Riders!

Rice · Post by **Rice** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 7:56 pm

LostinReno wrote:
Stickygreen wrote:I once heard a great quote regarding edmonton

"Edmonton, the arm pit of Canada"

so true, and so funny!
I thought that honor went to Regina?

Go Riders!

I thought Regina was the other body part that makes farting noises ?

passports required for Canadian citizens to enter the US?

passports required for Canadian citizens to enter the US?

Re: passports required for Canadian citizens to enter the US