Foo - What is the current requirements to get into Canada and back again?

My parents are planning a trip to go to Canada, and I am supposed to tag along. My passport has expired already though, it expired in 2006. I understand things have changed recently, and you need a passport to get into Canada and/or back again. Somebody told me something about minors only having to present a birth certificate though, does anybody know anything about this?

Better to be safe when dealing with the border patrol...

Get your password :)

Hi All-

Rules are different for flying over the border as opposed to driving. Visit the U.S. Department of State website (http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html) to review the latest updates on passports for international travel.

~ Blue Jays ~

straight from the horse's mouth:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/regional/regional_1170.html

Do you want to visit canada? (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/index.html)

a Tip: The immigration canada site is the one you want to look at, as you are entering canada.

a Tip: The immigration canada site is the one you want to look at, as you are entering canada.
it's getting back into the us that you should be worried about!

who want's to get stuck in canada?

it's getting back into the us that you should be worried about!

who want's to get stuck in canada?
he asked about getting in to canada, he never said anything about coming back! :D

My mother doesn't have to have a passport because she has a resident alien card or something. I'm going to have to get a passport, which supposedly takes 6 months so I may not be going in april. :(

My mother doesn't have to have a passport because she has a resident alien card or something. I'm going to have to get a passport, which supposedly takes 6 months so I may not be going in april. :(
you can get rush service- it costs more $$$ though..maybe $200 instead of $100?

Passport not required but photo I.D. is.
If driving, I would suggest contacting your insurance company and ask for Canadian proof of insurance card.
( better safe than sorry)
Also, be aware if anyone driving into country has EVER had a DUI you may be denied entry.

Passport is DEFINITELY required for flying or boating. NOT required for driving. However, it makes things super easy while driving. The requirement to have one when driving up will hit next year, iirc.

Getting into Canada is still a snap, as long as you're not going there to sell stuff or provide services. They basically don't want us greedy Americans taking their money. :D Oh, and getting back into the US is 100 times easier.

Pheard, the rush service can definitely get you a passport by April. I got mine years ago (it's about to expire, gasp!) for my first overseas trip and with rush service, it only took a few weeks.

PC2, where abouts in canada are you going?

Going to Quebec. We will be driving there and back

Passport not required but photo I.D. is.
If driving, I would suggest contacting your insurance company and ask for Canadian proof of insurance card.
( better safe than sorry)
Also, be aware if anyone driving into country has EVER had a DUI you may be denied entry.

A friend of mine was refused access to the states cause she had rolling papers. And yes, it was for pot, but she didn't have any. The rolling papers could have been for cigs.

you can get rush service- it costs more $$$ though..maybe $200 instead of $100?
Former employer of mine:
Can do same day passports; we used to charge $100 USD for those that need to know.
Has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Houston, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles. See www.expressvisa.com

well, I have over a month to do it

Just bring the border guards some Tim Horton's coffees and timbits. You'll have no problem. :)

Just bring the border guards some Tim Horton's coffees and timbits. You'll have no problem. :)

:lol:

They're invading NY now, too. Tim's is setting up shop in half the thruway rest stops clear across the state. I say, if Canada doesn't become the 51st state, upstate NY is bound to become the 11th province in Canada. :D

They're invading NY now, too. Tim's is setting up shop in half the thruway rest stops clear across the state.
Not suprising since Tim Hortons is an American owned company.

I drive to Canada and fro once or twice a month.
When driving a passport is not *yet* required but a law will soon take effect that will make it so. Once that law passes all persons will be required to present a passport, or other similar document(s) in order to regain entry into the US. Any person under the age of 18 at that time will not be required to have a passport but instead shall use a copy of their birth certificate so long as they are being escorted by an adult who does have a passport or are part of a traveling sports team.
I'm not sure when the new law goes into effect, but as of 4 days ago, when I re-entered the US, a passport was NOT *required*.

Passport or certified birth certificate if by land or sea, passport if by air. These days, it's just good practice to have a valid passport at all times, because you never know when you might need it.

well, I have over a month to do it

You may still want to consider the express service. Working with registered mail (a good idea for passports) I have seen a tremendous buildup in the number of passport requests going to Philadelphia, and I'm not certain what the processing time is. There's going to be a bottleneck soon though, as people realise that they need those passports yesterday for the trip to Paris tomorrow :D .

If you don't want to use the express service, my best advice is: do it TODAY.

East Hill

Bring a brick of hashish to bribe the customs agents each way. Otherwise they'll hassle you.

Get a passport and be prepared for anything. It is not that difficult to get one.

The expired passport you now have can still be used for identification. Just present it along with your drivers license and birth certificate. I've been using an expired passport to enter the US and return to Canada, by land, for over 10 years. If you're flying to Canada and returning to the US by air, your passport will need to be current.

Oh, and getting back into the US is 100 times easier.

Not for us. We drove up to B.C. a coupla months ago. Needed nothing to get in, usual questions, business or pleasure. But coming back to the U.S. (near Blaine, WA) we had to show photo ID and birth cert. and answer quite a few questions posed by the uber-guard. We were amused at his seriousness and were smiling, so he asked if we thought something was funny.

"No sir." :o

Well we asked the post office yesterday. So I can use my old passport as a photo ID, and I can just show a birth certificate. That's not so bad

The great thing about having a current passport is that when you win that trip of a lifetime to the Tour de France, you don't have to scream in agony when you realise that you can't go because YOU DIDN'T RENEW YOUR PASSPORT and the trip is--tomorrow.

You can even renew it by mail nowadays, as long as you fulfill the following requirements:


1. Complete Application For Passport By Mail , form DS-82
2. Attach to it:
Your most recent passport
Two identical passport photographs
And, a $67 fee payable to the U.S. Department of State.

You may not be able to renew by mail on this one (you had to have been at least age 16 when you first received your passport, possport can't be mutilated, must be in the same name, and the passport can't be more than fifteen years old), but you can on the next, and trust me, it's a lot less trouble doing it by mail.

East Hill