Crossing the US/Canada border (1 Viewer)

[Chris Lockwood]

> Every time I go to the states, I show them my birth certificate. It's an old school Ontario certificate, so there's no picture on it.

I've never heard of one that had a photo- certainly your baby pic isn't too helpful in IDing you.

That's what I always thought was funny about birth certs- they don't really prove that YOU are the person on the certificate, just that a baby was born on a certain date.

 

[GuyMaren]

If you are driving across in a US-registered vehicle and answer "Canadian" to the question about citizenship, Canadian customs will require proof of legal US residency. If you can't present a green card, they will likely stop you from bringing your car across at the very least.

 

[Ken Chui]

Not always; it depends on the Customs officer (speaking from personal experience). I work in Ohio and I have Ohio plates (my vehicle was also purchased in Ohio); entering Canada through the Detroit-Windosor border crossing, for me, is hassle-free; it's the return trip that I dread (waiting 30-45 minutes in line, being asked 1001 questions, subjected to the occasional car search - dealing with USCIS officers is anything but fun).

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

He could always fly down to Mexico City and just walk back across the border like everyone else.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Francois Caron]

For my vacation to NYC (by train BTW), I obtained a passport BEFORE they became a requirement. It made my border crossings a bit easier. Only one document to show, a few simple questions, go right on through, have a nice trip.

Coming home was even easier. The moment you start speaking French Canadian, they KNOW where you're from!

 

[Lew Crippen]

Now that would be a fair walk.

 

[Yee-Ming]

It amazes me that there could be an international border that doesn't require passports. Even between Singapore and Malaysia, two countries which actually were one for a brief moment in history, passports are and AFAIK have always been required for travel between the two. I guess the main "sop" to history was that there used to be restricted passports that were only valid for travel between the two countries, and IIRC for regular commuters (there must be thousands of Malaysians who live there but work in Singapore daily), there are special passes available on application which speed up the immigration process.

Having said that, the EU is becoming passportless within its own borders. Although the last time I went, travelling between the UK and Italy, or for that matter UK and Sweden, I was still required to produce a passport, and IIRC so was everyone else. Is that because the UK excluded itself from Schengen?

Then again, way back in 1992 when I went backpacking in Europe, no one checked passports at all on the train when entering Germany (IIRC from Austria), nor when leaving Germany.

 

[Holadem]

Same here, I have to say.

Thanks for the feedback fellows, it's pretty much what I expected. I theory, you need to provide 1- proof of citizenship of either country or 2- proof of right of entry (visa, permanent residence) in the destination country.

In reality, the "cops" at the border more or less rely on their instinct to sniff out who doesn't belong, (probably in addition to some un-publicized guidelines...).

I am fairly confident that I could cross and back with just a driver license, like I said I've done it before in San Diego. Still, I will wait and sort out my docs (btw this situation of mine is entirely due at this point to the legendary ineficiency of the INS/USCIS.)

--
H

 

[Chet_F]

A few years ago I was coming back from a fishing trip in Canada and our party was asked to step into the building. They drilled us with a couple of dozen ?'s and then brought us into another room and asked us all the same ?'s again. The entire time they were doinf this they were ripping thru our luggage, cars, trunks, boat, etc, etc.

After a half hour or more we were still wating for them to finish when they got to my bag. The border police officer or what ever they call them picked up my wooden minature cribbage board and his face lights up. You can imagine what he thought it was - pinchy box for the illegal substance. Then he opened it - you could just see him slump in utter disappointment. Right after that they let us go. That's the last time I went to Canada and it will probably stay that way. Talk about being guilty till proven innocent. I think I'll just keep my greenbacks in the US from now on.

No offense to any Canadians out there, unless you're a border officer.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Chet, it sounds like your beef should be with the US Customs officers, not the Canadian officials, if your problem was when you were coming back from Canada.

Anyway, I think your experience is quite uncommon. I cannot count the number of times I've crossed the US/Canada border in my life, and I've only been asked to look in the vehicle once (I was asked to open my trunk). Heck, before the World Trade Center attack, one of the border crossings from the Yukon into Alaska was unattended. You just got out of your vehicle, looked into a camera, and spoke your name, citizenship, etc. The crossing into the Yukon, though, had actual Canadian customs officials.

 

[Chet_F]

Scott: Yea, you're right. I guess I had a brain lapse. Anyone want to to Canada???

 

[Kwang Suh]

I don't think you realize the volume of truck commerce that crosses the Canada/US border. If every one of those drivers had to show a passport volume would decrease markedly.

Canada is the United States second largest trading partner for a few reasons, including ease of commerce.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I hardly think showing a passport would have any measurable effect on crossing, especially if it was posted so the documentation was ready. For commercial drivers there could be a different type of ID that could be scanned. I have absolutely no problem with border officials doing their jobs to keep unwanted people out of the country, and trying to keep illegal substances from crossing the border.

There has been a recent call for an increase to the amount of goods that travellers can bring back on day trips - up to $2000 a trip - which makes perfect sense to me. As was suggested by the person who put forward the idea, someone nervous about bringing back an undeclared pair of jeans is just as suspicious as a terrorist trying to gain access to the country. Allowing people to lawfully declare what they bought would both speed up crossings, plus free up agents for more important things than collecting payments for $20 worth of goods.

 

[BrianB]

As opposed to showing ID? How does showing a passport take longer than showing existing photographic ID? Or are these trucks happily criss-crossing the border without a care in the world?

 

[Eric Kahn]

I have crossed the border by car several times, I have always had my passport with me (since I have one) I have been searched once going into canada, don't ever leave gun magazines on the floor of your car going to canada

they are just doing their job, but they could be just alittle more polite about it when you are trying to tell them how to open the center armrest on your car before they break it off by jerking repeatedly on it

 

[PeterK]

we went to NY from ontario just this week for camping, they just asked how long we're going, and if we're all canadian. That's it! No ID or anything.

 

[Edwin-S]

Why would Canadian Customs stop and question you? You guys were leaving the country. It would be US customs that would be asking the questions, not Canada Customs.

Edit: Whoops!! Forget it. I should have read page 2 before posting. D-oh.