# Going to Canada? Not today you aren't. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 12, 2003, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321 "2003-06-12T14:07:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/21 "2003-06-12T23:07:56Z")
AB: Yes, definitely get a manager, but find out the name of the person at CORPORATE who has the authority and oversight to do something for you, like a VP of Customer Relations or something. cc: the manager you talk to, whoever oversees her or him, etc. Shit, I’d send it registered mail. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/22 "2003-06-12T23:53:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Muffin \* > \*\*If this airline regamarole gets in the way again, fly to Buffalo and have your friend pick you up. Bring a photo id driver’s licence for the border. \*\* Um, I’d just like to point out that a driver’s licence is NOT proof of citizenship. You need photo ID AND proof of citiznship (Eg./ My birth certificate has no photo, so I’d bring both my driver’s licence _and_ my birth certificate.) A friend of mine got an Ontairo licence while she was on an extended visit to Canada. A friend of mine coming back from the Bahamas got detained trying to use just a driver’s licence – and that was early 90s, well before 9/11. **Avabeth** I’d be pissed if I were you. Going to NYC I was also told that an expired passport was okay, and I did _not_ have any problem at all. From Travel Canada’s (The Canadian Tourism Commission) own website: > [@](#): > > Visitor Requirements: U.S. Residents > Although a passport is the ideal identification, you do not require a passport or visa to enter Canada. Just make sure you carry identification to establish your citizenship such as a Birth Certificate and least one ID card with photo. If you are a naturalized U.S. citizen, you should carry this certificate. Permanent residents of the U.S.A. must bring their “Green Card”. With that in mind, there may be an exception with your airline. Many European countries do require visas and passports. It is possible that your flight was a connection for one coming from overseas, in which case, the rules for you r flight may have been a little wonky (I’ve seen that happen and it always causes confusion). ---
**Author:** ![Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji_Kitakyusho)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/23 "2003-06-13T00:22:17Z")
Customs and immigration personnel on both sides of the border are fucknuts. Without delving into the numerous stories of rampant fucknuttedness, suffice it to say that whenever I cross the border now: 1. I carry a valid Canadian passport will all contained information accurate and up to date. 2. I carry a valid British Columbia, Canada, birth certificate. 3. I carry a valid British Columbia, Canada, driver’s license. 4. When travelling in my vehicle, I ensure that the insurance and registration are on board and accurate. 5. All of the above documents are mutually consistent (same name, address, etc.) 6. When travelling on business, I carry a letter on company letterhead describing what the purpose of my trip is and where I’m going, signed and dated by a responsible company officer. 7. I carry business cards or some other means of proving that I work for who I say I work for. 8. On personal trips, I carry a complete itinerary, including proof of hotel reservations or any other document that shows what I’m doing. 9. I always carry over $100.00 in cash, in the currency of the country I am travelling to. 10. I scanned, in colour, my passport, birth certificate and drivers licence, and printed these in colour on a single piece of paper which I keep tucked inside one of my socks. All of the above items are the result of being hassled by one fucknut or another. Read the list and save yourself some trouble. -FK ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/24 "2003-06-13T01:36:30Z")
Let me just take this opportunity to say that there shouldn’t be any finger-pointing about this; Canada is not behaving badly, nor is the United States. Border crossings around the world have changed since Sept. 11, and that is just a fact of life for those of us who live on either side of the world’s longest undefended border. Those days of hopping in your car to take an afternoon jaunt to Canada/the U.S. are pretty much gone forever. I also think we have to remember that visiting someone else’s country is a privilege, not a right. Canada and the U.S. may be very much alike and have a lot of trade back and forth, etc., but we are still talking two separate countries here. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/25 "2003-06-13T01:40:45Z")
And I recall the days when all I had to do when crossing the border from Canada to the US was to lie and say I was born in Niagara Falls, Canada. that allowed me to continue with my buddies so we could ski at Kissing Bridge. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/26 "2003-06-13T02:38:34Z")
As a foreigner it amazes me that the driver’s license is the prevalent identification document in the USA. Sorry about your weekend **ava**. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/27 "2003-06-13T02:52:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by InTheField \* > **I had the same problem flying the other way on AIR CANADA (the bastards). I was going to Florida, and they would not let me board without a birth certificate. WTF? This was several years ago, when I KNOW that you only needed proper picture ID to enter the States (by car, anyway)** You were wrong. Technically you have ALWAYS needed proof of citizenship. A driver’s license is not proof of citizenship. Some border crossings are lax, but it was always the policy of both governments to require proof of citizenship, and it was always exceptionally foolish not to be carrying it. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/28 "2003-06-13T04:08:55Z")
Eats\_Crayons, the applicable law is found at: [http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/I-2.5/SOR-2002-227/132523.html](http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/I-2.5/SOR-2002-227/132523.html) and [http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/I-2.5/SOR-2002-227/133441.html](http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/I-2.5/SOR-2002-227/133441.html) Yes, a birth certificate and photo ID are by far preferable, but please bear in mind the problem in the OP is a lack of a birth certificate, so the solution is to find the most likely means of legal entry despite such a lack. Is a land crossing without a birth certificate a sure thing? Of course not, but it is probable, and beats the heck out of losing a day from a short vacation. An American is exempt from the visa requirement, but must convince the immigration officer that he or she is an American. In lieu of a valid passport, obviously this is most easily done with a birth certificate and photo ID, and thus such documentation is most strongly recommended, but production of a birth certificate is not mandated by the regulations. As long as the immigration officer is satisfied that the person is an American citizen, entry can be granted. A brief conversation suffices for most land crossings. That is why only a small proportion of people entering via car are ever asked to produce ID, and why even then a drivers licence is usually satisfactory. featherlou, for at least my little spot on the map (Tbay, ON) I have to disagree that the “days of hopping in your car to take an afternoon jaunt to Canada/the U.S. are pretty much gone forever.” I pop back and forth frequently for dinner (and yes, I bring my birth certificate just in case it is demanded). ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/29 "2003-06-13T04:29:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > \*\*Technically you have ALWAYS needed proof of citizenship. A driver’s license is not proof of citizenship. Some border crossings are lax, but it was always the policy of both governments to require proof of citizenship, and it was always exceptionally foolish not to be carrying it. \*\* I made that mistake in the 70s. Lesson learned. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/30 "2003-06-13T04:57:04Z")
I was born in Quebec back when birth certificates were not issued. When my family moved to Ontario and tried to enroll me in school based on a baptismal certificate, I had to wait a year while the Quebec and Ontario bureaucracies hashed it out. A few years later, I flew out to Colorado, but was refused re-entry into Canada upon my return. Why? No birth certificate. Arggggh! Eventually, Quebec started issuing birth certificates, so I obtained one, also obtained a passport, and thought the question of my birth was at an end. Last winter I applied for a new passport, only to learn that my Quebec birth certificate was no longer valid. All this time I had been under the mistaken impression that the only way for my birth certificate to expire would be for me to expire, but apparently I was wrong. Now that I have my second birth certificate, I suppose this means that I am either of the undead or I am Jesus Christ. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/31 "2003-06-13T05:17:39Z")
From the age 6 weeks to 35 years , a little blue card issued from the Empress of France was all that I had to legitimize my residence in Canada. I turned it in to finally to obtain citizenship. Scary when I look back it. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/32 "2003-06-13T05:25:04Z")
Born on the steamship? ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/33 "2003-06-13T05:51:05Z")
Didn’t read the whole thread, but that’s stupid. I was given a bit of grief going into Victoria, B.C. with only a New Mexico driver’s license and a stack of credit cards, student ID, etc. The only documentation they would have preferred would’ve been a social security card or birth certificate (copy). Sorry to hear your trip was ruined. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/34 "2003-06-13T13:13:10Z")
Lemme tell ya, I have my paperwork already in a folder for our cross-country extravaganza: Long-form birth certificate for myself, and for my son Passports Advance Parole documents for re-entry to the US Copy of marriage certificate Short-form birth certificates, in my wallet at all times Social Insurance number Card Copies of my I-485 notice of receipt K-1 Visa and I-94, which are attached to my passport. I’m not taking any chances. I am a Canadian citizen, as is my son, but you never, ever know what sort of crap you’ll run into. Most times they just wave me through. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/35 "2003-06-13T13:13:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Muffin \* > \*\*Born on the steamship? \*\* No, but close. I was so young that my mother got a doctor to sign papers falsely attesting to a small pox vaccination. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/36 "2003-06-13T16:19:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by InTheField \* > \*\*Ava: > > Enjoy your trip to Toronto. And glad to see that you’re bearing in mind that it was AMERICAN AIRLINES that screwed you over, and not any of us nice Canadians. > \*\* Heck, I’m in Toronto right now and happy as a pig in shit:). I love it up here and I’m reminded of that every time I get here. It’s American Airlines I’m annoyed with - not any of these lovely Canadian folks;). Have a great weekend, folks! I’m off to find some poutine, eat at Swiss Chalet, and go play at Eaton Centre and Canada’s Wonderland (and go horseback riding - woohoo!:). Ava ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/37 "2003-06-13T17:43:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Muffin \* > **All this time I had been under the mistaken impression that the only way for my birth certificate to expire would be for me to expire, but apparently I was wrong.** Your _birth certificate_ expired? How? Why? I mean, once you’ve been born you can hardly change to not having been born, can you? ---
**Author:** ![vivian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3e96dc/32.png) [@vivian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivian)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/38 "2003-06-14T01:12:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by avabeth \* > \*\*Heck, I’m in Toronto right now and happy as a pig in shit:). I love it up here and I’m reminded of that every time I get here. It’s American Airlines I’m annoyed with - not any of these lovely Canadian folks;). > > Have a great weekend, folks! I’m off to find some poutine, eat at Swiss Chalet, and go play at Eaton Centre and Canada’s Wonderland (and go horseback riding - woohoo!:). > > Ava \*\* AVA!!! Welcome!!! I’m glad you made it over! Don’t forget to keep your receipts…I’m not too sure how it works, but you can get the $$ back that you paid on the taxes you paid on stuff you bought. Ask your friend about it… I had a similar problem getting INTO Mexico. I had an expired passport and a citizenship card that had a pic from when I was 6. I go to board the plane for a group trip to Cancun and for some reason, SkyService decided that they didn’t like my citizenship card or my back up expired passport. Oh…and they didn’t like where I was born either. Apparently, those born in Ghana need a visa to go to Mexico…yea…that’s fine and dandy, but my CITIZENSHIP CARD SAYS I’M A CANADIAN CITIZEN.They still decided that they need to consult everyone and their mama’s to find out if I could enter MEXICO (don’t people usually immigrate FROM there???) I had to wait for a lawyer to come to the airport a 5:00 am to give me an official document proving that I was a Canadian citizen EVEN THOUGH I HAD A CITIZENSHIP CARD. My flight was set to depart at 6:30…dude walked in at 6:15…I paid him $80 for a statement I already had and barely made it unto the plane… ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/39 "2003-06-14T01:28:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GingerOfTheNorth \* > \*\*Yes, welcome to the fate that awaits us all. PAPERS, PLEASE! > > I feel your pain, avabeth. I went through similar crap with the INS/BCIS, getting info on the phone and website that was completely inaccurate when I went into the offices to get Advance Parole so that I can visit home. I dread getting as far as the Montana/Alberta border and being turned back, because yet again, I’ve been told the wrong information. \*\* Mayday, mayday. Everyone who hasn’t, please read Margaret Atwood’s _The Handmaid’s Tale_. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321/40 "2003-06-14T02:17:40Z")
Read it. Many times. MANY TIMES. Thank you for the evil portent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-canada-not-today-you-arent/181321.md?page=3)