I noticed the other thread about passports, and it reminded me of a question I’ve had for a while, but it wasn’t related to the topic so I started a new thread. Does anyone have it on authority whether you need a passport to go to Canada and Mexico? Common “knowledge” is that you don’t, but when me and a bunch of friends tried to get in, the Canadian Border Guards took us aside into the little building. busted our balls for about 3 hours and told us that you have to have a passport to get into Canada. Now usually you just get waved back and forth so the issue dosen’t come up, but do you technically need one, or were they just giving us a hard time?
Hmm, that’s very strange indeed. I’m from the Great White North and have never needed a passport to get into the States or back into Canada. My parents go all the time (my Dad has conventions there) and as far as I know they’ve never needed one. The most they’ve needed is a Birth Certificate and a photo ID. Last year I even went into Mexico when I travelled to San Diego and they didn’t even ask to see any ID or ask any questions. Wolfman, were you maybe wearing a shirt proclaiming “Fuck the Boarder Guards”? Sounds like to me that they they were just giving you a hard time.
Just because everyone thinks you are paranoid doesn’t mean that no one is following you.
While, for American Citizens with prooof of citizenship, passports are not strictly required for Aruba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, Micronesia(FSM), Miquelon Island, Netherlands Antilles, Palau, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Pierre, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, British West Indies, French West Indies and Vatican City, any time you step outside the boundaries of the US without a passport, you are taking a terrible chance.
My recommendation is that you fet a passport and carry it with you whenever you go out of the country. But that’s just my advice.
Foreign Entry Requirements 2000:
“U.S. citizens who travel to a country where a valid passport is not required will need documentary evidence of their U.S. citizenship and identity. Proof of U.S. citizenship includes an expired U.S. passport, a certified (original) birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, or Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States. To prove identity, a valid driver’s license or government identification card are acceptable provided they identify you by physical description or photograph. However, for travel overseas and to facilitate reentry into the U.S., a valid U.S. passport is the best documentation available and unquestionably proves your U.S. citizenship.”
“CANADA - Passport or proof of U.S. citizenship and photo ID required. Minors (under 16) traveling alone or in someone else’s custody, must present written authorization signed before a notary from the parent(s) or guardian. Visa not required for U.S. citizens entering from the U.S. for a stay up to 180 days. Anyone with a criminal record (including a DWI charge) should contact the Canadian Embassy or nearest Consulate General before travel. U.S. citizens entering Canada from a third country must have a valid passport. For student or business travel, check with the Canadian Embassy, 501 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001 (202/682-1740) or nearest Consulate General: CA (213/346-2700), MI (313/567-2085), NY (212/596-1700 or 716/858-9501), or WA (206/443-1777).”
“MEXICO - *Passport and visa not required of U.S. citizens for tourist/transit stay up to 90 days. Tourist card is required. Tourist card valid 3 months for single entry up to 180 days, no charge, requires proof of U.S. citizenship, photo ID and proof of sufficient funds. Tourist cards may be obtained in advance from Consulate, Tourism Office, and most airlines serving Mexico upon arrival. Departure tax $10 is paid at airport when not included in the cost of the airline ticket. Notarized consent from parent(s) required for children traveling alone, with one parent, or in someone else’s custody. For other types of travel and details, check with the Embassy of Mexico’s Consular Section, 2827 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20009-4260 (202/736-1000) or nearest Consulate General: AZ (602/242-7398), CA (213/351-6800, 415/392-5554 and 619/231-8414), CO (303/331-1110), FL (305/716-4977), GA (404/266-1913), IL (312/855-1380), LA (504/522-3596), NY (212/689-0460), PR (809/764-0258) or TX (210/227-1085, 214/630-7341, 713/542-2300, 512/478-9031 and 915/533-4082).”
I would add something here and that is that you have no legal right to go anywhere. There are requirements that you need to fullfill and without those you will not be let in but even if you fulfill all the conditions the country has full discretion in letting you in or not.
Suppose you are from country X and the USA requires you to have a visa. You go to the US embassy and get a visa. Two days later you land at a US airport and the INS can put you right back on the plane and return you to where you came from for reason or no reason. The fact that you fulfilled all the requirements does not entitle you to enter the country.
Of course, one would think they try to apply rules consistently and would not deny entry for no reason, but if they wanted, they could.
I believe under certain circumstances in the US you would be allowed a hearing before a judge like if you claim political persecution.
I’ve never needed a passport to get into Canada.
wolfman: if you had valid proof of US citizenship with you (certified birth certificate, voter registration + government photo ID, etc. see previous post), that would be good enough.
Although as has been discussed in the past in the SDMB and afc-a, being a Customs Agent or Border Guard means never having to say you’re sorry (even to your own citizens)
>> being a Customs Agent or Border Guard means never having to say you’re sorry (even to your own citizens)
Yup, they can also search you and your stuff as much as they like. They can read every last bit of paper you carry, look at the photos of your naked girlfriend, read your love letters, ask you all sorts of humiliating questions just for their amusement and after several hours they just let you go without even an explanation as to why they would have a reason to stop you.
There have been several publicized cases which were quite extreme. One I seem to remember vaguely was a woman in her 50s US citizen of Colombian origin, returning from Colombia. For some reason they suspected her and she was stopped and searched and searched and searched. They held her for a couple of days and made her shit in a bucket with someone present. Finally they just said to her she could go without apology or explanation. She was on local TV here some time ago but I do not know what if anything was done.
Just reiterating what others have said: IF you are stopped on the border of US/Canada, you need some proof of citizenship. Passport, birth certificate, voters registration card… any of those would be sufficient. Drivers license is NOT proof of citizenship.
The same situation is true for many other locations (such as many of the Caribbean tourist islands – they don’t want to make it difficult for tourists.
However, as others have noted, if you’re going to be doing any such travel, a passport is a good idea, and fairly cheap.
tcburnett
I’m sure that’s all largely true, but just for the record, earlier this month I visited the nations of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and officials of both nations examined my passport upon entry and exit. They even stamped it.
Granted, I arrived in Grenada on a plane from Puerto Rico, and they looked at everyone’s passport, U.S. citizen or not, as a matter of course. Maybe they wouldn’t have kicked up much of a fuss if all I’d had to present was my Georgia driver’s license. But they did expect me to have it.
CKDextHavn said:
Same goes for Mexico. Last time I was there, I brought my DL and my birth certificate. They usually just asked for the birth certificate. My DL was essentially useless. I believe they checked it once at the airport (to confirm I was who I said I was) going out, but that was it.
Try not to argue with me when I make specific statements and name names. I have checked. I don’t just make this shit up. JUST FOR THE RECORD, here are the requirements for those two locations from the US State Department’s website:
http://travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html
Try not to argue with me when I make specific statements and name names. I have checked. I don’t just make this shit up. I didn’t say you COULDN’T have a passport, or even that one was not recommended or that no one would check it. Please re-read my post if you want to know what I DID say.
Anyway, JUST FOR THE RECORD, here are the requirements for those two locations from the US State Department’s website:
http://travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html
GRENADA - Passport is recommended, {but tourists may enter with birth certificate and photo ID}. Visa not required for tourist stay up to 3 months, may be extended to maximum of 6 months. For additional information consult Consulate General of Grenada, 1701 New Hampshire Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009 (202/265-2561) or Permanent Mission of Grenada to the U.N. (212/599-0301).
SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES - Proof of U.S. citizenship, photo ID, and onward/return ticket and/or proof of sufficient funds required for tourist stay up to 6 months. For more information consult the Embassy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 3216 New Mexico Ave., Washington, D.C. 20016 (202/364-6730) or Consulate, 801 Second Ave., 21st Floor, New York, NY 10017 (212/687-4490).
Sorry for the double post. I’m a little uncoordinaded before I shoot up in the morning!
tcburnett, don’t get so worked up about this. Five’s post does not contradict yours in any way that I can see. Calm down and relax.
Where’d I leave my Lithium? I must have forgotten to take it again!
Slightly off topic, it is formally required for US citizens to present a passport to Canadian customs under some circumstances. In my case, I needed one to obtain an employment visa to work in Canada. On the other hand, I drove a van and a trailer full of stuff across the border (immediately after obtaining the visa) without a search. They didn’t even open the trailer. They did charge several fees, though…
In the past, I have entered and left both Canada and Mexico as a tourist without a passport with no problems.
Dangit. Don’t dot every ‘T’ or cross every ‘X’ in here and someone calls you on it. The countries I listed as not requiring a passport fron US citizens almost exclusively refer to persons entering as tourists for a fixed length of time, but ALL HAVE EXCEPTIONS. Working or living in any of these countries normally requires a passport with a specific type of visa.
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The point I was trying to make is that it is the most prudent option to ALWAYS carry a passport when you travel across ANY international border.
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About four weeks ago, I flew to Quebec City from Chicago for a wedding. I did not have my passport, my social security card, my birth certificate. Just my Illinois drivers license and some credit cards.
In the airport in Chicago, the man at the desk informed me that he would let me get on the plane to Canada, but they might give me some trouble trying to get back home. Fine.
From Canada, I called my parents, who are still in possession of my birth certificate and asked them to fax me a copy to the hotel. Hotel’s fax machine was not working. Called again and had them fax to another hotel. That fax disappeared into the ether and was never seen again. I couldn’t get a hold of my parents again. Uh-oh.
On the way back, we were flying from Quebec City to Toronto to Chicago. In Quebec City, the lovely woman at the airport counter says she’ll let me on the plane to Toronto, but they might give me some trouble trying to get back to Chicago. Okay.
Meanwhile, our baggage got checked on an earlier flight. We catch up to it in Toronto, and go to claim it. The man standing there asks, “Are these yours?” We say yes. He gives them to us without asking for I.D. or a luggage tag!! We must have looked honest.
We go to customs and answer the usual questions. No, no fruits or vegetables, etc. etc. He asks for my passport. I tell him I don’t have it. He asks for my birth certificate. Sorry, don’t have one. Social Security card? Nope. Well, he asks, what state were you born in?
I say, New York. He looks at my driver’s license, taps something into his computer, smiles and says, “Have a nice day.”
That’s it. While I was glad that we had no hassles, I did wonder about the general security procedures of air travel.
Come to think of it, they asked me the same thing ("What state are you from?) when I crossed from Quebec to Vermont on my bike tour way back when. Also without asking for any documents or anything.
The last time coming back from Canada, they were much less friendly about it (though I had my passport.)
Strange…