Q on crossing Canada-U.S. border post-Sept. 11

Factual Questions
1

Obtaining a Canadian passport is now even more of a pain in the ass. Not only are they only valid for five years, but they’re non-renewable, meaning you have to go through the whole thing again. Plus, the price has gone up to $85.

What ticks me off is that the list of eligible guarantors (those who’ve known you for two years) has been severly pared down. Previously, any member of a professional order could sign for you, and I thought, great, I’m surrounded by engineers at work who’ve known me almost three years. Well, they’re no longer eligible. Neither is my father, who used to be a teacher. Neither are any of my university professors.

I don’t know any cops, practising lawyers, judges, magistrates, or whatever, thank-you-very-much. My doctor left Montreal a couple of months ago, and I can’t mail him the form because the guarantor has to be living in the same jurisdiction as that in which the passport will be issued.

This is no doubt because of Sept. 11. :rolleyes:

So, my fellow Canadian Dopers who have recently travelled to the U.S.: can you still cross the border with a birth certificate and photo I.D.? I’m thinking of showing my expired passport as well (or would that be bad)?

I always get nervous when I cross the border (I’ve had my stuff searched twice), and border guards can tell if you’re nervous, and quite possibly refuse you entry.

Luckily, I’ll be in a car (if Elenfair is willing to pick me up in Montreal en route to NYC Megadope) and won’t have to do that get out of the bus and stand in line thing.

Help me!

P.S. I lost my birth certificate, too. Getting one of those is substantially easier, though.

2

I did some more refined Googling just now and found that you can cross with just a birth certificate and photo I.D.

What I want to know is, have you done this successfully without hassle?

3

I just realized the rolleyes smiley was inappropriate, because a lot of the terrorists and pals went into the U.S. through Canadia. :frowning: My apologies.

4

went to montreal from boston this summer. They checked my driver’s license, and nothing else.

5

I have entered the US often on my birth certificate and driver’s license. I only obtained my Canadian passport in July of this year, and that was because it was required for my K-1 interview.

Getting into the US is more difficult than getting into Canada. That much I can tell you.

6

You do not need a passport to go from the US to Canada or from Canada to the US. (Unless you are neither Canadian nor American. :slight_smile: )

Generally a driver’s license or other form of ID is sufficient.

7

False. I renewed my passport last summer and the list of guarantors was as you describe. Unless the CIA (who clearly knew in advance) warned CSIS who warned the RCMP who warned the Government who warned the Graphic Designers to create a new form and fee schedule well in advance of Sept. 11 in order to deter hijackings. Or something.

For a fee, you can get a Notary Public to sign the form for you.

Last time I crossed the border (with my passport) the guard didn’t even open it. I got the standard “Where are you staying, How long are you staying there?” questions and was on my way. You’ll be fine with a drivers license and birth certificate, generally. If you get a pissy border guard, technically they can turn you back without proof of citizenship (although I think a birth certificate is considered proof), but I’ve never met any one that has had that happen.

8

Well, the gov’t website I went to today said they’re not renewable. Very odd.

And my ignorance about the list of guarantors can be forgiven, since it’s been a long time since I first got my passport. Thanks for the heads-up, though. :slight_smile:

I’ll use my birth certificate, and I have a ton of photo ID.

9

A friend and I went to Montreal last November to see Les Habitants. I was wearing a jersey, and the customs lady said “let me guess–going to a hockey game, right?” I showed a driver’s license and birth certificate, but they let my friend through with a license, Xerox of a passport and an admonishment that he should get a better secondary form of ID.

The U.S. customs people merely asked if we were both American citizens.

10

Hey scott - why don’t you get your doctor to vouch for you? I got my passport in April, and dr_mom_mcl could still sign for me.

11

Oh, I see.

12

Are you sure about that? I know that several US congressmen said that in the aftermath, but my understanding was that it turned out to be incorrect - all of the hijackers entered the US directly from European countries.

As for the requirement to get a new passport - that’s not new. I’ve been getting passports on and off for twenty years, and they’ve always had a shelf life of five years, non-renewable.

13

Northern Piper, you are correct. None of the Sept 11 hijackers entered the US from Canada. Didn’t stop politicians from speaking without thinking, though.

14

Maybe it’s just because it was Niagara Falls but when Mr. tlw and I went up this past spring, we never, once, had to show ID. Not going in, not going out.

Canadian Border guard: “You’re American?”
Us: “Yes.”
“Where do you live?”
“New York City.”
“How long will you be here?”
“Just for the day.”
“Going back to NYC tonight?”
“No, to Lake Chatauqua, New York.”
“Okay, enjoy Canada.”

On the way back in, it was even terser.

American Border Guard: “Did you purchase anything?”
Us: “Postcards and candy bars.”
“Okay, thank you, drive thru.”

Either Mr. tlw and I look extremely trustworthy or we had the laxest guards in Canadian/US Niagara Falls border history.

15

Scott,

IANAL, but I work for a U.S. immigration law firm (as a paralegal).

If you are Canadian, you only need to show proof of identity and proof of citizenship. A valid passport serves both purposes, but a driver’s license and Canadian birth certificate (or certificate of citizenship, if you weren’t born Canadian), used together, serve the same purpose.

Relax, and have a nice trip! I’m hoping to cross the land border in the other direction one of these days, to see 1/4 of my ancestral homeland, such as it is (one grandma was born in Winnipeg, although her parents were from the Old COuntry, but that’s a looooong story.)

16

It’s just that the Champlain border crossing is apparently a major drug trafficking route, so the U.S. border patrol there are generally assholes. Well, every time I’ve crossed.

But in a car with Elenfair, who looks so sweet and innocent, I don’t think we’ll have a problem. :wink:

17

On second thought, we might have a problem: matt_mcl will be in the car too… :smiley:

18

Scott: You might wish to re-check the list of guarantors, which can be found on the passport application form at http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/passport/eforms/ppt044.pdf on the Canadian Passport Office page at http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/passport/menu_e.asp

For Canadian passport applications, professional engineers can be guarantors and university teachers can be guarantors. Note, though, that they must not be retired.

If you were born in Québec (I see you reside there), you might wish to check your birth certificate to see if it is acceptable. Baptismal certificates are not acceptable, and Québec birth certificates issued prior to 1 January 1994 are not acceptable. If you need to order one, the Québec birth certificate application form is at http://www.etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca/publications/DemandeAnglais.pdf on Québec’s Le Directeur de l’état civil page at http://www.etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca/ENGLISH/Default.htm

IAAL

19

Damn, I was looking at the form for adults outside of Canada. :smack: Thanks, Muffin.

Anyway, I might shell out the $85, but I’ll probably just bring my birth certificate (I was born in Ontario so all that Quebec stuff doesn’t apply) and a ton of photo ID.

20

scott, I believe the appropriate post at this point is:

[emily latella voice]never mind[/emily latella voice]
:stuck_out_tongue: