Travelling to the U.S. without Birth Certificate.. Help!?

Question

I am planning to head down to Florida later on this month. Now I have the birth certificate for my eldest child, but the youngest's is still being processed and won't be ready before we leave. I do have his Adoption Order which has his legal name change.

Will I have trouble crossing the border with this? Or is this sufficient documentation?

He is 4 years old now, and the adoption was finalized in October of 2005. I looked on the INS site, but could not find anything.

And yes, I am Canadian.

Answer 1

That's going to be tricky question to answer. Have you tried phoning the nearest American Embassy to you. I know the US have embassies in Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa. You should contact them and get further information on this subject. As of 2008 you will need passports for your family something to look into now too. Reason for that 9/11 and the fact that the US doesn't trust us in regard to this matter since the 9/11 bombers had ties to Canada. Anyways here is the web site so you can get the telephone numbers for the location of these embassies. http://www.usembassycanada.gov/content/index.asp. And good luck.

Answer 2

Contact INS for their requirements on minor children entering the US. If you are traveling alone with them, you will need a notarized letter from their father authorizing you to travel in the US. INS often prefers children have passports. International "kidnaping" (I don't mean to imply you are doing this!) is a serious problem and the US and Canada take it very seriously. Passports also have a photo ID component that birth certificates do not. Custom officials, airlines etc. rely on photo ID concurrently with paper documentation-therefore the passport and notarized authorization from the absent parent relieves them of liability. Better be safe than sorry. I don't know about Canada, but here in the US expedited passports as well as court documents can be had in 24-48 hours for the right price.

Answer 3

contact Customs and Border Protection, US Dept of State, Dept Homeland Security - Immigration via EMAIL. You should also contact your country's consul with the question. You may be able to enter the US w/out the BC, but you'll have trouble getting back home.

If you do not receive a satisfactory answer from the above agencies, don't travel. After 9/11 immigration law in the US is constantly evolving. I wouldn't risk it without ALL documents in order.

Answer 4

I'm assuming you are Canadian, so there should be no problem. If the child or you are even remotely Arabic or Arabic-looking, you should be prepared for problems, however.

I have not visited Canada since 9/11, so I don't know what changes have occurred. I could not find anything useful on the INS site, but you have more time to spend looking:
http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm

Answer 5

One of the things the border guards watch for is missing children and/or children that have been abducted. I would not advise travelling with your youngest child, especially as he is adopted, until you have a passport for him, or have him listed on your passport.

"Children And Infants Require More Proof"

Parents traveling with children and infants are required to provide identification and proof of citizenship for each child. If both parents are not present, the traveling parent must provide a signed statement from the other parent allowing the child to travel out of the country. Failure to provide such evidence may make you unable to cross the border with your children.

Passports

All children who travel now need their own valid passport. If however, you are a parent who still holds a valid Canadian passport that lists the name of your child, the passport will remain valid for you and your child until it expires. Yet there are two exceptions: (1) if your child plans to travel without you; or (2) when he or she reaches the age of 16 in which case your children will need to have their own personal documents.

Who may apply for a child's travel document?

* One of the child's parents.
* The custodial parent in cases of separation or divorce.
* The legal guardian.

Answer 6

The best answer is that you will have fewer problems if all of your documents are in order. Is what you currently have sufficient? Possibly, but if not, your entry to the US may be delayed or prevented entirely. As in most things in life, the more effort you put into preparing in the first place, the less likely you are to have problems. Why chance it?

Answer 7

hi! do no longer pay interest to the idiots who revealed above me. they do no longer comprehend a d*mn about what they are speaking about. the actuality is in case you immigrate to Canada, and change right into a citizen, without renouncing your US citizenship, then you definately will be a twin Canadian-American citizen, and also you don't desire any visas to enter and commute contained in the U. S., yet you're required by utilizing regulation to enter and go out the U. S. with your US passport. besides the undeniable fact that, in case you resign your US citizenship, then you definately'll in person-friendly words be Canadian, and also you nonetheless do not desire a visa, yet you do could exhibit your Canadian passport, delivery certificate, or citizenship papers to enter the U. S.. As for the citizenship of different international places, you should use their passport to enter and go out the U. S., and in case you've renounced your US citizenship, then even if you wish a visa, relies upon on the country whose passport you employ once you enter the U. S. or perhaps if or not they're a member of the "Visa Waiver application" with the U. S.. yet in case you commute to the U. S. on the passport of between the international places on the Visa Waiver application, you many times can not stay contained in the U. S. better than ninety days, and with some international places, i imagine its even a lot less, at in person-friendly words 30 days. if you're certain and reason on leaving (and with the state of authorities and how American society has change into, i do not blame you! i'd go away myself in a heartbeat, if both my father and mother were no longer chronically ill, and growing older) and in case you somewhat opt to resign your US citizenship, then your brilliant guess is to change right into a citizen of Canada and then resign your US citizenship after your Canadian citizenship has been finalized. A Canadian citizen can provide the subsequent brilliant visa-free commute to the U. S. and different international places without the prospect persons citizenship. you could consistently get twin citizenship with different international places if needed, yet in words of commute to and interior the U. S., Canada citizenship can provide the most and brilliant ideas.

Answer 8

You could, indeed, have a problem and should get some travel document from the Canadian government before you depart. Another option is to call the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to inquire about your options.

Answer 9

Don't leave it to chance! Can you not postpone your trip until the paperwork is finalised? You may well be stopped at the border ... child smuggling is a big crime, and they're constantly on the look out ... your case is bona fide, but the customs people don't know that ... they go by papers and papers only ....

Answer 10

Proof of citizenship is required and soon passports will be required. How young is this child if the birth certificate is still being processed?