Do I need a passport to travel to Canada?

Question

I know that the government wants people to start getting passports to travel to canada..but has been passed for those traveling by land yet. They say it may not be a requirement until 2009 until the passport cards are made. Can I still travel into canada without a passport?

Answer 1

Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.

As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or passport cards for land/sea entries.

Answer 2

Travel TO Canada? NO you do not need a passport. The new rules apply for "entry and re-entry" to the United States. Not Canada. Not Mexico. This is a AMERICAN based law, they do not control who comes to Canada. The Canadian government controls that.

But...people who come here from the USA normally want to go home. This is where "passport or no passport" is the question,

Air- travelling by air to "enter or re-enter the USA" requires a passport in the new law that came into effect January 23, 2007.

Land/Sea-will require a passport to "enter or re-enter the USA" at the soonest January 2008. Some sites say this will be pushed back til 2009.

I have given a website that best explains it all; and much better that the government sites.

You "can" use a passport as ID rather than your birth certificate and drivers license if you are travelling by land/sea. Some travel sites recommend that because if your wallet is stolen, it is much easier to have a passport re-issued to you to get home than other forms of ID.

Answer 3

No, As of January 23, 2007 anyone going to and from Canada and Mexico requires a passport. I went to Canada (Calgary) in mid-December and was told repeatedly by U.S. Passport people that I would need a passport in January and that a Drivers License was no longer enough. The new laws are listed on the Department of State Web site.

Answer 4

Yes, as of January you need a passport to go anywhere outside of the US. You can still go to some of the US territories without a passport, such as Puerto Rico. But for Canada and Mexico you now need a passport.

Answer 5

Yes you do if travelling by air if by ground u have up until the end of this year

Answer 6

dont know but i think you will only need one to get back. you can go to canada all you want just i dont know how easy it will be to get back. better not talk to the border partoll in french

Answer 7

New Requirements for Travelers

* Media Notes
* Flyers & Fact Sheet
* Frequently Asked Questions
* Federal Regulations

Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

The proposed implementation timeline has two phases:

* Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.
* As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or passport cards for land/sea entries.

The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory. U.S. citizens returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the United States and do not need to present a passport. U.S. territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Travel Documents for U.S. Citizens Under WHTI

Under the proposed implementation plan, the following documents will be acceptable to fulfill document requirements:

* U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, and may also use a U.S. passport when traveling via sea and land borders (including ferry crossings).
* The Passport Card (also referred to as the PASS Card): This limited-use passport in card format is currently under development and will be available for use for travel only via land or sea (including ferries) between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. Similar in size to a credit card, it will fit easily into a wallet.
* DOS and DHS also anticipate that the following documents will continue to be acceptable for their current travel uses under WHTI: SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST, and the U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document. As proposed, members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty traveling on orders will continue to be exempt from the passport requirement.

Background

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to develop and implement a plan to require all travelers, U.S. citizens and foreign nationals alike, to present a passport or other document, or a combination of documents, that denote identity and citizenship when entering the United States. Congress amended portions of the Act in 2006. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is the Administration’s proposed plan to implement this mandate.

The goal of the Initiative is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized, secure and reliable documentation which will allow the Department of Homeland Security to quickly, reliably and accurately identify a traveler.

Media Notes

* 11/22/2006 Passports Required for Air Travel to United States as of January 23, 2007
* 10/17/2006 Department of State to Introduce Passport Card

Flyers & Fact Sheet

* Fact Sheet - Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (pdfPDF)
* Flyer on Passport Requirement for Air Travel to United States as of January 23, 2007 (pdfPDF)
* Hoja de Informacion (pdfPDF)
* WHTI Information Sheet - French (pdfPDF)

Frequently Asked Questions

* Frequently Asked Questions about the New Travel Initiative Requirements (FAQs)

Federal Regulations

*
Final Rule - Air Phase (pdf PDF)
*
Proposed Rule - Passport Card (pdf PDF)
*
Comments Submitted in Passport Card Rule Making Proceeding (DOS-2006-0329-0001)

Other Relevant Links

* Department of Homeland Security
* U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Answer 8

If you are Bomb Free and have VALID ID!!!!