Do I need a passport?

Question

I'm going on a trip from Chicago, Illinois, United States to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and I plan on traveling with Greyhound. On the website under ticket and travel it says "Travel to Canada or Mexico
A valid U.S. passport or proof of citizenship AND photo identification are required to enter Canada or Mexico." In your thoughts does this mean I NEED a passport OR I need a birth certificate and photo ID? lolz Just wondering because I've never traveled alone or this way before.

Answer 1

If you are citizen of Canada, US, or Mexico and:
- - travel by air after 01 January 2007, you need a passport to enter (or leave) US.
- - travel by land or sea before 31 December 2007, you need proof of citizenship (which may be passport, birth certificate, and/or naturalization papers) AND valid photo ID (which may be passport, US or Canada driver's licence, or military ID).
- - travel by any means after 01 January 2008 you need a passport.

If NOT a citizen of US, Canada, or Mexico you WILL require a passport and MAY require a visa to enter Canada, depending on your country of citizenship (not the country from which you're entering). To see if you require a visa, check the link attached.

If you are not a citizen, but ARE a permanent resident (or on some other form of visa) of one of the three nations, bring all the relevant documentation with you. Won't mean anything on the way out, but will make the return trip much easier!

Answer 2

a valid (or even an expired) U.S. passport is both photo ID AND proof of U.S. citizenship in and of itself (unless the passport was issued to a child ... in that case there might not be a photo, I do not know the U.S. policy on that)

Other proof of citizenship would include a naturalization certificate (if applicable to you) and (maybe ... be sure to check this) a social security card. I assume permanent residents have s.s. cards so maybe this may not be proof of citizenship. A birth certificate might work as proof of citizenship (if you were born in the U.S.) but some U.S. issued birth certificates are so non-standard (for lack of a better term) I would not like to have to argue with an immagration officer over whether it was acceptable or not.
If your proof of citizenship is not a passport, obviously you need a separate photo ID so they can match a name with a face.

I think all Canada is concerned about is you getting BACK into the U.S. on your return and it is my understanding that now (this is a recent change) a U.S. citizen is REQUIRED to have a U.S. passport to get back into the U.S. from Canada or Mexico. I think by far you best bet is a U.S. passport if you have time to get that (there was a news article a few days ago saying that the time to get a new passport was back down to a month or so) ... the expense and effort involved in getting a passport is well worth it in terms of the hassles it could end up saving you ...

Answer 3

For the time being- you can get into Canada with a Birth Certificate AND a Photo ID... But NEXT YEAR- you're going to need a Passport. Have a nice Bus Trip! :)

Answer 4

if you have a passport bring it. otherwise do bring your drivers license/state ID and birth certificate. it is my understanding that a passport is not yet required by law for vehicle or boat travel when going to mexico or canada. Having a valid passport will just make things easier and faster at the border.

Answer 5

Spqce Case gave the correct answer. Ypu may bring your passport if you have one, BUT, passports are NOT required for LAND travel to Canada yet. you may use your certified birth certificate and a photo I.D. Sometime between Jan. 2008 and June , 2009 pssports will be required for land travel to Canada. Date has not yet been announced. See website below for confirmation of this info.

Answer 6

ignore approximately any six month rule. some international locations do require a passport of a focused visitor to stay valid previous a proposed stay, in some circumstances via six months, yet there is not any primary rule. in spite of everything, that for the period of easy terms applies to foreigners; you're neither a foreigner interior the U. S. nor in Australia. you're in easy terms meant to have a valid Australian passport whilst stepping into or exiting Australia and a valid US passport whilst stepping into or exiting the U. S.. you ought to use any of you passports until the day it expires. it somewhat is obtainable to resume your Australian passport interior the U. S., yet many times it may be swifter and much less confusing to try this for the period of Australia. in case you intend to commute in a month you need to have numerous time to resume your passport until now you bypass. As an person Australian passport is valid for ten years and you do not understand how long you would be interior the U. S. it variety of feels smart to resume it now.

Answer 7

Passport will be required Jan 2008 if you are traveling by car or bus..now it is only required if you travel by plane or ship..now you need certified birth certificate and photo Id..{drivers license etc} Order your birth certificate from the county and state you were born in..I got mine in 2 days, my husband got his in 1 day, cost us $25.00 each..tomorrow we are off to the post office to order our passports @ the tune of $97.00 each..Ouch.

Answer 8

YES. New laws ever since 9/11. US changed to demanding passports from non US civilians. Now, Mexico and Canada have done the same and are demanding passports and birth cirtificates/Photo ID.

Answer 9

You dont need a passport to get from the us to canada until january 24th. But you need to bring a photo id. I used to walk from Gretna to Nitchy almost every day and they told me soon ill need a passport. hope this helped.
xoxo
Kailey Jones

Answer 10

you NEED a passport but the customs agents will also ask for a Photo ID as well.

Tried to come back to the US at Niagara Falls and had to show Passport, Photo ID and they they stripped my car. Take as MUCH Proof of ID as you can. You might not need it but better to be safe.