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Driving Across the Border from U.S. to Canada: Options & Experiences

Driving Across the Border from U.S. to Canada: Options & Experiences

Old Jul 17, 2022, 12:39 pm
  #511  
 
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Originally Posted by seawolf
If you are selected to test at PoE; dont think you have a choice.

If given a test kit, you have 24 hours to do test virtual monitored and submit the sample for courier to pickup. Speculating if you dont comply you may calls from health department and/or have some explaining to do next attempt at entering Canada.
I still have 8 blue boxes sitting on my desk from going back and forth over the past few years. No one has ever called me or said anything.
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Old Jul 28, 2022, 10:59 am
  #512  
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A relative just entered Canada through the land border at Sarnia. She is an unvaccinated Canadian citizen who lives in the US. She had completed ArriveCan prior to arrival. The guard took her passport, scanned it, and then simply waved her on without questions. She was given no test, was not told to quarantine, etc. Very odd...
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Old Jul 28, 2022, 2:04 pm
  #513  
 
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Originally Posted by TheCanuckian
A relative just entered Canada through the land border at Sarnia. She is an unvaccinated Canadian citizen who lives in the US. She had completed ArriveCan prior to arrival. The guard took her passport, scanned it, and then simply waved her on without questions. She was given no test, was not told to quarantine, etc. Very odd...
sorry, you mean agent behaved normally.
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Old Jul 28, 2022, 5:14 pm
  #514  
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Originally Posted by Topcare
sorry, you mean agent behaved normally.
The agent acted like old times. Im not sure how common such behavior is these days
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Old Jul 28, 2022, 6:37 pm
  #515  
 
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Originally Posted by TheCanuckian
The agent acted like old times. I’m not sure how common such behavior is these days…
last two times I've driven I've had the same. Granted I'm not unvaccinated [mod edit]. So YMMV
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Last edited by NewbieRunner; Aug 11, 2022 at 12:08 am Reason: Offensive language
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Old Jul 29, 2022, 8:28 pm
  #516  
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Can a Canadain immigration official prevent a Canadian citizen from entering the country? I think not. I'm not sure what other step was expected here. Health declarations are made via ArriveCAN so the arriving person had already made a declaratin about that.
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Old Jul 29, 2022, 9:37 pm
  #517  
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Originally Posted by Xyzzy
Can a Canadian immigration official prevent a Canadian citizen from entering the country? I think not.
.....
Correct.
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Old Jul 30, 2022, 11:45 am
  #518  
 
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Originally Posted by EmailKid
Correct.
yes. But they can and were fined for failing to follow requirements for entry.
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Old Jul 30, 2022, 5:44 pm
  #519  
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Originally Posted by Topcare
yes. But they can and were fined for failing to follow requirements for entry.
Also correct.
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Old Sep 8, 2022, 11:00 am
  #520  
 
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We visited Toronto last month (via YYZ from the U.S.) and then took the train to Niagara, ONT to visit prior to driving to Cooperstown, NY. I was unable to find a single major rental company or itinerary that would let me rent in Toronto or Niagara and return to an NY location (Utica, Syracuse, Albany). I know it's allowed, I just could not find anything in reality. So we ended up taking a cab across to Niagara, NY and renting there (we tried two Ubers, neither could or would take us across the border. It was pouring rain or we would have just walked across to the NY side. Would have been cheaper!!). We got the car and drove back across to the Canadian side where we discovered we should have done another ArriveCAN to cross back in via land - but the border agent admonished us and let us cross anyway. So just a heads up if you're a Yank visiting and planning to go back and forth make sure you complete your ArriveCAN each time.
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Old Sep 8, 2022, 11:36 am
  #521  
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Originally Posted by ostatekitty
We visited Toronto last month (via YYZ from the U.S.) and then took the train to Niagara, ONT to visit prior to driving to Cooperstown, NY. I was unable to find a single major rental company or itinerary that would let me rent in Toronto or Niagara and return to an NY location (Utica, Syracuse, Albany). I know it's allowed, I just could not find anything in reality. So we ended up taking a cab across to Niagara, NY and renting there (we tried two Ubers, neither could or would take us across the border. It was pouring rain or we would have just walked across to the NY side. Would have been cheaper!!). We got the car and drove back across to the Canadian side where we discovered we should have done another ArriveCAN to cross back in via land - but the border agent admonished us and let us cross anyway. So just a heads up if you're a Yank visiting and planning to go back and forth make sure you complete your ArriveCAN each time.
Yes you need to submit an ArriveCAN for each entry even if you enter US and make an immediate U-turn back to Canada. You admissibility (as a foreigner) is evaluated upon each entry.
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Old Sep 8, 2022, 12:43 pm
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Originally Posted by ostatekitty
We visited Toronto last month (via YYZ from the U.S.) and then took the train to Niagara, ONT to visit prior to driving to Cooperstown, NY. I was unable to find a single major rental company or itinerary that would let me rent in Toronto or Niagara and return to an NY location (Utica, Syracuse, Albany). I know it's allowed, I just could not find anything in reality. So we ended up taking a cab across to Niagara, NY and renting there (we tried two Ubers, neither could or would take us across the border. It was pouring rain or we would have just walked across to the NY side. Would have been cheaper!!). We got the car and drove back across to the Canadian side where we discovered we should have done another ArriveCAN to cross back in via land - but the border agent admonished us and let us cross anyway. So just a heads up if you're a Yank visiting and planning to go back and forth make sure you complete your ArriveCAN each time.
you can book a one way car rental to buffalo airport then one way from buffalo to where you plan to end. The issue is returning the car is a problem with vehicle registration/ inspection requirements.

Toronto- buffalo and Vancouver- Seattle has enough traffic they allow these rentals without charging your first born.

you can walk over the rainbow bridge then Uber/ taxi/ Lyft.

my sister has a bunch of Canadian friends. Once leaving from where I live to get a flight back home during snow threat…she coukdnt fly back to buffalo. She flew to Toronto and had one friend driver her to Hamilton, another drove her to the falls. She walked over rainbow bridge, another friend brought her home. I think another came to her home the next day to take her back to the airport in Buffalo to get her car.

i was born and raised between Niagara Falls and buffalo in the tonawandas ( north, city, town)

could have told you….
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Last edited by djp98374; Sep 8, 2022 at 12:52 pm
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Old Jan 3, 2023, 7:17 pm
  #523  
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As a US citizen, can you drive across the border with just a drivers license and a birth certificate? Or has that program ended? The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative page on the government website says its still possible, but the Canada entry page contradicts it. Anyone know if you can cross the border as a US citizen without a passport or passport card by land?
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Old Jan 3, 2023, 7:27 pm
  #524  
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Originally Posted by SkyTeam777
As a US citizen, can you drive across the border with just a drivers license and a birth certificate? Or has that program ended? The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative page on the government website says it’s still possible, but the Canada entry page contradicts it. Anyone know if you can cross the border as a US citizen without a passport or passport card by land?
A few US states ffer what is known as an "Enhanced driver's license." Those can be used as proof of US citizenship to enter Canada. A complete list of documents acceptable use to enter Canada by land is as follows:
U.S. Citizens/Nationals
Although exempt from document entry requirements, U.S. citizens must satisfy a CBSA officer of their status and identity. Documents that can be used for proof of U.S. citizenship are:
  • U.S. Passport
  • U.S. Passport Card (for land and marine travel only)
  • NEXUS card (see Part 6 for more information)
  • Enhanced Driver's License (for land and marine travel only)
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Old Jan 4, 2023, 11:10 am
  #525  
 
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Originally Posted by Xyzzy
A few US states ffer what is known as an "Enhanced driver's license." Those can be used as proof of US citizenship to enter Canada. A complete list of documents acceptable use to enter Canada by land is as follows:
MI, MN, NY, VT, and WA all offer enhanced driver's licenses. Otherwise you're gonna need a passport or other document listed above to enter Canada (and go back).
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