Is Passport Required to Canada?
 

Is a passport required to fly into and out of Canada now?

How about driving into Canada? I don't have my passport ready but will be in Buffalo and would like to drive up to see family.

Yes.

Right now, no passport is required. You should bring a driver's license or other government ID plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate (I think an expired passport would also be valid for this purpose).

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

I'll leave others to comment on the documents required to fly into Canada, but you will need one to fly back to the United States.

You do not need a passport to drive to/from Canada. According to this press release, issued today, you can re-enter the United States on the basis of a verbal declaration of citizenship until January 31, 2008, when you will need at least a photo ID and birth certificate. A passport will be required at some future point, possibly Summer 2008.

well what if I'm not a citizen, but I am a permanent resident. I have a green card which expires in 2017?

As far as I know your greencard is only valid together with your passport. My dad always needs to show his German passport together with his greencard when he enters the United States at airports.

Still people, why is it so hard to understand that if you go to a different country that you need a passport. Even in Europe where we have Schengen you still should always carry your national ID (which doesn't exist in the United States and even if US driver licences are used as IDs they are not a national ID) or passport because there can be always random border checks.

OT: I also think it is ridiculous to do ID checks between Canada and the US. The border is several thousand miles long and there are enough places to cross the border without anyone noticing it. Why don't Canada and the US create something similar to the European Schengen-Treaty? It is much easier to control the major ports of entry like airports and sea ports instead of trying to catch people at the Canadian-US border. I don't even want to talk about trying to catch terrorists.

No parity of power. One partner will want to impose its own standard of controls. It's not like the E.U. where the largest state is not all that much larger than the next state, and certainly is only a small sum (population wise) of the collective.

Why not just move the American boarder 100 miles north. They other 10 people in Canada can have the frozen tundra for their own. Then we will have no more need for border checks. ^

Just kidding, but I hear they are gonna build a wall across the entire border of Canada. This will help keep the draft out.:D

According to DHS and Timatic, it actually seems as though your green card (form I-551) is sufficient. (even, it seems, for travel by air)
http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/crossing...htibasics.shtm

And US permanent residents are eligible for admission to Canada without a visa even if they are citizens of countries that would normally require a visa to enter Canada.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp

Note: don't take my word for any of this...and it's always a good idea to bring your passport!

Well, my issue is that my old passport has expired. In order for me to obtain a new one, i first need a national ID (NICOP). However on the application for NICOP it makes me swear to things that I'm completely against and fact of the matter is it's none of their business. Hence cannot (probably won't) renew my passport and will wait 2 more years to acquire my American passport.

I guess I can wait a couple of more years before I will travel abroad.... Jebus knows I have enough miles do a few trips.

Thanks for everybody's answers and help.

What don't you agree with?

http://www.nadra.gov.pk/images/nicop.pdf

Anything with a * is requirement, but I don't see what my religion should have anything to do with it. In principal I would like to say Muslim but if you read Mulsim box has ** next to it and below on 32 it says.... well you read it... it's a bloody invasion of my religious beliefs and should have no bearing on giving me a national ID card, however if I refuse to answer it, my application will be denied.

I don't know, I just have issues in general answering those type of questions because I belive in seperation of Religion and Government.....

My wife, who is a permanent resident, did need to show her passport when she came back to the US, even with a green card. The CBP agent looked at her card first, then checked (and stamped, even though he wasn't supposed to, according to the other agent present) her passport.

I'm sorry the NICOP application is offensive to you (for the record, I wouldn't answer that question, either). It looks like it's definitely going to limit your travel prospects..

I just read it and I can't say I blame you. That shouldn't be on there. If anything, I'd just check other.

I understand your situation, but I think you need to get a passport. During the citizenship process, someone is likely to ask you--even as a green card holder--for your passport.

Maybe check 'other' on the form?

I agree with horse glasses on this one. I would check "other" as well. I would not want to be without a passport. Your green card is one thing, but your passport is your actual ID document - you need it for a lot of things.

In any case, the form is ridiculous. By the way, what's (PBUH)? Peace be upon him?

Moving this thread to the Canada forum. Thanks for your understanding.

Jouy31
TravelBuzz moderator

U.S. has proposed this. Canada doesn't want to do it.

Then they complain about border waits and controls.

I'm all for maintaining sovereignty of Canada's immigration laws and not being subservient to the U.S. The only people who are complaining are tourism operators in Canada (I say market more to the non-U.S. market) and some freight movers.

As a Canadian, I'm fine with maintaining our laws, the with the exception of US and Canadian CITIZENS.

If an American wants to cross the border s/he should be free to do so, no questions ask. Ditto Canadians into the USA. All they would need to do is show proof of citizenship.

Each country could maintain their existing rules for non-citizens of the USA and Canada.

I would support such a proposal.

In a way, sort of like the UK's relationship to the EU...the UK has not joined Schengen, so there are border controls, but there is a free movement of citizens/labor between the UK and (except for some of the new EU countries) EU.

During the citizenship process they ask for old passports expired or currnet which I will gladly turn in.
I understands everybody's comments on check 'other' but once again, I'm stubborn and it's a matter of principle because I am muslim but I really shouldn't have to swear to anything because I am. It's the same thing as applications that ask my race.... I say human....

As am I getting older, I feel my pet peeves about these types of questions are getting larger and larger.... oh well I will wait the 2 years or so for citizenship.

I didn't think it was required for Canada. The oddest thing happened the other day though. I was standing at a departure gate in Cleveland with a Captain and the Flight Attendant. We were flying a flight to Ottawa. The gate agent checked our passports (which they never do, only company IDs) and then called each passenger to the podium one by one to check passports. Not sure what this was about :confused:

This is actually pretty standard. Airlines normally check passports for all international flights.

As for the main question. An American/Canadian citizen doesn't need a passport to fly into Canada BUT he/she does need a passport to fly back to the US.

Well, that's not what I hear. Do you really think the non-U.S. market has fewer passport restrictions?

If you're so worried about your sovereignty, then you shouldn't mind if Canadians are subject to the same U.S. immigration/customs procedures as any other country. No special privileges, no special breaks, no nothing.

Just because the U.S. says something is green doesn't mean Canadians automatically have to say it's blue, you know.