New Canadian-U.S. Border Crossing Requirements Jan. 31

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Waumbek

Waumbek

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On Thursday, Jan. 31, both U.S. and Canadian citizens who cross the joint border into the U.S. by land or sea must document both their identity and their citizenship. Verbal statements that one is a citizen of such and such will no longer suffice. Passports will document both ID and citizenship; otherwise, a govt. photo ID (license, etc.) and birth ceritificate will be necessary. There is a grace period of unspecified length before those without the required new documentation are turned away. For now, you'll be "educated" with a sheet of paper about what you need. (This will slow down border crossings.) New U. S. passport cards ($45), good for land crossing only, will be available Feb. 1. Regular passports (booklets), good for land and air, are $97.
 
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On our yearly trip to Quebec,we're usually crossing Stansted at 2-3AM,and using a passport makes it a lot easier. Coming back to the US is where it really eliminates a hassle.
 
Quick Crossings

We used to make the mistake of crossing the NY-Quebec border at Champlain. No more--there are so many little crossings just a few kilometers away, it is really worth the extra drive. At our usual new crossing, one car in front of us is considered a long wait.
 
It's faster with a passport. They scan the bar code.

The crossing at Champlain (A-15 to I-87) is OK if you cross at 4am. :D
 
Thanks for posting the info. I'll be crossing over at Pittsburg in July.
 
I have been crossing into Canada since I was a little kid.
We either had our birth certificates or drivers license once we were old enough.
Though, I remember crossing with a van load of hitch hikers that I had picked up.... not each and every person was asked to show some I.D.
So that part will be what I expect to change.

Though we got our passports last year, it does have a financial impact for those who want to visit us when we are up there and of course the reverse for any friends we are trying to tempt down here for a visit.

Once the grace period expires it would cost my sister and her husband about $120 (for passports) to visiit that 1st year but then they are all set till the next time they have to renew (10 years?)

Friends from the other side of the border who might come down for a one time
visit might just skip the whole thing. Fortunately their dollar is stronger than ours and they might do it as a one time "splurge".

Family and friends with children the cost might be prohibitive...but I don't really know what the requirments for the kids will be.
 
spider solo said:
I have been crossing into Canada since I was a little kid.
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Yeah, me too. But we never carried ID, until we got old enough to drive. We'd just come to US Customs, one of us would say, "Hi Dad" and then we'd head on up the hill into town. :D

I did have a couple interesting experiences later on, crossing into Canada. They involved my very young kids and, in one case, a friend who was a citizen of Chad. No problems, just a bit of a wait while they checked on these men who had very young children with them. "Does their mother know they're with you?" :eek: (Yeah, she did.)
 
spider solo said:
Family and friends with children the cost might be prohibitive...but I don't really know what the requirments for the kids will be.
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In short, everyone, including newborns and infants, will need passport or equivalent. Details are here, including changes in rules for minors under 14 and minors under 16, etc., that go into effect Feb. 1, 2008. It's a comprehensive website and seems to answer the likely questions, so it's worth a look if you are one of the many northern New Englanders who cross the border often, or even just once. Now there's a question that is relevant to VFTT--how frequently do you cross the border to hike?

And here are the Canadian requirements for U. S. citizens who enter Canada, including documents (no passport yet, but documentation of both ID and citizenship), children (letter), pets (rabies certificate from vet, not just a tag), alcohol and tobacco allowances, etc.
 
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Ah yes, I remember those Sunday rides, Mom and Dad packing the 6 of us kids into an old Land Rover and heading to Canada for a picnic, and meeting up with a few of my Dad's buddies.

The fun, the figthing, (She touched me, he's looking at me, I have to pee, I think I am going to be sick...) the nervous look on my Mom's face as she was quietly willing the customs man not to pull us over to search the vehicle...

Perhaps they simply felt sorry for us because by the time we crossed through there was probably a pretty good rumble coming from the back seats...

Or one or two of us smaller ones asleep in Dad's lap. Thank goodness for no seat belts back then, we could never have gone anywhere in one vehicle as a family, but then again... :rolleyes:

The times they are a changin.

;)
 
A passport is "good" for 10 years if you are over age 16 when you get it. That might be something to consider when you are thinking about the cost.

Mrs. Grumpy and I got U.S. passports a year ago. The application process was a snap, really. The processing time then was about 10 weeks, if I recall. So don't wait if you think you will need yours this summer.

G.
 
Pity the poor long haul drivers crossing the border.
This was the conversation 2 yrs ago about 12:30 AM at the Stansted crossing.
Me: Man,you got a pretty big backup in the commercial line tonite
US Customs guy: How far back?
Me:I clocked just over a mile in line
USC guy: Hey ,we're doin' pretty good for this time of night!

:eek:
 
Neil said:
It's faster with a passport. They scan the bar code.

The crossing at Champlain (A-15 to I-87) is OK if you cross at 4am. :D
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Here are two places that drivers licenses will allow you to cross. Rather new idea that has been approved by the feds. Perhaps more states and Providences will be getting in on this. So Washington in the US and British Columbia are first. Check the press release.
Enhanced License
 
Get a Passpoer

I do a fair amount of traveling between the US and Canada. I have used a passport for years. Never any problems.(other then the 5:00 PM rush hour delays.
 
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