Do I need a passport (yet) to drive into Canada?

May 2021 9 31 Report

Do I need a passport (yet) to drive into Canada?

I read where the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was changing on June '09. My wife and I will be spending one night in September, in Canada. Is a birth certificate and photo drivers license still acceptable to get into (and out of!) Canada?

Update:

From the U.S. and driving to Canada. According to the sites I've been to (they have rather fuzzy details IMO) I only need a birth certificate and a drivers license.

Travel / Canada / Other - Canada

Steven

Verified answer

This is from the Canada Border Services Agency, ( I wanted to know the same thing) A passport is not required for US citizens to enter Canada but other forms of ID are :

Visitors to Canada

Arriving in Canada

Border services officers are at the ports of entry to ensure that people entering Canada respect Canadian laws. They are authorized to examine people and goods entering Canada to determine their admissibility. Their goal is to facilitate the entry of legitimate travellers and goods as quickly as possible.

When you enter Canada, a border services officer may ask to see your passport and a valid visa (if you are arriving from a country from which one is required). If you are a U.S. citizen, you do not need a passport to enter Canada; however, you should carry proof of your citizenship such as a birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship or naturalization or a Certificate of Indian Status, as well as a photo ID. If you are a permanent resident of the United States, you must bring your permanent resident card (i.e. green card) with you. For more information on admissibility into Canada, read the fact sheet called Managing Access to Canada. It is available on our Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca.

All travellers, including U.S. citizens, are encouraged to visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Web site at www.cbp.gov for information on the U.S. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and its traveller requirements to enter or return to the United States.

Gerd P

Birth certificate and picture ID are no longer acceptable to get back from Canada.

You need a passport [$100] to fly to Canada; if you plan to drive you could alternately get a passport card [$45] or have your driver's license enhanced if you are a resident in the states of Michigan, New York, Vermont, or Washington..

http://getyouhome.gov/html/lang_eng/index.html ..

drip

After 9/11 I am almost sure you need a passport to go to canada or mexico now. My husband was in Canada for a week and had to have a passport to fly in there.

Karen L

See the Canadian Border Services website for what you need to get into Canada, and equally as important, see the US Customs and Border Protection website for what you need to get back into the US. I'm assuming you're from the US though you didn't say.