Border guards won't turn away passport-less Canadians

[JillA 2]

CTV.ca News Staff

U.S. officials said Monday they won't turn away Canadian travellers who show up at land border crossings without passports, despite new regulations that make it mandatory to have a "secure document" when crossing into the United States.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative came into effect today after more than a year-long delay, and requires Canadians crossing into the U.S. and Americans returning home to have a valid passport if they are aged 16 or older.

While travellers are being urged to obtain the correct documents as soon as possible, officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday they will accept identification such as a birth certificate and photo I.D. for a few weeks, if not months.

"If you cross anywhere within the United States, whether it's on the northern border or the southern border, we're applying this informed compliance phase," said Kevin Corsaroan, chief customs and border protection officer on the U.S. side of the Peace Bridge.

"We don't think it's going to go away any time soon -- we believe it's going to go on throughout the summer. We're waiting for further guidance from the department on that."

According to Corsaroan, few travellers arrived at the border crossing without passports on Monday, but officials will not turn away those who do not have one.

"We will not refuse a Canadian entry into this country if that's their only violation," he said.

Travellers turning up at the border without a secure document are being told how they can obtain one and are given an information sheet that reads: "Noncompliant. You are not in compliance with the secure document requirements that went into effect June 1, 2009, for entry into the United States."

"U.S. and Canadian citizens must present a secure travel document for entry into the United States at land and sea ports of entry."

Jessica Whitaker of London, Ont., received the warning letter after crossing the Peace Bridge with just a birth certificate and photo I.D.

The 20-year-old vowed to get a passport before her next trip to the U.S.

"I'm just going to be waiting for my passport next time I cross," she said. "I think it's a good thing to have."

The new rules contain some exceptions, including:

* Canadian citizens aged 15 years or younger only need to provide proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or citizen card.

* Canadians 18 years and younger who are travelling with a school or other group, such as a sports team, also only need to provide proof of citizenship if they have parental consent.

* Canadians can also use a valid NEXUS card, a Free and Secure Trade (FAST) card that are used by truckers, or an enhanced driver's license that is offered in Manitoba, British Columbia and Quebec.

CTV's Paula Todd reported from the border crossing at Niagara Falls Monday afternoon that most people arrived at the border with the right documents.

"I don't know if that's because we are incredibly well mannered as Canadians, or that this message has been out nice and loud for more than a year now," Todd said during an interview on CTV News Channel.

She said U.S. officials are keeping track of the numbers of travellers crossing the border and what kinds of identification they are carrying, which will help them determine how long they will be flexible with what documents they will accept.

Meanwhile, business and tourism officials are concerned that the new regulations will slow trade at the border and turn people off from North American travel.

New Brunswick Tourism Minister Stuart Jamieson has complained that the number of American tourists to the province has been on the decline since the new regulations were announced.

The province is now focusing on enticing travellers from Quebec, Ontario and Europe to make up for the shortfall.

Ron Moran, president of the Customs Excise Union of Canada, said the new regulations are important both for improving security at the border and for speeding up travel times.

Moran said Monday that in a post 9-11 world, gone are the days when a customs officer would lean into the car, ask if everyone is a Canadian citizen and wave you across the border.

"The reality is when you administer your points of entry in that manner, you really don't have a clue who you're letting into the country," Moran told Canada AM. "So certainly having everybody have readable documents is something that is very highly supported by the men and women who (are border guards)."

According to Moran, a uniform set of rules that everyone must follow to engage in cross-border travel will move traffic more quickly during peak periods.

"The reality is a readable document is quicker and just as importantly, it's more prudent," he said.

Passport Canada says that about 54 per cent of Canadians have a passport compared to only 30 per cent of Americans.

Travellers flying into the U.S. from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean have required a passport since 2007.

But the regulation was not applied to land crossings in order to give people more time to obtain passports.

Passport Canada said it has been overwhelmed with applications, and has been processing an average of 20,000 passports per day over the past few months.

[Krikit 1,164]

Well, that's good to hear. And I'm just going to zip my lip on a few of the statements in there.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I'm not surprised by this at all. I have a lot of friends who were counting on this "grace period." Nobody has a passport around here! Its not like they're hard to get.

[trailmix 77]

First of all, why is Ron Moran being quoted at all, this is not a Canadian regulation

Secondly, this sentence makes no sense:

I'm just going to be waiting for my passport next time I cross," she said. "I think it's a good thing to have."

[TimandJoyce 1]

Not entirely sure when they got "overwhelmed" with applications. My son sent in his at the beginning of May, and got the passport last week!! His was shorter than mine, and I got mine in '06, when I really didn't need one at all, (but thought it might be a good thing to have).

Figured there would be a grace period. There always is. However, it will, like always, close, and hopefully people will be ready for that, or they just won't be travelling. I'm making sure that anyone coming from Canada to my wedding has one.

[Krikit 1,164]

Not entirely sure when they got "overwhelmed" with applications. My son sent in his at the beginning of May, and got the passport last week!! His was shorter than mine, and I got mine in '06, when I really didn't need one at all, (but thought it might be a good thing to have).

Yeah. My Mum and I went in person to drop off our renewals on Tuesday, May 12th. There was hardly anybody there. I paid for quick processing so I could pick it up prior to my departure from Canada. Plus an extra $10 just because I have a US address. Anywho, my passport was ready for pickup on Wednesday, May 20th..... 6 business days later. On Thursday, May 21st, my Mum's passport was delivered to the house. A mere 7 business days later. She didn't pay for expedited processing.

[thetreble 19]

Why the grace period when this whole thing has taken SO long to put into place? The date has been pushed back so many times.

I don't know. I don't think there should be a grace period when people knew for what, 2 years? Maybe I'm a hard a$$.

[Carlawarla 1]

Why the grace period when this whole thing has taken SO long to put into place? The date has been pushed back so many times.

I don't know. I don't think there should be a grace period when people knew for what, 2 years? Maybe I'm a hard a$.

[thetreble 19]

I'm only being honest! That would be like a project at work I was working on having a deadline...and the deadline keeps getting extended and finally the day comes and I say to my boss...

"can i have a grace period? I'm not done yet..."

[JillA 2]

Why the grace period when this whole thing has taken SO long to put into place? The date has been pushed back so many times.

I don't know. I don't think there should be a grace period when people knew for what, 2 years? Maybe I'm a hard a$$.

I agree with you, it got pushed back and they kept saying June 1st. So then, make it June 1st and those without a passport should be turned away. It's not that hard to get one. Plus I still wouldn't attempt to cross without the passport, what if the border guard was in a bad mood or something, he could probably still turn you away.

[Krikit 1,164]

Why the grace period when this whole thing has taken SO long to put into place? The date has been pushed back so many times.

I don't know. I don't think there should be a grace period when people knew for what, 2 years? Maybe I'm a hard a$$.

Yeah. Those thoughts went through my mind, too. And I'm a soft a$$. LOL

[thetreble 19]

Why the grace period when this whole thing has taken SO long to put into place? The date has been pushed back so many times.

I don't know. I don't think there should be a grace period when people knew for what, 2 years? Maybe I'm a hard a$$.

Yeah. Those thoughts went through my mind, too. And I'm a soft a$$. LOL

Soft a$$ + Hard a$$ = inbetween a$$ = our opinion of this topic must be right because it is the median reaction.

I'm good at maths.

[RYCK 0]

Should make em go back and get a passport ... people are so stupid these days ... it's not like the info hasn't been out there for months let alone over a year .. and the date was already pushed back and also at the border crossings the first thing they asked for anyways in all the times i crossed was your passport and then told people it was coming .. it's this type of crud that makes everyone trying to do things the right way run around in circles and pay out there #### for stuff only to find out cause a few people were too friggen lazy to do it get their way. It's the same with that digital TV nonsense .. they pushed back the dates because people "weren't ready and didnt know" It's like posted on commercials and on banners across the screen a billion times a day on every channel. MAKE THOSE CHEAP BASTARDS GO GET ONE .... there's not that long of a delay to get one and if you need one in a hurry then pay a little extra to have one rushed to you.

like little kids .. "don't touch that it's hot"... few seconds later ' OWWWWW I BURNED MY FINGERS" .... you feel kinda bad but who's fault is it ..not yours you told them

[thetreble 19]

About that digital tv thing..

Again, maybe I'm a TOTAL #######, but if you are still using bunny ears....eeeek.

At first I thought they meant every one had to have a digital box, I didn't realize they meant every one just have to have basic cable..

I mean I'm not putting any one down because I know not every one is a tv watcher...but if you have bunny ears you probably aren't a tv watcher so what's the big deal any way? You just won't get tv any more. I don't see how that really inconveniences people who didn't really want tv in the first place.

[RYCK 0]

About that digital tv thing..

Again, maybe I'm a TOTAL #######, but if you are still using bunny ears....eeeek.

At first I thought they meant every one had to have a digital box, I didn't realize they meant every one just have to have basic cable..

I mean I'm not putting any one down because I know not every one is a tv watcher...but if you have bunny ears you probably aren't a tv watcher so what's the big deal any way? You just won't get tv any more. I don't see how that really inconveniences people who didn't really want tv in the first place.

Well theres my parents ... they watch tv everyday on an antenna on their house they have all the money they would ever need and a HUGE multi-million dollar home but too dam cheap to pay for cable or get a dish .. "how much a month? oh thats too much we get what we want for free" only to watch tv there and trying to squint thru all the fuzzy snow at least they went and got themselfs a new dtv ready tv