I was going to go to sleep...

[CDAgirlMI 51]

That time is now, for visiting Canada at least....the western hemisphere travel initiative is an American system, not a Canadian system. U.S. citizens and permanent residents do not need a passport to enter Canada.

Now what you will need to get back in to your own country - that's up to them.

Yea....only in America is it required to have a passport to get back in your country!

My fiance had to get a passport to visit me when I lived in Canada...not to get to Canada, but to get back HOME!

[natty bumppo 297]

Natty's no Descartes.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Yea....only in America is it required to have a passport to get back in your country!

Not just America. Indian citizens have always needed an Indian passport to re-enter India from another country. How else would any country know if you're a citizen or not?

[NickD 203]

Not just America. Indian citizens have always needed an Indian passport to re-enter India from another country. How else would any country know if you're a citizen or not?

Did any of you divide the world up into 200 different countries? I don't remember doing that. Different countries, same people that we are all related to in one form or another. DNA proves that, and DNA is now even legal in courts.

[natty bumppo 297]

Not just America. Indian citizens have always needed an Indian passport to re-enter India from another country. How else would any country know if you're a citizen or not?

that's right ... no passport and it's unknown if you are a citizen ...

what about all those people who don't have a passport and are living in india?

[CDAgirlMI 51]

Not just America. Indian citizens have always needed an Indian passport to re-enter India from another country. How else would any country know if you're a citizen or not?

To get back into Canada you could use your DL & birth certificate.

And I'm talking about driving across the border...flying is different.

I just think its weird the U.S. requires its citizens to have passports to get back in. What's wrong with other forms of id?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

what about all those people who don't have a passport and are living in india?

if they leave the country without one, they don't get to return.

well technically they could apply for an indian passport at an indian consular post overseas but the evidentiary burden is harsh.

What's wrong with other forms of id?

Other forms of id are fine if they are reliable and prove citizenship, in my opinion.

Problem is that in the US birth certificates are not reliable from many jurisdictions. For example the US State Department won't even accept birth certificates issues by Hudson County NJ as evidence of natural birth.. they require corroborating evidence.

[Peikko 1,575]

if they leave the country without one, they don't get to return.

well technically they could apply for an indian passport at an indian consular post overseas but the evidentiary burden is harsh.

Other forms of id are fine if they are reliable and prove citizenship, in my opinion.

Problem is that in the US birth certificates are not reliable from many jurisdictions. For example the US State Department won't even accept birth certificates issues by Hudson County NJ as evidence of natural birth.. they require corroborating evidence.

Have you just admitted to being a birther??? :o

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Have you just admitted to being a birther??? :o

The state department won't accept certain bc's without corroborating evidence. It's fact.

Edited January 29, 2010 by w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r

[NickD 203]

To get back into Canada you could use your DL & birth certificate.

And I'm talking about driving across the border...flying is different.

I just think its weird the U.S. requires its citizens to have passports to get back in. What's wrong with other forms of id?

It's my understanding that Bush didn't feel the Canadians weren't doing enough to keep terrorists out of their country that could cross easily into ours. Understand it's a presidential order that could be reversed by that new guy, what's his name. But they don't like to reverse this kind of #######, if just one guy comes in, they are mud.

Another very minor detail both these idiots failed to point out, is that any terrorist that did come into this country, came here legally. So all that BS going up north is not doing a damn bit of good.

Could see why the Canadians would keep out Americans, yeah I know, but United Stateians is too hard to say, they have free health care.

[natty bumppo 297]

The state department won't accept certain bc's without corroborating evidence. It's fact.

like being alive?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Could see why the Canadians would keep out Americans, yeah I know, but United Stateians is too hard to say, they have free health care.

apparently, canadian hospitals are aggressive about pursuing outstanding bills from americans

[SMR 368]

I don't know about other states, but in NY, you can get an enhanced driver's license or state ID. It is for the very purpose of returning from Canada without a passport. It just requires that you prove citizenship when you receive your license. Birth certificates are fine.

[Calypso 464]

Yea....only in America is it required to have a passport to get back in your country!

My fiance had to get a passport to visit me when I lived in Canada...not to get to Canada, but to get back HOME!

It's because the U.S. is getting paranoid after making lots of enemies and counting more.

[NickD 203]

I don't know about other states, but in NY, you can get an enhanced driver's license or state ID. It is for the very purpose of returning from Canada without a passport. It just requires that you prove citizenship when you receive your license. Birth certificates are fine.

It's still very easy to cross the border, just too many thousands of miles of desolate tree covered land. So if you are a terrorist, have enough brains not to use the airlines. What separates Wisconsin from Canada is a dotted line on the map across Lake Superior, you don't see to many guard stations in the middle of that lake.