Greencard holder with expired foreign passport. Can I travel to Canada by land?

[warlord 73]

Just Bob, I'm pretty sure my "so-called" friends are not trying to get me in trouble. They just shared with me what they experienced crossing the border. The one who traveled in 2007 was not asked by the border officer for his passport. My other friend who crossed around 2009 handed the border officer his passport and was told "I don't need that.".

I guess my best bet is to see if something can be done about my expired passport. What I have right now is a Philippine passport. It expired last March and the reason why I didn't renew it right away was because I just sent my application for naturalization and didn't anticipate traveling between the time it expired and the time I will hopefully get my US citizenship.

So is it safe to say that to enter Canada I may or may not need a Passport but to go back to the US I just need my Greencard?

No your friends were correct, it's just things have changed since 2007/2009 in regards to border travel. If you were a Canadian then the passport issue may or may not be required depending (though most will now use that).

To enter Canada and you are a Canadian or US citizen you do not need a passport http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/security-securite/admiss-eng.html#s1, if you are not from either, then you will.

To re-enter the US you need http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/whti-ivho/menu-eng.html

one of the following valid documents: a passport, a NEXUS card, a Free and Secure Trade (FAST) card or an enhanced driver's licence/enhanced identification card or a Secure Certificate of Indian Status (when this certificate is available and approved by the United States).

From Dec, 2010:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/legally_admitted_to_the_u_s.xml

Lawful Permanent Residents of the United States are required to present their permanent resident card (Form I-551) or other valid evidence of permanent residence status. A passport is not required for entry into the United States

So yes, it appears you would only need your Green Card for re-entry into the US.

Of course it will be easier to have a valid passport, however as of now it is not mandatory in many cases espcially for legal US residents.

Still though it never hurts to call a head, but these are the latest rules and regulations at least to give you a good idea of what to expect...

[Inky 1,111]

I guess my best bet is to see if something can be done about my expired passport. What I have right now is a Philippine passport. It expired last March and the reason why I didn't renew it right away was because I just sent my application for naturalization and didn't anticipate traveling between the time it expired and the time I will hopefully get my US citizenship.

Most of this information is for Canadians or US Citizens. The OP has now stated that their passport is a Philippine Passport not a Canadian or US passport.

[thetreble 19]

Exactly.

OP, the jist of it is, as a non-Canadian you are going to need a valid passport to get into Canada. I understand the confusion with the wording on the CBSA website, but they WILL ask you for your passport. Even as a Canadian, I've always been asked my for my passport going into Canada at a land border, and I go to Canada about 10 times a year. There has never been one instance where I was not asked for my passport.

You can't cross the border into Canada with an expired Philippine passport.

Edited June 24, 2011 by thetreble

[Inky 1,111]

Exactly.

OP, the jist of it is, as a non-Canadian you are going to need a valid passport to get into Canada. I understand the confusion with the wording on the CBSA website, but they WILL ask you for your passport. Even as a Canadian, I've always been asked my for my passport going into Canada at a land border, and I go to Canada about 10 times a year. There has never been one instance where I was not asked for my passport.

You can't cross the border into Canada with an expired Philippine passport.

Not to mention the fact that if you Cross with just the GC it says your country of birth on it. They will request to see a passport. Would not bother trying without a passport.

[Color Orange 0]

Thanks for the replies! I finally was able to run to the Philippine Embassy and requested for my passport to be extended since it will take them 3 months to send me a new passport. All I have to do now is make sure I don't forget my passport or GC when I pack for my trip.

[thetreble 19]

Sweet! Have fun!

[Color Orange 0]

Thanks Thetreble!

[YpsiFella 20]

I just went through this actually. My added complexity was that my green card is gone - misplaced. I went to the USCIS office and they stamped my expired passport to get back into the US. They didn't like it but they did it.

My issue when I hit Canada was the guy hassled me a little but not a lot on the expired Canadian passport. But he let me in anyway. He huffed and puffed about the fact that Canada has signed an agreement with several other countries that a passport is required and I need to get one. But he let me in after a delay of 3-4 minutes.

I had applied for a passport already but had no proof of it. The person who said call CBSA is wise. I did that and said I was worried I wouldn't get back in next time and she said - if you have prrof of birth in Canada (a birth certificate) that is all you need. She also said that if you present yourelf and state you are a Canadian citizen with absolutely no ID that you CANNOT be flatly denied. They will take you to secondary and ask you enough questions to validate your citizenship but you will get in. So, your expired passport is fine but less than desirable - take it regardless - and if you have a birth certificate - even better. You may get hassled but you will get in. I will NEVER be without a valid passport again.

Yes, your permanent resident card is all you need to get back into the US but they will also tell you that you should have a valid passport.

[mikey78 6]

A valid green card is enough to travel to Canada by land. How do I know? Just last week I was on the bus from Rochester to Toronto and I was sitting next to a guy from Turkey who is a permanent resident of the US. All that Canadian customs wanted from him was his green card (he was being interviewed right next to me). He didn't even have his Turkish passport with him. As he told me later, he travels on that route on the regular basis and said that he never had any problems...again, this applies only to land border crossing not flying.

[Inky 1,111]

I just went through this actually. My added complexity was that my green card is gone - misplaced. I went to the USCIS office and they stamped my expired passport to get back into the US. They didn't like it but they did it.

My issue when I hit Canada was the guy hassled me a little but not a lot on the expired Canadian passport. But he let me in anyway. He huffed and puffed about the fact that Canada has signed an agreement with several other countries that a passport is required and I need to get one. But he let me in after a delay of 3-4 minutes.

I had applied for a passport already but had no proof of it. The person who said call CBSA is wise. I did that and said I was worried I wouldn't get back in next time and she said - if you have prrof of birth in Canada (a birth certificate) that is all you need. She also said that if you present yourelf and state you are a Canadian citizen with absolutely no ID that you CANNOT be flatly denied. They will take you to secondary and ask you enough questions to validate your citizenship but you will get in. So, your expired passport is fine but less than desirable - take it regardless - and if you have a birth certificate - even better. You may get hassled but you will get in. I will NEVER be without a valid passport again.

Yes, your permanent resident card is all you need to get back into the US but they will also tell you that you should have a valid passport.

This is really interesting but doesn't apply to the OP. The OP is not Canadian, they are from the phils and have an expired Philippine Passport. Not Canadian.

[Color Orange 0]

Back To BC, that is one of my greatest fears, to lose my Greencard. And I agree, after this, I will always make sure that I have a valid passport.

Mikey78, that's exactly what happened to my friend. He was on a bus to Vancouver and all they asked from him was his Greencard.

Inky, now that you pointed it out, I didn't even realize that the country of birth is written on the Greencard.

So just a quick update. I just got back from my trip and I was able to cross the border both going to Vancouver and then back to The US. Although I had with me my passport that was extended by the Philippine government, I decided to do a little experiment and just handed both the Canadian and US border officers only my Greencard to see if they were going to ask for my passport. Both sides didn't even ask for my passport at all.