U.S. Citizen Visiting Canada

[nwctzn 55]

My husband thinks it's funny that he needs his passport to re-enter the US and I only need my GC.

You need both your foreign passport AND your greencard to re-enter the US. Greencard only is not sufficient!

[nwctzn 55]

Correct me if I am wrong, but believe you also need your current valid foreign passport, wife needed that as well to reenter the USA. And that was at the Toronto Airport in Canada. Also with some foreign passports, may also require a visa to enter Canada.

Correct, you need both a foreign passport and greencard to re-enter the US. You do not need a visa for Canada if you are a US greencard holder but you still need to show your foreign passport.

[Aloe 10]

I just crossed the border the other day and he wasn't interested in my passport even when I asked him if he wanted to see it he just said no the GC was fine and sent us on our way.

[lissa04 3]

I grew up along the Canadian/American border and would cross the border 150+ times a year, so I remember the days when you were able to cross with no border guards at some stations. All you had to do was drive the next customs and report in. As I have been told by Canadian customs several times, Americans are not required to have a passport entering by land or sea. Now coming back into the US I have had several custom officers and supervisors tell me as long as you can prove your citizenship "you're fine." So technically as long as your traveling by car/sea your drivers license and original copy of your birth certificate is all you need to get back in. The US can't refuse you entry into your own country. Now I am not saying they cant hassle you, they can, but all this hype about a passport is hogwash( unless your traveling by air, and well you have no choice you need it.)

[NickD 203]

It was called the 49th parallel, an imaginary line base on dividing the then known equator to the north pole into 90 increments. North of this 49th line was to be ruled by the British, south of it would have their own ruling government. To the best of my knowledge, not even documented, was done after the war of 1812 by a handshake. A gentleman's agreement, have to recall during the revolution and the War of 1812, it was primarily British fighting British.

Also at that time, most of the central and western proportions of the USA and Canada were not even part of either nation. But as these nations expanded to the west, that arbitrary line was formed.

Also in crossing that imaginary border many times myself, far more stricter, in particular with customs than anything else in major metropolitan areas. Crossing in the likes of Minnesota or North Dakota, would only find a shack with not even a guard there half the time. If there, was asleep and would automatically wave you on. Some would want to see the shot records of your dog. One thing you never would do, is pick a flower on the US side and try to cross the border with that.

You can say you don't need a passcard to cross this legally undefined imaginary line, but now is part of our law, and all depends on that guard and whether he/she is even there or awake or not. Also not even a law passed by our congress, but an executive decision by a president that claims the world was against him. Billions of needed dollars were spent to enforce this law, in particular at airport security. No fun to travel to Canada anymore. Vast majority of Canadians and Americans really don't like this, but one guy changed it all. And he has the nerve to call this a democracy. Dictatorship is more like it.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

A Permanent Resident living in the US visiting Canada doesn't usually need to show their foreign passport when returning to the US across a land border in Canada. Their green card is sufficient. It is also sufficient for entering Canada. The foreign passport is also not required. It is always a good idea, however, for anyone visiting a foreign country to carry their passport of citizenship with them.

If you are flying into either country, however, you do need to show both the green card and the passport due to air travel regulations as well as border regulations.

While US citizens can have the option to prove they are US citizens upon re-entering the US from Canada at a land border and not have a passport, the cases I have heard about have usually involved a lot of hassle and delays of 6 or more hours at the border while the border 'verifies' the birth certificates or whatever have been presented instead. The US citizens have also been told in no uncertain terms that they are required to have a passport or one of the other WHTI documents and that a birth certificate is NOT considered sufficient for border crossing purposes any longer. The old days when just using a birth certificate to cross the Canada-US border are gone. It is best to get used to the idea and plan accordingly.

The OP's planned trip to Canada has already happened so I am hoping they will come back and let us know what they did and what happened.

Edited October 16, 2011 by Kathryn41

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I am planning on taking my family to Niagara Falls tomorrow and was so worried about making sure that the three of us Australians had everything we need I didn't even stop to think my U.S. Husband may have issues. I know they recently made it more difficult to cross even for American Citizens and was wondering what he would need. Without a Passport or Enhanced Drivers License the only things he really has are an Original Birth Certificate and a regular DL. Is this enough or should I not even bother trying?

Just in case anyone is wondering my family are traveling on the VWP and I was told they would be able to get in and out of Canada just fine as long as it is within their original 90 day visit to the U.S. and I will be traveling on my Green Card which has expired however, I do have my extension letter to show I am in the process of Removing Conditions.

TIA!

we live at the border and travel to Canada frequently. We used to do it with our drivers license and a birth certificate and they did not always ask for the birth certificate. That changed in 2007 I believe, maybe 2008. You now MUST have a passport or EDL or Green Card to cross and return

Edited October 17, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

A Permanent Resident living in the US visiting Canada doesn't usually need to show their foreign passport when returning to the US across a land border in Canada. Their green card is sufficient. It is also sufficient for entering Canada. The foreign passport is also not required. It is always a good idea, however, for anyone visiting a foreign country to carry their passport of citizenship with them.

If you are flying into either country, however, you do need to show both the green card and the passport due to air travel regulations as well as border regulations.

While US citizens can have the option to prove they are US citizens upon re-entering the US from Canada at a land border and not have a passport, the cases I have heard about have usually involved a lot of hassle and delays of 6 or more hours at the border while the border 'verifies' the birth certificates or whatever have been presented instead. The US citizens have also been told in no uncertain terms that they are required to have a passport or one of the other WHTI documents and that a birth certificate is NOT considered sufficient for border crossing purposes any longer. The old days when just using a birth certificate to cross the Canada-US border are gone. It is best to get used to the idea and plan accordingly.

The OP's planned trip to Canada has already happened so I am hoping they will come back and let us know what they did and what happened.

I can tell you that the Canadian Douanes at the Champlain and Nolin border crossings wil NOT allow you into Canada if you do not have a passport, EDL or green card. They do not want you "stuck" there trying to get back. I cannot speak for every POE in Canada of course, but the ones that border Vermont here are quite clear and concise. Get a passport or EDL!

Alla uses only her green card and never has a problem.

Edited October 17, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[Aloe 10]

Yes the trip has already taken place and I just left the hubby behind. Didn't want the added stress.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

You need both your foreign passport AND your greencard to re-enter the US. Greencard only is not sufficient!

wrong.

For land travel you need only the green card. My wife does it a couple times a week. Did it yesterday. She has NEVER used her passport to enter Canada or return.

If you FLY into Canada you need passport and GC.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

My husband thinks it's funny that he needs his passport to re-enter the US and I only need my GC.

For Mexico, Canada and the Carribean this is true for LAND travel because he does not have a "passport card" or Enhanced DL. I have a Vermont Enhanced drivers license and use only that to go back and forth to Canada. Alla cannot get an enhanced DL until she is a citizen.

Yes the trip has already taken place and I just left the hubby behind. Didn't want the added stress.

I get scared when Alla goes to Montreal by herself! She drives to the South Shore and takes the Metro. She does not want to drive in the city.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Correct me if I am wrong, but believe you also need your current valid foreign passport, wife needed that as well to reenter the USA. And that was at the Toronto Airport in Canada. Also with some foreign passports, may also require a visa to enter Canada.

No visa for permanent residents regardless of foreign passport country.

For land travel you do not need the passport. Green card only. For flying in or out...yes, you need your foreign passport and green card but still no visa.

Seriously, we live just a few minutes from the border and Alla has been to Canada and back dozens and dozens of times with only a green card.

I go there for lunch sometimes for the awesome "viande feu", smoked meat sandwiches! I go to a small border crossing and it is little more than passing a toll booth each way.

Edited October 17, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I just crossed the border the other day and he wasn't interested in my passport even when I asked him if he wanted to see it he just said no the GC was fine and sent us on our way.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

It was called the 49th parallel, an imaginary line base on dividing the then known equator to the north pole into 90 increments. North of this 49th line was to be ruled by the British, south of it would have their own ruling government. To the best of my knowledge, not even documented, was done after the war of 1812 by a handshake. A gentleman's agreement, have to recall during the revolution and the War of 1812, it was primarily British fighting British.

Also at that time, most of the central and western proportions of the USA and Canada were not even part of either nation. But as these nations expanded to the west, that arbitrary line was formed.

Also in crossing that imaginary border many times myself, far more stricter, in particular with customs than anything else in major metropolitan areas. Crossing in the likes of Minnesota or North Dakota, would only find a shack with not even a guard there half the time. If there, was asleep and would automatically wave you on. Some would want to see the shot records of your dog. One thing you never would do, is pick a flower on the US side and try to cross the border with that.

You can say you don't need a passcard to cross this legally undefined imaginary line, but now is part of our law, and all depends on that guard and whether he/she is even there or awake or not. Also not even a law passed by our congress, but an executive decision by a president that claims the world was against him. Billions of needed dollars were spent to enforce this law, in particular at airport security. No fun to travel to Canada anymore. Vast majority of Canadians and Americans really don't like this, but one guy changed it all. And he has the nerve to call this a democracy. Dictatorship is more like it.

The border crossing at Alburg, VT/Nolin, QC is a small building (I would not call it a "shack") and both the US and Canadian guards are in the same small building, basically back to back at opposite windows. There is a covered area outside for car inspections

We also have four cities in which both the US and Canada divide the city and within this city is kind of a "no man's land" You can enter and go to either the Canadian or US parts of the city but if you continue on out to the north, then you have to go through Douanes/Customs. They continue to say they will build walls between the parts of the city and require a border crossing but so far it has been avoided. For these cities it would literally be like a "berlin wall" albeit easier to go back and forth.

On lake Champlain you are directed to report to the neareast border station/customs house upon docking your boat if you leave the lakefront area. There are no crossing guards on the lake but there are both the US Coast Guard and Canadian Customs and RCMPs patrolling and you are subject to inspection

In order to drive from here to northern New York, we used to have to enter Quebec, drive around the top of Lake Champlain and reenter NY at Champlain NY The border crossing for local drivers licenses was basically a "wave through". People were going grocery shopping, literally. Now they built a bridge just south of the border, I mean JUST south, and installed real border crossings.

And here and in New York the border is just barely north of the 45 degree parelell

Edited October 17, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[nwctzn 55]

wrong.

For land travel you need only the green card. My wife does it a couple times a week. Did it yesterday. She has NEVER used her passport to enter Canada or return.

If you FLY into Canada you need passport and GC.

Still would not risk it. What would happen if the threat level is suddenly raised while you are visiting in Canada and they ask to see your passport besides your greencard when you try to re-enter the US by land?