ZRA Annual Conference : Updates
Requirements for Travel to Canada
February 21, 2010 Travelling to Canada from the US—Requirements and Useful WebsitesIf this is the first time you have travelled internationally, below are the requirements to enter into Canada from the USA as well as useful website links:
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: Entry into Canada is solely determined by Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officials in accordance with Canadian law. Please see the CBSA’s website for details.
Canadian law requires all persons entering Canada carry both proof of citizenship and proof of identity. A valid U.S. passport, passport card or NEXUS card (see below) satisfies these requirements for U.S. citizens.
If U.S. citizen travelers to Canada do not have a passport, passport card or approved alternate document such as a NEXUS card, they must show a government-issued photo ID (e.g. Driver’s License) and proof of U.S. citizenship such as a U.S. birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or expired U.S. passport. Children under sixteen need only present proof of U.S. citizenship.
(Please see below for important information concerning re-entry into the United States).
If you plan to travel to Canada with a minor who is not your own child or for whom you do not have full legal custody, CBSA may require you to present a notarized affidavit of consent from the minor’s parents or legal guardians.
Please refer to the CBSA website linked above for more details. There is no specific form for this document, but it should include dates of travel, parents’ names and photo copies of their state-issued IDs.
When returning to the United States from Canada, it is very important to note all U.S. citizens are required to present a valid U.S. passport to enter or re-enter the United States via air. For entry into the United States via land and sea borders, U.S. citizens must present either a U.S. passport, passport card, NEXUS card, Enhanced Drivers License or other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)-compliant document. The only exception to this requirement is for U.S. citizens under the age of 16 (or under 19, if traveling with a school, religious, or other youth group) who need only present a birth certificate (original, photocopy or certified copy), Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or naturalization certificate.
American travelers are urged to obtain WHTI-compliant documents before entering Canada well in advance of their planned travel. For the most recent information on WHTI and WHTI-compliant documents, please see the State Department’s website.
One of the WHTI-compliant documents for crossing the land border is the U.S. Passport Card. The card may not be used to travel by air and is available only to U.S. citizens. American citizens can visit travel.state.gov or call 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778) for information on how to apply for their passports.
US Passport website: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html#
More detailed information about travelling to Canada: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1082.html
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