No U.S. Passports Required!

[Sunny]

Just heard on the news this morning that the Americans have dropped the requirement for a passport to travel to Canada. That will make it soooo much easier for all of you who want to come up to attends shows, sales, or visit, or whatever. Instead of passport, they will issue a "security card", but I don't know anything more about that yet or where you might even find details about it.

 

[Scoopiedoo]

That's good news, thanks for passing it along!

Jodi

 

[tracyCCF]

We have come into Canada on several occasions in the last few years , with nothing more than a drivers license (although I always had my birth certificate) . We always cross in Buffalo, as I have a friend there. I didnt know you had to have a passport for travel in and out of Canada.

 

[tagalong]

We have come into Canada on several occasions in the last few years , with nothing more than a drivers license (although I always had my birth certificate) . We always cross in Buffalo, as I have a friend there. I didnt know you had to have a passport for travel in and out of Canada.

You didn't. You ARE supposed to have government-issued picture ID (as in a driver's licence) AND a birth certificate in lieu of a passport. Supposedly by 2007 passports were going to be mandatory.

 

[Amy]

Canadians will need one in 2006 to cross in to U.S. Guess we will have to get it done soon to have back in time for june shows..

 

[Farmhand]

Always glad to have our Canadian friends come to the shows

: The more the better. :bgrin

 

[MInx]

They were going to require it to cross at Saulte Ste Marie her in Michigan/Canada. Always carried it last year, they looked at itm but never said it was mandatory.

Guess it was due to 9/11 and now they are scaling back a bit. Hope so, mine ran out and will need to get a new one.

Anyone know about Mexico? Do they require it if you cross for vacation?Maxine

 

[Joyce]

We went into Canada in June of 2005 on our way to Alaska and we only had our drivers license and birth certificate and there was no problem. We also crossed back into the US in Washington and they just waved us on.

Joyce

 

[mininik]

Mexico: You don't need a pasport for border towns (ie. ROCKY POINT AKA PUERTO PENASCO). You do need Mexican car insurance no matter where you go if you are driving in and there are also set rules for how much "stuff" you can bring in and take out of each country. If you are bringing your dog, you'll need a health certificate and rabies certificate, properly dated. For more detailed information do a google search.

 

[midnight star stables]

:488: What great news! :488:

 

[Dream]

From the immigration website:

"New Requirements for Travelers

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this requirement, the Administration is proposing to complete it in phases following a proposed timeline, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future. "

From this I would say the deadline has been extended from what was originally planned.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

I am very interested in this as my best friend lives in New Brunswick Canada and we travel back and forth often. The latest we have on it is first of all the deadline was extended and secondly they now are saying that a card may be issued for travelers who go often. Have not heard what the definition of often is yet though. Hoping it will be easier than a passport. We go 3 to 4 times a year they come more often than that. We were there for New Years and didnt even get asked for a license but they have cameras that films license plate and it in turn gives them your license information.

 

[Sunny]

The last thing I heard today was that they will issue a "security card" which is something like your drivers licence and it will cost about $50 each, as opposed to the $100 for a passport. Sounds like a step in the right direction, anyway.