Anyone gotten across the boarder recently without a passport

[hockey mom]

Just found out my passport is going to be delayed and i leave on Friday what do you think my chances are of getting across the boarder with out one?

 

[DbleTheFun]

I wouldnt chance it! You will have no chance if your are flying, and it's hit or miss if you are going by car.

How did you learn it was delayed? They are expressed post mailed and they are usually very aware of travel dates.... you can even do the 24 hour emergency passport. Did you let them know you were travelling when you ordered it? Mine came in only 2 weeks, though I gave them 4 months just in case!

 

[iluveeyore]

You can only cross without one if you are under 15 or you have an enhanced driver's license.

 

[hockey mom]

I told them my date but they said I is in the print shop so there is no way I will have it in time

 

[tone.def]

Even if you got out of the country... there's a chance you might not get back in.

They can do passports overnight. Did you pay for a rush?

 

[DbleTheFun]

I dont see how this could happen, unless you ordered your passport originally not knowing you were heading to the U.S in the coming month, and now you are caught without. Since the original paperwork when you file for a passport asks when your next travel is scheduled, and the recieving officer at the passport office also confirms this date when accepting the application.

If it was within a short window (Ie: Surprised with a last minute trip and needing a passport) you can pay the increased cost to have the emergency passport issued, which is a lot more, but gets it to you almost immediately.

Calling the office once you have filed, like you said wont help... since it aleady in the system and being processed in the order it was received in the office... did you not get a reciept with the ETA when you filed?

I would look at cancelling your trip... I know it sounds drastic, but chances are you are going to have problems... the passport rules have been in place for quite some time now, and airlines and customs officers are pretty strict about these type of things!

 

[Snoella]

As other posters have said, I cross the border a couple times a month, and there is no way to get across without a passport.

I would be calling the passport office begging and pleading to expedite it.

 

[hockey mom]

Thanks everyone. I realized last month that my passport expired so I just mailed thinking over a month was enough time but I was wrong. I did put my date of travel. Had I known I would have paid to rush it.

We canceled our trip

 

[ChisJo]

yeah - I wouldn't have tried to risk it. I have gotten asked for my passport every time I have gotten on a plane. Even before I get to the security area, I feel like I've shown my passport many times. Driving to the states, we even get asked for our passport every time. Sorry you had to cancel your trip, but the chances aren't good that you wouldn't have been asked for your passport at least once.

 

[aml3679]

Just found out my passport is going to be delayed and i leave on Friday what do you think my chances are of getting across the boarder with out one?

There is no exceptions. We recently went and everyone needed a passport.

 

[SaraMc]

We crossed on Sat. both DH and I have passports but the kids dont. The border gaurd said. I know they are young, but as soon as they are like 6-7 ( they are 4 and 16 months) get them passports, they change a lot when they are small, but by 6 or 7 they kind of look how they are going to look more or less.
It was unsolicited advice. We thanked him. He had a gun, there was no wait and he let us in to his country. So we were polite Canadian's and said thank you.

 

[sjsjbrook]

I keep a watchful eye on our passport expiry dates. I also always actually go to a passport office and never mail it in. When you go to an office, it takes two weeks to get a new one (though our last one took less than a week). It is worth the drive to an office if it isn't in your city.

I also have one for all of my children even the baby, so if we want to take a trip there is no question about them being able to go anywhere.

 

[minnie56]

Oh that's such a shame that you had to cancel hockey mom..I hope you can reschedule for the not too distant future!

In my family we have Canadian Passports and European Union ones as well so we always have at least one that will work (!!) none the less-I pull them all out often to be sure never really trusting..

Better luck next time!

 

[Alderbrook]

My boss crossed over in the summer without his passport for a conference, they actually let it slide & he passed with his driver's licence but they flagged him & gave him a lot of crap for forgetting it. He was only going to be gone for the day so maybe why they let him? they told him he would never be allowed to do it again.

I highly doubt they would let him if he were going on holiday.

When I mailed my passport it took 6 weeks to get it back, but I wasn't in a rush & didn't care when it came back.