Crossing the border at Calais?

[Addicted2TheMouse]

DH and I are going to a concert in NH on Saturday and I can't find DH's birth certificate. I'm really freaking out. We don't have Passports. It's too late to get a replacement. Is there any chance of getting across the border without it? I have mine. I could bring mine and our marriage certificate. What should I do???

 

[CanadianMinnie]

You just need a driver's License. I have never had any problems crossing into Maine, and there usually are very small wait times.

 

[Addicted2TheMouse]

Really? Did they even ask for a birth certificate or passport? I'd hate to drive the whole way there and not get across...

 

[tribus121]

I would not plan on crossing at calais this saturday as it is the day of their friends acros the border parade it shuts down the border for 90 min I would sudjest crossing at Houlton ( I know it is further but the road is so much better. It is hit or miss weather they ask for a birth cert I dont know about NS but we can get a birth cert in less than 1 hr

 

[Northstar]

We've been asked for documents at Calais. We've also been waved through with a smile and no questions. Oddly enough, the smile-and-no-questions was the time we had a large Springer Spaniel in the back of our station wagon... guess that made us look more trustworthy.

If your BF was born in Nova Scotia and you are near Halifax, you can get a BC within the hour at the Joseph Howe building downtown. But that's the only location that can do it without delay. Here's the link to Vital Statistics info on getting a BC:
http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/paal/VSTAT/paal305.asp

If you can't get it, you can't. I'd chance it but have a backup plan in case you're turned back at the border...oh that would be so sad! Good luck!

 

[Northstar]

Sorry, you've got a DH not a BF! Guess I just associate popping across the border for a concert with carefree single days...

 

[Lil ole moi]

My DBF and I just crossed the Houlton border this weekend. We saw an Olive Garden commercial on TV, looked at each other and in unison said "let's go". One hour later we were at the Houlton border. He border guard asked if we were Canadian citizens, we both said yes. He asked where we were from, we answered "Fredericton". He asked where we were going, we said "to eat at Olive Garden in Bangor". He asked for how long we'd be out of the country, we said "we'll be returning this evening". He said "go ahead". Two hours later we were chowing down at the Olive Garden.

We did stop at the Bangor Mall and bought a t-shirt for my DD (15) from Abercrombie and Fitch. On the way back to Fredericton, the border guard asked basically the same questions and asked if we had made any purchases. I told him I bought a $12.99 t-shirt and held out the receipt for him to look at, but he never looked at it and like the first time, just waved us through.

Neither my DBF or I had our birth certificates with us - only picture driver licences, but neither of us were asked for them.

 

[Addicted2TheMouse]

Sorry, you've got a DH not a BF! Guess I just associate popping across the border for a concert with carefree single days...

I actually laughed out loud. This is the first time we'll be away from our DSalmost2 so it's probably the least carefree trip I've ever taken.

Anyway, DH was born in NB so I guess we'll just swing by Fredericton to pick up his birth certificate first. It's out of the way because we're going to a wedding in Saint John tomorrow night but at least we'll get. I figure it's better to be safe than sorry with the new terror threat from this morning. Security will probably be really amped up.

Oh, and does anyone have details about wait time the border is closed to traffic? I'm not familiar with Houlton so I'm a little reluctant to go that way.

 

[Addicted2TheMouse]

My DBF and I just crossed the Houlton border this weekend. We saw an Olive Garden commercial on TV, looked at each other and in unison said "let's go". One hour later we were at the Houlton border. Two hours later we were chowing down at the Olive Garden.

Now THAT'S carefree!

 

[tribus121]

The parade starts at 11am so traffic will start to back up around 10:30 and it will prob be 12:30 or 1:00 before it starts to flow smoothly again you can still youse the Milltown border crossing but there will be delays PM me if you want directions

 

[MikeyA50]

We live 20 minutes from the Houlton crossing, once in a while they ask for adult identification, drivers license is always accepted.

 

[Addicted2TheMouse]

Hi. Just an update. We're back and had a great trip. We went to a Jonny Lang concert and he was amazing.

Anyway, we did cross at Calais. And thanks to Tribus for the tip on the parade, we went really early so we had no wait at all. Going into the U.S. they did ask for ID. They had a sign up that said they do 100% ID checks. He also asked where we lived, where we were going, how long we were staying, and what we do for a living. So I think we probably would have got across without DH's BC but I'm glad we had it because I think it would have been much more difficult without it. On the way home they didn't even ask for ID.

So thanks for all the help.