Need what to get across the border?

Angelav

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 17, 2005
Messages
3
Hi all.
My parents are planning on taking me and my son Bobby (he'll be 5.5) in late October. Are birth certificates still okay to use? I had heard we may be required to use passports to get across sometime soon! Though I believe it was for 2006.
I'm glad I found this board! :)
 
However, the customs agent (both US and Canada) didn't even bother looking at our passports. They literally just asked us where we were going and said "have a good trip" and on the way back said "welcome home".

I'm sure homeland security would love to know that!
 
:wave2: Welcome to the Dis.

Birth Certificates are still okay. We always use our passports though because there's never any question.

Here is some info. on the new rules coming into effect.

Crossing the border

Q. I recently heard that I now need a passport to travel into the United States. Is this true?
A. Although you currently do not need a passport to cross the border, the recent announcement of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) by the United States government means that by the end of 2007, you will. Born of the 9/11 Intelligence Bill, the WHTI is designed to strengthen border security and expedite entry into the United States for legitimate foreign visitors. The WHTI will be implemented in three phases as follows:

December 31, 2005 - If you are travelling in the United States en route to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central or South America you will need your passport.

December 31, 2006 - If you are travelling to, from or through the United States by air or sea you will need your passport.

December 31, 2007 - If you are travelling to, from or through the United States by air, sea, or land you will need your passport.

So get into the habit of grabbing your passport even for short hops across the border. WHTI aside, as the most widely accepted proof of Canadian citizenship, it is always a good idea to have it anytime you are outside of Canada. And unlike other forms of identification, a passport can be replaced if it is lost or stolen while abroad.
 
Since I live close to the border I go over to the US all the time. Right now its a Birth Certificate and Photo Id to get across. Going in to the USA is 10000 questions, like where do you work etc, why are you not at work, who owns this car, how do you know each other, is there anything else other than your money staying in the United States. The border gaurds usually put your licence # into a computer. However Coming home the gaurds are Canadian and I believe they are still without a contract on work to rule. The last time I came home the guy didnt even look up from his baseball magazine. Now that does change however on the weekends ( my assumption is that they are part time workers then) We have been asked more questions and have had to show our Id, had our trunk opened etc.


Passports are always something good to have. We are in the process of getting ours for the December 2005 cut off.
 

We use our birthcertificates and to tell you the truth we have never even been asked for those. Our border crossings seem to take under 2 minutes. One guy did not even look our way- we were over in under 10 seconds. We even had DD's friend with us.
 
Birth Cert's and DL's are ok for now. Also depends too on your POE. I found, for example, that the POEs from Niagara into NY were much much more lax than the POEs from Windsor into Michigan.
 
You will also want to carry something that shows that you have custody of your son - and if it is not full custody, then a letter from the father stating that he is aware that you are taking your son across the border.
 
Hi I am a TA and right now as an adult you can use your Birthcertificate and Drivers licence but for a child they must have a passport since they do not have a govern ment issued ID also I note you said your self and son I will take that to mean there is no other BIo parent going . you must provide a noterized letter from the other parent saying they allow you take your child across the border or death certification if other parent is diseased . I will tell you they will not let you go with out this . They will as you to call other parent to airport and call in a Lawyer to verify this and it will cost you 1000.00 on the spot to do this. Go to the Canada immegration site and check out Passport reqirements for children it will explain this . I hope that helps

Misty :)
 
We just got our passports in the fall, but have travelled to the US many times, from the time both my kids were under 6 months old. Their birth certificates were enough -- as a matter of fact, no one at the borders or at airport security even WANT to look at my kids passports -- which annoys me since I've paid for them :teeth: But since you're only one parent going, make sure you have some sort of permission from the other parent. They are getting a little sticky about this. Now in 2003, we had my niece with us, and they never even questioned me as to why I had a kid that had a different last name than the rest of us. :confused3

But when my 25 year old sis-in-law went with us a few years ago, they wanted to know why we were taking another adult (who HAD the same last name), and how she supported herself since she was a mature student, and why was she going to Disney with us. :rolleyes:

I love the question "how do you two know each other" -- Ummmm I think the same last name on the DL's might be a hint -- "Just picked him up on the bridge" probably NOT the right thing to say if you don't want to be denied entry. :rotfl:


MaryLiz
 
We crossed in 2002. I had birth certificates in hand and he never even asked to see them.

Wanted to know where we were going, I replied to visit Mickey. Asked if we had any citrus fruit, we said no and then looked in the back (at my 2 boys) and asked if we were all Cdns. We replied yes. Across in less than 3 minutes.

We did go over Windsor Bridge at 9 am on a Friday morning so there was a lot of traffic, people going over to work on the other side etc.

On the way back I again had all documents in hand however had made everyone wear their WDW Tshirts. He asked where we had been and I said to visit the mouse (pointing to shirt), he smiled asked if we had a great time and then let us cross.

We plan to cross this summer for a short visit to Buffalo and our favorite Restaurant - Cracker Barrel. But I know I will have to get the passports later this year or early next. Don't want to be caught up in the mad dash at the end of next year!
 
We plan to cross this summer for a short visit to Buffalo and our favorite Restaurant - Cracker Barrel. But I know I will have to get the passports later this year or early next. Don't want to be caught up in the mad dash at the end of next year![/QUOTE]

I know a little off topic but where is Cracker Barrel? We go over to the US all the time, see the signs but dont know where it is
 
I went shopping with a friend in Buffalo on Friday. She had her passport, I had my BC and license and wasn't asked going either way.
 
SaraMc, not sure exactly where it is but it is near Walden Galeria.

We have booked a week at Sherkston Beach (Fort Erie) and plan to cross border for an afternoon of shopping (small items) and dinner at Cracker Barrel. My parents have done this numerous times and they will be passing on maps for our use.

Cracker Barrel does have a website with all the listings in the New York state. You can also get maps to their locations off this site.

My DS's and DH really miss this restaurant. 3 years ago on our way to Florida I made it the lunch stop in Ohio on our first day of driving. I had been to them on a business trip in Tenn. and raved about the food. My oldest DS asked what kind of restaurant we were eating at and was not impressed when he saw it. Once inside they loved the food and store and we had to Cracker Barrel all the way down to FLA and all the way back home. They still talk about this restaurant and I think this will be the highlight of our Summer Vac.
 














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