OMG! dd just called..can't find ID

[katypop]

OMG dd just called and she can't find her birth certificate and our trip is 4 days away she had it when she went to the states in may but can't find it anywhere. we are crossing the border at windsor then flying from detroit. she does have DL, SIN, etc, but no passport. someone told us she can get emergency(at a cost of course ) id if she gets a form signed by her doctor. offices are all closed..please...can anyone verify this? will we be able to get it before sat? she does have her baptismal papers. i am stressed right out, i don't want to go solo until the spring
kathe

 

[Cruisin]

katypop, are you going on a cruise or are you just going to Florida
If you are just going to Florida then she wouldn't need a passport at all
If you are going on a cruise you might have a problem, although we took our niece (16) on a RCCL in April with just a birth certificate.

 

[katypop]

hi cruisin'kroezes,
we are just going to florida, trouble is she has lost her birth certificate. if she had a passport it wouldn't matter, but she does not...so...i believe she does need the birth certificate in case they ask at the border and we have always been asked at the airport.
kathe

 

[Cruisin]

You know I don't think you will have a problem at the airport, as long as she has picture ID, such as a DL or Health card she will probably be all right. We just went Nov 7-10, travelling with my parents. Husband and I have passports, parents do not. They used DL at the airport without a problem, were not asked for birth certificates.
Oh by the way, we also cross the border at Windsor and fly out of Detroit.
We have found that half of the time they don't even ask to see our ID at the border crossing. We find it you have it out in your hand waiting they don't even bother to look at it. You might get through with no trouble, but you would hate to chance missing your flight.
Could you go on the government website and find a phone number to call and ask about it. Maybe a passport office #, I'm not sure who would be the best people to talk to.

 

[katypop]

thanks for your encouragement my dd has printed a form off that needs to be signed by her doctor(or nurse, teacher,etc) and then she needs to take it to some office guess we will have to phone in the morning to see where to go and cross our fingers that we can get something before sat. she does have lots of other ID including DL , so we will go anyway...but i am a worrier by nature
kathe

 

[Cruisin]

Well, I hope that you get your problem resolved and have a good vacation.
Even if she does not get her birth certificate, I would most certainly try to get across the border anway. You might get lucky and they won't ask you for ID. Just try not to look nervous or suspicious
Does she have an expired passport around, they might accept that.
Anyway, I hope that everything works out and have a great time in Florida!!!!
Robin

 

[katypop]

thanks Robin she has never had a passport oh well, i'm hoping things will look better tomorrow.
kathe

 

[MaMudduck]

Kathe

How old is DD? Same last name as you?
I'm not trying to worry you or anything and Robin is right, they may not even ask for anything at the border, but at the border they are trying the determine what your "citizenship" is.

Does her baptism cert. state on it WHERE and when she was born? If it proves she is Canadian (by birth) than it is a LEGAL document and the should accept that.

I would get everything you could together (SIN, DL, OHIP and a letter from someone too.)

3 years ago, 5 other ladies & I went to the US. One of them forgot her BirthCert. she had everything else but the EXTREMELY nasty witch ( with a captial B) at the border was not going to let her into the states. I finally talked her into letting us across by personally being held accountable for her return and proving enough info that we were returning to Canada. ****3 yrs ago***

Last month when we crossed to fly out of Buffalo, they didn't ask us for anything....they didn't even asked whose kids were in the back seat, their names, nothing. (Hey for all they know I was kidnapping them....go figure)
Even on the way home (and SIL had lost her passport on the plane) they didn't even ask.

DON'T WORRY, you're tickets prove you coming back, your car plates say you from Canada. Don't act weird & nervous, just be excited that your going to WDW at the border and they'll let you though.
At the airport she'll only need her DL anyways, they want picture ID there.
Lots of prayers & pixie dust*****************************

Wendy

 

[tigercat]

I am in the middle of getting my foster son's birth certificate replaced. You can go to an office in Toronto (the address is on the government site with the rest of the form you need to fill out) and you can get a bc in a day. We were advised to be there by 8 a.m. though because it can be a very long day. We have to get his because he can't get a replacement SIN card unless he has a bc and he can't get a bank account until he has a SIN card and a bc and he needs the bank account because he is doing (finally) a little contract job (paid is good) but they only do direct deposits. We have been going round and round for a week and a half. Also, they now need a guarantor for your bc. He is new here. We had to e-mail his mother so she could take it to where they used to live and get a friend who is an accountant to sign it and then fax it down to us. AHHHHHHHHHHHH
Good luck getting your dd's bc. It can be done.
tigercat

 

[NancyK]

Kathe,
Just wanted to wish you a wonderful, stress-free trip. On our past few trips, they were only interested in the driver's licences. I would definitely take the baptismal certificate along with you. Years ago, they accepted that in lieu of a birth certificate - I'm not sure if they do that post-9/11 though. Sending some Pixie Dust that you'll get over that bridge with no questions.
Nancy

 

[chico]

Kathe,

Here's the official government info...

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/travel_tips/with_child_e.asp

Good Luck!

 

[Susan--Ontario]

Kathe,

Does she live in the city where she was born. If so, the City Hall should have a record of the birth registration. My kids are young but I know that I could go to City Hall and get a letter stating that their birth was registered on such and such a date. It was called a travel letter. I'm not sure if they do this for older people or not. I suppose it depends on how long they keep that info in their computers. Worth a phone call anyways.

I'll be saying a prayer for you that your trip goes off well and you are returned home safely.

Have a super time and give Mickey a hug for me.

 

[katypop]

thank you all for the info, good wishes and pixie dust it has been a very long day. got up early and we hunted everywhere but no luck. you used to be able to get a replacement bc here in london, but not anymore, so dd is going to TO very, very early in the morning. they told us to get to the TO office by 6:00 am or you would not get in. they don't even open until 8:30 she was able to get her forms from the office here, they would not print properly from the computor site we did need a guarantor. luckily her dbf is driving her there, i would not want her standing alone in the cold and dark waiting for the office to open. she is 23 but still my baby afterall i am really hoping by tomorrow at this time i'll be able to post a bunch of "smilies"
oh, she called the airlines and they said no way you were boarding without the bc i know they don't always ask but i hate to think of the possibility, we are travelling by robert q bus to detroit, and i don't think they'd be very happy if she didn't have id and got asked...well another 12 hours or so and i should know...
kathe

 

[chico]

Good Luck!

Here's some more pixie dust!! Hope it works out!

 

[tigercat]

Please let me know about the time. We were told to be there by 8 at the latest and now you say they told you 6. My ds and dfs are going to be going tomorrow morning so this information would be very helpful. Also, could you find out from you dd about the parking around there and how much it costs. I have to pay for all of this. I did find out as well that it costs an extra $15.00 to do it this way.
tigercat

 

[maryliz]

Hi Kathe. Sending you some magical Pixie Dust that it will all work out I don't think the border crossing should be a problem, because they are ONLY ever interested in our DL's. Sounds like she has enough other stuff anyway. Once you're in Detroit, your "citizenship" should not be an issue 'cause you're not going through customs, technically. You're flying on a domestic flight, so I would think that it would be most important to have"pictureID" so they know that you really are who you say you are. My birth certificate has my maiden name on it, so it would be totally useless to someone in Detroit. I'm so sorry that you have this added stress ... but just think how easy you'll be breathing come Saturday night !

Have a wonderful, magical vacation, my friend

Mary-Liz

 

[katypop]

woohoo! dd called a couple of hours ago....she got it
only a couple more days and we are leaving i know this will make a good family story we can laugh about someday, but not today...i need sleep...and to get busy packing.

tigercat, dd is not back from TO yet, but when she gets back i'll get whatever info i can for you. hope it all goes smoothly for you . only spoke to dd for a minute or two when she called, but she did say they don't let people inside until 6:00 am (they were a little earlier and someone felt sorry for them out in the cold and let them in a little earlier she said) and she did say some were there before them but had been told to come back at 6:00. office opened at 8:30 and she had her bc by 9:30.

thanks again for the encouragement you all gave. it helped
kathe

 

[Cruisin]

katypop

Glad that you have that all sorted out .

Now, go on vacation and enjoy.

Robin

 

[tigercat]

Thanks katypop. I'll wait for the rest of the info.
tigercat

 

[alohamom]

I would make sure she has enough $$$ just in case. I had to register my daughter that way when she was born as we travelled with her very soon after. The parking fee was crazy! If I recall the fee to do it onsite was greater than I had been told. Just in case, take the extra $$$. You will all be fine, it is a good thing she didn't discover this the day before you were to leave!