Passport plan reaffirmed

[highland3]

This comes from the newswire service...... just to keep y'all updated on the border crossing situation.

The U-S is sticking with its decision for travellers entering from Canada to show a passport. The departments of State and Homeland Security said today they expect to officially adopt the new policy by the end of the year.

Travellers from Canada, Mexico and other allied nations will have to show a passport or other secure document to enter the U-S. The plan drew complaints from travellers, the affected nations
and even U-S President Bush.

Under the new timeline, all who travel by air or sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Bermuda and South and Central America will have to show a passport or one of four other secure documents by December 31st, 2006.

Travellers crossing land borders, namely from Canada and Mexico, will have to comply with the rules by December 31st, 2007.

After the rule was announced in April, Bush said he was ``surprised'' by the passport requirement.

 

[cottontail]

Hi: Just wondering, will citizens from the U.S. have to have a passport to enter Canada as well?

Deb.

 

[highland3]

Not unless the Canadian government makes some kind of change.

 

[DisFan2]

Have they defined "other secure document"?

I'm not sure if Canada will reciprocate in terms of entry documents, but an American will likely have to produce a document (like a passport) in order to re-enter the US - i.e. they may have to prove citizenship for US customs.

 

[highland3]

Apparently there will be a new bioetric identity card for Americans and there will be some type of card for Canadians who frequently cross the border.

 

[Hodder]

When we go in October I will be bringing our Birth Certs for all 4, our SINs for all 4, mine & DH Drivers and DD/DS school picture ID from last year. (As well as our MCP-provincial healthcards). Do you think this will be ok? Too late now to get passports so oh well.

 

[mbb]

When we go in October I will be bringing our Birth Certs for all 4, our SINs for all 4, mine & DH Drivers and DD/DS school picture ID from last year. (As well as our MCP-provincial healthcards). Do you think this will be ok? Too late now to get passports so oh well.

Are you driving or flying?

I'm going to assume flying..we're from CB, and I'm still not brave enough to attempt the loooooonnnnnggg rive from here - NFLD would be worse!! LOL!

Just be prepared for a longer waits, more time spent with USC&I, and answering more questions on the way home

EVERYONE has to have passports by December 31, 2006 when flying to/through the US.
http://www.pptc.gc.ca/travel_tips/trip_planning_e.asp#us

HTH!!...and have a fun trip! Don't forget to post about it when you get back!!

 

[Susan--Ontario]

Should be fine. I wouldn't take my SIN cards anywhere with me. Ours are in our safety deposit box at the bank. I would hate for them to fall into the wrong hands. We just renewed our passports and our birth certificates are on there way back to the safety deposit box as well. They take forever to get replaced.

JMHO

 

[Hodder]

We are flying. OMG to drive would be tooooo long. Either 18 hours on ferry from Argentia or drive across the island 10+ hours & 8 hours on the ferry. DS, DD & I get car sick so alot of stops to add on as well.

Never thought about the SIN cards that way. Maybe we shouldn't bring them.

I travelled for business meetings/training to NY 3x between Sept-Dec of 2002 so I don't think (or should I say hope) that the lines could be any worse as one date was right before Sept 11 and I was going there for a week. Most customs officers were ok, just got one young buck that tried to push his limits, but I didn't back down, just told him that some of his questions were out of line. (Made ignorant comment and asked ignorant questions about a Newfounlanders, and Canadians) .

PS Thanks!!

 

[sammi]

We just returned from a 10 day driving trip to the Myrtle Beach area and crossed at the Peace Bridge here in Ontario and we weren't even asked for any type of ID when entering and returning from the US....BUT they did ask us both times if we knew each other (DH,myself,DB and DSIL) and also if we were friends or family!

We got our passports 2 years ago when we were flying into MCO and I figured we all would need them eventually.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

Don't bring your SIN cards.

Your birth certificates and photo id (and your health cards won't hurt) should be sufficient.

 

[Amberle3]

The SIN shows that you're a resident of Canada, it doesn't prove citizenship at all. So since it won't help you at the border please let it at home!

Someone mentioned a card for frequent travellers - there's been one in effect for a few years now for land travel and there's now the new iris scanners at the airports that can be used if you're signed up for that program. I believe that both the programs require yearly fees.

And please remember that the US government is not singling out Canadians as being required to have a passport. What they're saying is that ANYONE wanting to come across the border will need a passport, and this includes their own citizens.

I still highly recommend getting a passport sooner rather than later - it makes things so much easier.

 

[Hodder]

I'm definately going to leave the SIN at home. We didn't get passports because they are so expensive and we don't plan on any travel within the next 5 years.

Thanks everyone.

 

[dsneygirl]

Don't bring your SIN cards.

Your birth certificates and photo id (and your health cards won't hurt) should be sufficient.

I wouldn't bother with your Health card. Like SIN it only proves residency not citizenship.

 

[Hodder]

I fugured the health cards in case something happened. I use to deal with out of country travel claims and sometimes it makes it easier to have your provincial health card number so that the province can be billed directly.

 

[dsneygirl]

I fugured the health cards in case something happened. I use to deal with out of country travel claims and sometimes it makes it easier to have your provincial health card number so that the province can be billed directly.

Maybe NF is different. For Ontario you have to pay for everything up front when out of country a health card is worthless.

 

[Hodder]

Maybe NF is different. For Ontario you have to pay for everything up front when out of country a health card is worthless.

So if you ended up in hospital while in US thry wouldn't direct bill your provincial health? I'm not talking for a regular doctors visit I know most services would be pay up front & reimbursed through provincial 1st then private travel insurance 2nd but major medical bills $$$$ use to go through provincial 1st.

 

[dsneygirl]

So if you ended up in hospital while in US thry wouldn't direct bill your provincial health?

From the ministry's website
Reimbursement for Emergency Care Outside Canada
If you have purchased supplementary insurance, check with your insurance carrier about how you should submit your bills. Otherwise, send your itemized bill to your nearest OHIP office within 12 months of receiving treatment. With the bill, send :

• details of your treatments
• your original receipt for payment
• your name and current Ontario address
• your health number

To avoid delays, do not hold your bills and receipts until you return to Ontario. Mail them to your insurance carrier or the ministry as soon as you receive them.

It also says they will only cover up to what the procedure would cost in Ontario
"
If you receive emergency care from a physician or other eligible health care provider, OHIP will pay only as much as that service would have cost in Ontario. Emergency inpatient hospital services eligible for OHIP coverage will be paid up to a maximum of $400 (Canadian) per day or the amount billed whichever is less : "