Should we get Passports?

[esdras]

Just looking for anyone (Canadian, of course) with recent experience flying WITHIN the U.S. after crossing the border by land - and if you were travelling with children, even better.

We have our trip booked to WDW from Aug. 25th to Sept. 2nd, flying from Detroit (DTW) to Orlando (MCO), and we'll be crossing at Sarnia/Port Huron.

All the information that I have seen still seems to confirm that we do NOT need Passports to cross the border or check-in at Security at either airport. I've been on all the web sites I could think - Disney, both airports, NWA, Canadian Border info, U.S. Border info, Homeland Security, etc. Everything looks as though it will be fine - but I'm still looking for some recent "real-life" experiences.

My wife and I both have Birth Certificates and current/valid Driver's Licences. We also have our S.I.N. cards, and Health Cards (although mine is the old non-photo type). Our kids (ages 8 and 4) have Birth Certificates and Ontario Health Cards.

Technically, all of this is enough - so why am I still apprehensive?

Passports for my wife and I would cost $174 - and potentially another $74 (I think) for the two kids. Including the cost of photos, we'd rather save the almost $200 and hassle of filling out the forms - if at all possible.

Sorry about this becoming a long post - I just wanted to cover all the bases.

Thanks!

 

[2meezers]

We are driving to Buffalo and flying out of there to Orlando in July. We went ahead and got our passports. First since we just did not want any hassles anywhere and second because they are going to become mandatory soon (I have heard both end of this year or next) to even drive across the border. I didn't like putting the extra $300 out either but since we travel 1-2X a year anyway, I figured we would just bite the bullet.

 

[OntFamily]

If you are a Canadian citizen, you will not require a passport to cross at a land border until June 2009. Until then, a government issued photo ID (drivers license) and proof of citizenship (birth certificate) are required. Some people prefer to have a passport, but it is only a preference. We've read some reports using a passport is faster, but even so the time difference is only a minute or so.

I and my family have passports, but there are times we've crossed at land borders without them (forgot them at home....).

 

[esdras]

We are driving to Buffalo and flying out of there to Orlando in July. We went ahead and got our passports. First since we just did not want any hassles anywhere and second because they are going to become mandatory soon (I have heard both end of this year or next) to even drive across the border. I didn't like putting the extra $300 out either but since we travel 1-2X a year anyway, I figured we would just bite the bullet.

I'm also tempted to "bit the bullet", but we RARELY travel to the U.S. - and Disney for us is - at best - an every other year vacation option. If we don't go again until 2010, I'm not sure I want to spend the cash on a Passports we technically don't need now.

If you are a Canadian citizen, you will not require a passport to cross at a land border until June 2009. Until then, a government issued photo ID (drivers license) and proof of citizenship (birth certificate) are required. Some people prefer to have a passport, but it is only a preference. We've read some reports using a passport is faster, but even so the time difference is only a minute or so.

I and my family have passports, but there are times we've crossed at land borders without them (forgot them at home....).

Thanks. I knew that was the technical rule - but I was glad to hear you say that you have had no problems crossing by land without the Passport - and with little (or no) difference in wait time.

I would - if anyone has done so - like to hear from Canadians flying within the U.S. recently without Passports for I.D. when boarding the planes. I'm hoping the experience is similar to land border crossings - i.e. no problem and little difference (if any) in wait times.

However, your statement that you have had no problem at the border is helping me feel better about NOT getting the Passports this year - with the dollar still basically at par - I can think of far better things to do with a couple hundred bucks on a Disney vacation.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Charleyann]

I seem to recall, while waiting for reservationist to answer, that anyone flying through the 50 United States needs to have a passport. You my not need it to cross the boarder but to fly?

Things change everyday. I'd call a travel agent just to be sure.

Charleyann

 

[cdnmickeylover]

In answer to your question -- yes you should get passports.

Do you need them - no, not with the plans that you have but and it's always a but if anything happened to you in Florida without passports you would not be able to fly directly home to Canada.

Passports make it simpler to travel. I wouldn't leave home without it regardless of the cost.

My brother and SIL are going to WDW in September and are flying out of Buffalo so they are driving across the border. They got passports for themselves and their 4 children. Why? Because if something happened to one of them and they suddenly needed to get back to Canada quickly they could fly back directly to Toronto.

 

[sean-1966]

I agree with cdnmickeylover. Passports just make life easier when travelling outside Canada.

 

[pooksma]

I agree with cdnmickeylover. Passports just make life easier when travelling outside Canada.

I third that.We use ours when we cross boarder shop too. Customs goes very smoothly.

 

[snickerboo]

We don't have them. We cross all the time at Detroit by car. We have had no problems at all. I use my driver's liscence and birth cert and birth certs for kids. You only need them if you're flying from Canada into the US, not driving over and flying US-US. It was on Global News this week that Ontario will be coming out with new driver's liscences that will be allowed to be used instead of passports for US travel.

 

[OatsZoo]

We too do not have passports. I drive across to Buffalo/Niagara Falls NY almost weekly for gas and shopping and have never had a problem. Last time we flew all we needed was our drivers license and birth certificate for us and the kids birth certificates. All we needed at the Buffalo airport was our drivers license and boarding passes for us and the kids birth certificates, just to match the boarding passes to the people. We had no problems and are flying again out of Buffalo in September for our WDW trip without passports.

But it is a good point about in case of emergency we couldn't flew home to TO it need be. But we are not too worried about that.

 

[esdras]

Thanks to everyone who has replied.

It seems that the consensus is that a Passport isn't needed as long as things are "normal", but in an emergency, it is the only way to fly home directly to Canada.

That might not be as relevant for us - we fly out of Detroit for two reasons:

1. It's cheaper.
2. From experience, it's seems easier to get to DTW than Pearson from London.

In an emergency, we would likely still fly back to Detroit. If it was a "family" emergency and we just needed to get home - we would still likely get home in close to the same amount of time - depending on what the border crossing was like.

If it was a medical emergency - our medical coverage allows for ambluance transport, and medical units are given priority for border crossings. If the condition was too serious for that, we would likely be in an Orlando hospital until able to safely return home anyway. Either way, we would need to get back to London or a Canadian hospital eventually - worst case scenario, it wouldn't take much longer to get to the hospital in Windsor from DTW than to get to a hospital in T.O. from Pearson - and we have family in Windsor.

We'll make the final decision by early July - since there is a Passport office in London, the turnaround time to get it done is generally less than a month. As long as we submit the forms before the end of July, we would get them before the August 25th departure. I've spoken to a couple of people who recently got Passports through the office in London, and the "non-rush" processing time has ranged from about 10 days to just under three weeks.

About the only other benefit of a Passport is "single document" - but we have a small "notepad" sized notebook with clear plastic inserts. ALL of our ID goes into this, so it is easily accessed. I plan on using a backpack for my carry-on, and that will make getting at that notebook pretty easy.

Since Ontario seems to be planning on a Driver's Licence acceptable to U.S. Customs - I guess I'm still leaning towards not getting the Passports at this time. The "emergency" issue is something to consider, but I'm not sure that would make a lot of difference to us.

Once again, thanks to everyone for the adivce. I definitely see the benefits of having a Passport - but for those who have said that they have had no problems, you have made me feel better if the final decision we make is to not get them.

ETA: One other thing that makes the "emergency" issue perhaps a little easier for us is that we have friends of the family (GOOD friends - growing up I called them Aunt and Uncle, even though we weren't technically related) who live in Florida less than three hours from Orlando. If the U.S. prevented us from leaving the country for some reason - we would have some backup in terms of a place to stay, and U.S. citizens to help us out.

 

[SherylWrites]

You only need a passport if you are flying into the US from Canada. To cross the border you need proof of citizenship and photo ID.

I chose to get our passports last year because it's just easier. Yes, the expense at the beginning is a hassle, but now that's done and overwith, I think it was money well spent. And I'm sure the cost of them will only go up in the next few years as the need progresses.
The border guards seem to appreciate the passports as well over the other ID. We don't get asked a thousand questions like we did when we used our other ID. At the airport it's much easier too.
I've been on both sides of the issue and for convenience, the passport is the way to go. Plus, with the way they keep flip flopping on what they're going to do and when in the US, I feel pretty confident having the passports.

 

[disneydreamgirl]

I would suggest getting your passports. We had no issues flying out of Buffalo without passports and they are very used to Canadians flying domestically in the U.S. from that airport. My husband, however was hassled in Orlando by an overzealous U.S. agent when we were going through the security checkpoint returning home. This fellow was convinced that Canadians had to have passports to fly domestically in the U.S. and until his colleague set him straight, he did not want to back down and was ready to detain my husband. He seemed to perceive us as a real threat, which would have been amusing except for the fact that had someone else agreed with him we might have been in real trouble! We are likely the least threatening looking people, especially my son, the little red-haired Scottish looking kid with the round face and sweet eyes...

The experience convinced us that we should get our passports renewed ASAP!

 

[mrs.explorer1977]

Even if you didn't go again until 2010, you'd still get two trips out of them.

We (DH, myself and our 11 month old) all have passports -- just seemed to make things less of a hassle at the border when we crossed and at the airport going through security and checking in.

Just my 2 cents though! ;-)

 

[BuffettBoy]

I think the bottom line here is this, come June 2009 we will have to have them, why not get them ahead of time. It will probably take 3 times as long to get them next year at this time. We have them, go over the river to the US on a regular basis, no problems with the passport, really didnt have any problems with the two forms of id. But unfortunately one time I forgot my Birth Certificate, took it out of my wallet for some reason, all I had was my license. I was hassled, lectured about two forms of id, given proper s___ like I was in grade 3. They let us through, but not till after they pounded there chests a bit. Always carry my passport now

 

[esdras]

My husband, however was hassled in Orlando by an overzealous U.S. agent when we were going through the security checkpoint returning home. This fellow was convinced that Canadians had to have passports to fly domestically in the U.S. and until his colleague set him straight, he did not want to back down and was ready to detain my husband. He seemed to perceive us as a real threat, which would have been amusing except for the fact that had someone else agreed with him we might have been in real trouble!

Nuts.

This is EXACTLY what I was worried about.

Okay, either we will get the passports, or I'll make sure to have a current web page printout from the U.S. Border Serives website indicating that Canadians CAN fly within the U.S. without Passports, and then (if something similar happens), very politely and calmly, request to speak with a Security supervisor.

I was pretty confident that DTW would be fine - the number of Canadians who use that airport is significant. If the problem would be anywhere, it would be (as you pointed out) at MCO.

 

[esdras]

I think the bottom line here is this, come June 2009 we will have to have them

Not necessarily.

Ontario (and most provinces, AFAIK), are EXTREMELY serious about creating Driver's licences that will be accepted instead of a Passport by the U.S. If that happens, it will be much cheaper to obtain a replacement DL (mine doesn't expire until 2011) than a Passport.

Okay, I know I'm sounding cheap, but I hate dropping close to $100 for something I'll use - at most - once a year.

Just as an FYI - I did find the website with the current Domestic U.S. flight I.D. requirements - it's the Transportation Security Administration - a division of Homeland Security. This is the page:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable_documents.shtm

Canadian Provincial Driver's Licences are clearly stated to be acceptable at this time.

Anyway, if we don't get the Passports, I'm going to print that page and keep it with our travel documents the day before we leave.

 

[nosy parker]

In answer to your question -- yes you should get passports.

Do you need them - no, not with the plans that you have but and it's always a but if anything happened to you in Florida without passports you would not be able to fly directly home to Canada.

Passports make it simpler to travel. I wouldn't leave home without it regardless of the cost.

My brother and SIL are going to WDW in September and are flying out of Buffalo so they are driving across the border. They got passports for themselves and their 4 children. Why? Because if something happened to one of them and they suddenly needed to get back to Canada quickly they could fly back directly to Toronto.

Wow, I hadn't ever thought of that. So true. That is what I love about these boards. The exchange of information can be soooo helpful!

I would definitely recommend getting the passports for all the reasons already mentionned, especially in this heightened security world, but having read your post cdnmickeylover, I would suggest that it is absolutely necessary. It's not just the hassle free convenience factor, it's the necessity in the case of emergency. Regardless if the OP has good friends/family etc.. As the PP also indicated, this is not something anyone would want to have to concern themselves with in the case of emergency. Better safe than sorry, I say. In all liklihood it will never be an issue, but I would rather have the peace of mind. jmo.

 

[esdras]

Ok, just realized that I'm an idiot.

Sure, the whole family can technically get away without Passports this trip.

Sure, our Driver's Licences don't expire until 2011 or 2012 for my wife and I, and we could replace them (likely not too expensive to do so) if Ontario creates the new high security version.

After June 2009, my wife and I could get away with the new Driver's Licences (if they produce them) - but what about the kids?

Re-reading the websites, the Passport requirement for land crossings in June 2009 is for all ages. Our kids are 4 and 8 right now - not likely to be getting Driver's Licences any time soon.

So, by next year, we need Passports for the kids anyway.

I don't like the added cost - but if I need to fill out all the forms anyway within the next year - might as well do it now. For both them AND us.

Argh.

 

[MoserFamily]

Just one little idea to throw out there. If money is an issue, you could also think about staggering your passports. I have a friend who does that. They didn't "need" passports for their previous travel, but wanted them "just in case". So, each year, a different member of the family got one. Now, each year, someone has to renew (except for every 5th year, since it's a family of four). That way it becomes a cheaper annual expense, rather than paying for it all at once.

So, since you've mentioned that you might be able to use your driver's license next, but your kids wouldn't have them, you could always just get the passports for your kids this year. Then, next year, if you still need them because the driver's license thing hasn't worked out, you and your wife can get them. It would spread the cost out over a couple of years, anyway...

Just an idea...