Which Gas credit cards can I use in US? also a passport ?

[langin]

Hello again,

Is there a canadian Gas credit card that I can use for gas purchases all the way down to FL? The way the gas prices are going up, I was going to pay cash for it but now I am tempted to charge it and deal with it when we come back? A

Also a passport question, we are driving in Aug 05 and it would cost $300.00 for passports for my family so i am still undecided. I read somewheres that even though they are not required yet they can still deny you entry!!!!

 

[PrincessTrisha]

Even with a passport a country can deny you access. No country (other than those where you retain citizenship) are ever REQUIRED to allow you entry.

As for the gas:
What I did was take my smallest credit card (with the least amt of possible credit) and before I left I paid what I expected gas to cost me. This way I felt that even if it were lost, the damage would be minimal and my gas was prepaid.

 

[CharlesTD]

I think you can use shell and Esso/Exxon cards in the us I would check their websites to find out for certain though. As for the passport question 300.00 dollars is a small price to pay for the piece of mind of knowing you have the best form of ID for traveling all over the world.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

It has been a very long time since I had a gas company issued credit card -- but I do recall the Esso card was accepted at Exxon stations in some parts of the United States.

That said -- how many gasoline company credit cards still exist? I thought that most companies had switched to branded Mastercard/Visa cards.

 

[brerrabbit]

Certainly not trying to push any one companies card, but if you are looking for a good deal check out the Shell Mastercard by CitiBank. They were offering a 5% rebate on gasoline purchases. At over $2.00 US a gallon thats more than ten cents a gallon back. I don't know if you can get it in Canada but if you can it might be worth looking at.

 

[tupper]

Hi. We cross the border quite regularly and I just have birth certificates for the kids and my husband, who are Canadian. I show my US passport and permenant resident papers. We have never been given any trouble. I think that you can run into trouble if you just have a driver's licence. A driver's licence doesn't prove where you are a citizen of, it just shows that you are allowed to drive.

So to be on the safe side, I would bring birth certificates. In the future, I guess we will all need passports, but at this time, they are just looking for proof of citizenship, which is why they ask what country you are a citizen of as the first question most of the time.

Hope this helps, and saves you the $300 for now. Spend it in the parks instead!

Have a great trip.

 

[Mickey Fanatic]

The new border crossing requirements (needing a passport) don't become official until the end of 2007 for driving and the end of 2006 for Cdn citizens arriving in the States by air or sea. Birth certificates and picture ID is still accepted until then. But as stated previously Customs can always deny you entry.

 

[Mickey Fanatic]

It was just on the news yesterday that George Bush doesn't like the idea of Canadians and Mexicans needing passports to get into the U.S. The powers that be figure that because he doesn't like it the law won't come to pass.

 

[SnowWhite]

Hi....its been awhile since we actually used gas cards in the states but I can guarantee that you can use your Esso card at Exxons and Mobils maybe and I know that we were able to use our Petro Canada card as well but I just can't remember where! It was on the back of my card back then. Maybe just check their websites and it may give you a list. Of course one year we were in the backwoods of Georgia I think and we came into this tiny service station that we knew accepted our card and of couorse they looked at us like we had 3 heads!! They had never seen one before and after they had called everyone to come and look at our card (including the local judge and sherrif!) that just happened to be there having a hotdog, they finally accepted it but I'm not sure they really wanted to! Anyway good luck!

 

[SnowWhite]

Now I remember!!! We were able to use our Petro card at Chevrons!!!