Darnit. need a passport to go to Canada.

[Printer Bandit]

It's only your fault that you don't have a passport. Be an adult.

 

[waggy]

It's only your fault that you don't have a passport. Be an adult.

No.

 

[gorcorps]

New laws? What do you mean by new? As far as I can remember I've needed a passport to leave the country.

Not true. Montreal was about an hour or so from where I went to school in NY. Made many trips there and back without a passport. This was sometime around 2007/8ish.

Well, all I said was "as far as I can remember" which definitely IS true (you certainly can't know what I remember)... it's just that my attempts to get into Canada don't stretch beyond 5 years ago. That's all I've known, and nobody has ever mentioned the ability to go in and out of the country with just an ID before so that's all news to me.

It's not newer than 5 years that's for sure. Based on responses here you might have had a special license (NY is one of the few states that have them) which is why you got in/out so easily.

 

[akugami]

It's only your fault that you don't have a passport. Be an adult.

If you don't need to travel out of the country, why pay for a passport that will expire eventually?

I've let my passport expire and only renewed it when I needed/wanted to leave the country.


As for needing a passport to go to Canada, welcome to the post 9/11 world.

 

[NAC4EV]

No.

Yes since September 11, 2001 = Homeland Security Act.

 

[Nashemon]

The first time I went was in Aug 2000, I know for sure we needed a passport then. We were crossing in by the Niagara Falls.

It may have been accepted, but it wasn't required.
I've lived in Niagara Falls and Buffalo, NY since 2004. Been visiting since the summer of 2001. The passport/enhanced drivers license rule is new since (checking my license issued date) around 2010. Before that, we used to go to Canada with only our license in most cases. Sometimes they would demand a birth certificate and deny entry if we didn't have it. Getting back into the US was never, ever a problem. Hand over your license, they ask "citizenship?" you say "US", then say "have a good night." I've only ever been searched going to Canada. Never coming back. Made the daily (which may be different from overnight) trip back and forth at least 100 times in the past 12 years. Enhanced license is enough.

 

[ControlD]

I travel to Canada fairly often for business. If I recall correctly, the actual year when it became a requirement to show a passport at the US/Canada border was 2009. The legislation was passed earlier than that (shortly after 9/11 probably) but like most government things it took some time to get implemented.

Even before that, having a passport made things much easier.

 

[cbrsurfr]

June 2009 is when the requirements changed. Needed passport when I drove to Montreal through Detroit in 2011. Got searched on the way back too.

 

[CraKaJaX]

Well, all I said was "as far as I can remember" which definitely IS true (you certainly can't know what I remember)... it's just that my attempts to get into Canada don't stretch beyond 5 years ago. That's all I've known, and nobody has ever mentioned the ability to go in and out of the country with just an ID before so that's all news to me.

It's not newer than 5 years that's for sure. Based on responses here you might have had a special license (NY is one of the few states that have them) which is why you got in/out so easily.

Fair enough... but who said I said it was easy? :sneaky:

 

[allisolm]

"The first time I went was in Aug 2000, I know for sure we needed a passport then."

"The change wasn't "a few years ago"-it was a decade or longer."


It was Jun, 2009 for land travel.

 

[lupi]

New was not used in quite the correct meaning as has been pointed out.

 

[Exterous]

The change wasn't "a few years ago"-it was a decade or longer.

The change was implemented decades ago but the requirement didn't come into effect until 2009. I don't think that section got much press when it was passed so it really didn't become somewhat visible until 2008.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/2009/06/01/passports-mandatory-at-mexico-canada-borders.html

 

[Drako]

I did it 4 years ago with the wife and kids.

my daughter lives in El Paso, she goes into mexico nearly every weekend and has no problems getting back into the country with no passport.

Um, you need a passport card to get back into the US, unless you are Mexican.

edit: You also need a passport card to get into Mexico, so unless your daughter is doing some kind of special favor for the guards, then I call shens.

 

[Exterous]

How do people not have passports?

They don't plan to travel internationally? While I have one and use it frequently there is quite a lot to see domestically. We've got rain forests, ice glaciers, beaches, mountains, vast oceans, tiny lakes, islands, peninsulas, giant forests, vast plains, dry deserts stretching past the horizon and so on and so forth.

Do people in other countries travel to other countries a lot? Absolutely. However the countries tend to be a bit smaller. Driving from LA to NYC is the same distance as Paris to Moscow even though one drive is entirely in 1 country while the other crosses 6.

 

[John Connor]

I lived in North Dakota and the only time we went to Canada was the Peace Gardens. LOL So one one side was Canada and the other the U.S. They have an i-beam from the trade towers there now.

As to the passport requirement now. I heard about this years ago on the news. But how does Mexico do it? I see people go through there like hell. If it's more relaxed then what gives?

 

[waggy]

I travel to Canada fairly often for business. If I recall correctly, the actual year when it became a requirement to show a passport at the US/Canada border was 2009. The legislation was passed earlier than that (shortly after 9/11 probably) but like most government things it took some time to get implemented.

Even before that, having a passport made things much easier.

from what i'm reading it started in 2009. when i went to college in Rochester we would go to Canada all the time. all i ever had to show was my ID.

I was hoping to take the kids across. they are bummed. ohwell..its going to be a busy weekend anyway.

 

[Six]

from what i'm reading it started in 2009. when i went to college in Rochester we would go to Canada all the time. all i ever had to show was my ID.

I was hoping to take the kids across. they are bummed. ohwell..its going to be a busy weekend anyway.

You'll be fine returning. They'll give you some crap, but if you are a U.S. citizen, you'll get back. Just don't be a dick to the border officers.

Source: first hand experience.

 

[gorcorps]

Fair enough... but who said I said it was easy? :sneaky:

you're so naturally smooth that I just assumed

 

[Anubis]

How do people not have passports?

I know people that never been more then 500 miles from their place of birth

this is not hard to understand

 

[DrPizza]

You used to be able to go to\from Canada with only a state ID or birth certificate.

Honestly I've never really understood the change. If you really want to sneak in there is plenty of un-patrolled boarder and lakes that you could cross. The new laws are more feel good that something that would deter dedicated terrorists

Well, all I said was "as far as I can remember" which definitely IS true (you certainly can't know what I remember)... it's just that my attempts to get into Canada don't stretch beyond 5 years ago. That's all I've known, and nobody has ever mentioned the ability to go in and out of the country with just an ID before so that's all news to me.

It's not newer than 5 years that's for sure. Based on responses here you might have had a special license (NY is one of the few states that have them) which is why you got in/out so easily.

You didn't even need a driver's license prior to 9/11. You got to the Canadian border, "country of origin?" "United States." "Why are you heading into Canada today?" "Going to see Niagara Falls, do some sight seeing, and stop at a few shops." "Okay, have a nice day." The ONLY time I was ever hassled at the border, I was taking my kids over for something to do - it was a dreary day at the lake, we were camping, and wanted dry, non-lake things to do. "Does there mother know they're going into Canada with you?" "No." Wrong answer. I explained that we were on a week long camping trip about 15 miles from the border, and wanted something different to do, given the weather. I was out of the car. The kids were grilled with question after question. 5 or 10 minutes later, we were in Canada. I remember the awesomeness of the concept of dollar stores. They were dollar stores in Canada too. But, $1 American got us around $1.30 or $1.40 Canadian.


And, like others above, I don't have a passport. What kind of moron spends money on a passport if he has absolutely zero intention of traveling outside the country? If I decide to travel somewhere, I'll get a passport. What kind of moron thinks that everyone travels outside the country? I drive under the Peace Bridge (from US to Canada) at least once a month. Every once in a while, I do wish I had an enhanced driver's license so I could cross the border, just to see the Canadian side of the Falls - not that I haven't seen it 100 times prior to the strict border rules.

 

[John Connor]

And, like others above, I don't have a passport. What kind of moron spends money on a passport if he has absolutely zero intention of traveling outside the country? If I decide to travel somewhere, I'll get a passport. What kind of moron thinks that everyone travels outside the country? I drive under the Peace Bridge (from US to Canada) at least once a month. Every once in a while, I do wish I had an enhanced driver's license so I could cross the border, just to see the Canadian side of the Falls - not that I haven't seen it 100 times prior to the strict border rules.

Haven't you heard? Everyone in ATOT (as they call it) is an international player or international spy. Or something like that...

 

[BoomerD]

The change wasn't "a few years ago"-it was a decade or longer. You used to be able to go to Canada, Mexico and certain Caribbean countries without a passport. That was done away with as part of the Homeland Security Act changes.

Back in the sixties I went to Niagara Falls as a kid. All we needed to cross the border was a quarter to put in the turnstile. I had to break down and renew my passport for my last trip to Canada.

Only if by " a decade or longer" you mean 2009...

 

[Denly]

Canadian here, 20yrs go with a drivers lic I can drive down to US 10 times a week without issue when I lived in Niagara Fall for a while. I can even hop into an international flight to Asia with just drivers lic(did it once). Now we aren't going no where without a passport.

 

[waggy]

You didn't even need a driver's license prior to 9/11. You got to the Canadian border, "country of origin?" "United States." "Why are you heading into Canada today?" "Going to see Niagara Falls, do some sight seeing, and stop at a few shops." "Okay, have a nice day." The ONLY time I was ever hassled at the border, I was taking my kids over for something to do - it was a dreary day at the lake, we were camping, and wanted dry, non-lake things to do. "Does there mother know they're going into Canada with you?" "No." Wrong answer. I explained that we were on a week long camping trip about 15 miles from the border, and wanted something different to do, given the weather. I was out of the car. The kids were grilled with question after question. 5 or 10 minutes later, we were in Canada. I remember the awesomeness of the concept of dollar stores. They were dollar stores in Canada too. But, $1 American got us around $1.30 or $1.40 Canadian.


And, like others above, I don't have a passport. What kind of moron spends money on a passport if he has absolutely zero intention of traveling outside the country? If I decide to travel somewhere, I'll get a passport. What kind of moron thinks that everyone travels outside the country? I drive under the Peace Bridge (from US to Canada) at least once a month. Every once in a while, I do wish I had an enhanced driver's license so I could cross the border, just to see the Canadian side of the Falls - not that I haven't seen it 100 times prior to the strict border rules.

we decided we are taking the everything and if we get in we get in. fuck it it will be an adventure!

worst thing is we can be told no and drive around MI. lol

 

[notposting]

I just thought it was funny how specific the location was, bypassing "Metro Detroit".



Lots to see in Michigan, waggy. How much adventure time do you have?