To Canada and back without a passport?

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jman19

jman19

Lifer
Nov 3, 2000
11,225
664
126
I've had a family emergency and I need to get to Canada in a bit of a hurry - the only problem is that I think my passport has gone missing (either that or it is still in a box of stuff since I last moved). Will I be able to get to Canada and come back to the US with any other combination of ID or am I screwed?
 
D

dirtylimey

Senior member
Nov 22, 2006
296
0
0
I tried to go to Canada with a couple of buddies and they turned us away because one of the guys had a DUI... Well it was that or his felonies and misdemeanors... Hopefully you are clean and wont have any problems :D

Being a US citizen, birth cert and photo ID should be fine
 
mcvickj

mcvickj

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2001
4,602
0
76
Just get back in the country before January 8th of 2007 or you will be stuck in Canada!! *gasp*
 
meltdown75

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,548
7
81
Do most Americans have passports?

I don't have one yet and I haven't needed one yet but like M4H said the new rules are right around the corner.

I would hate to miss out on all that Detroit & Michigan has to offer... we go Stateside 1-2 times every month!
 
M

MercenaryForHire

Lifer
Jan 31, 2002
40,819
2
0
Originally posted by: meltdown75
Do most Americans have passports?

I don't have one yet and I haven't needed one yet but like M4H said the new rules are right around the corner.

I would hate to miss out on all that Detroit & Michigan has to offer... we go Stateside 1-2 times every month!
Click to expand...

You'll need one soon. I got sick and tired of explaining to idiots at the American border that no, I don't need a passport, yes, a license, birth certificate, and SIN card are enough, yes it is, because with these three pieces of ID and my face I can GET A FSCKING PASSPORT.

- M4H
 
meltdown75

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,548
7
81
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: meltdown75
Do most Americans have passports?

I don't have one yet and I haven't needed one yet but like M4H said the new rules are right around the corner.

I would hate to miss out on all that Detroit & Michigan has to offer... we go Stateside 1-2 times every month!
Click to expand...

You'll need one soon. I got sick and tired of explaining to idiots at the American border that no, I don't need a passport, yes, a license, birth certificate, and SIN card are enough, yes it is, because with these three pieces of ID and my face I can GET A FSCKING PASSPORT.

- M4H
Click to expand...
You know I was just thinking today how easy I have it at the border. It's always, "Citizenship? How long have you been away? Bringing anything back? Ok bye." On the way into the US, it's, "Citizenship? Can I see some ID? Yes, I need to SEE the ID. Give it to me (peeved). Where are you going? How long will you be away? Are you bringing anything into the US? Ok. You can go."

So it's pretty easy both ways. We are usually going to Mexican town or a sporting event. Sometimes they ask to see our tickets, no prob.

The one thing I have always thought was 100% fscked up is that coming from Canada, I can get alllll the way across the bridge and to the gate before I'm stopped. That means it would be pancakes & syrup for someone to blow up the bridge right in the middle. Same goes for the tunnel. WTF, that's kinda lacking in homeland security IMHO.
 
J

jfall

Diamond Member
Oct 31, 2000
5,975
2
0
You should be able to get in with a birth cetificate and drivers license.

Also if I'm not mistaken I believe if it's an Emergency you can get an emergency passport issued
 
M

MercenaryForHire

Lifer
Jan 31, 2002
40,819
2
0
Originally posted by: meltdown75
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: meltdown75
Do most Americans have passports?

I don't have one yet and I haven't needed one yet but like M4H said the new rules are right around the corner.

I would hate to miss out on all that Detroit & Michigan has to offer... we go Stateside 1-2 times every month!
Click to expand...

You'll need one soon. I got sick and tired of explaining to idiots at the American border that no, I don't need a passport, yes, a license, birth certificate, and SIN card are enough, yes it is, because with these three pieces of ID and my face I can GET A FSCKING PASSPORT.

- M4H
Click to expand...
You know I was just thinking today how easy I have it at the border. It's always, "Citizenship? How long have you been away? Bringing anything back? Ok bye." On the way into the US, it's, "Citizenship? Can I see some ID? Yes, I need to SEE the ID. Give it to me (peeved). Where are you going? How long will you be away? Are you bringing anything into the US? Ok. You can go."

So it's pretty easy both ways. We are usually going to Mexican town or a sporting event. Sometimes they ask to see our tickets, no prob.

The one thing I have always thought was 100% fscked up is that coming from Canada, I can get alllll the way across the bridge and to the gate before I'm stopped. That means it would be pancakes & syrup for someone to blow up the bridge right in the middle. Same goes for the tunnel. WTF, that's kinda lacking in homeland security IMHO.
Click to expand...

Yep. Canadian customs officers have built-in bullshit detection. If you twitch, look funny, or give a less than confident answer, then they nail you. USA, they just assume everyone's guilty. :p

- M4H
 
meltdown75

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,548
7
81
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: meltdown75
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: meltdown75
Do most Americans have passports?

I don't have one yet and I haven't needed one yet but like M4H said the new rules are right around the corner.

I would hate to miss out on all that Detroit & Michigan has to offer... we go Stateside 1-2 times every month!
Click to expand...

You'll need one soon. I got sick and tired of explaining to idiots at the American border that no, I don't need a passport, yes, a license, birth certificate, and SIN card are enough, yes it is, because with these three pieces of ID and my face I can GET A FSCKING PASSPORT.

- M4H
Click to expand...
You know I was just thinking today how easy I have it at the border. It's always, "Citizenship? How long have you been away? Bringing anything back? Ok bye." On the way into the US, it's, "Citizenship? Can I see some ID? Yes, I need to SEE the ID. Give it to me (peeved). Where are you going? How long will you be away? Are you bringing anything into the US? Ok. You can go."

So it's pretty easy both ways. We are usually going to Mexican town or a sporting event. Sometimes they ask to see our tickets, no prob.

The one thing I have always thought was 100% fscked up is that coming from Canada, I can get alllll the way across the bridge and to the gate before I'm stopped. That means it would be pancakes & syrup for someone to blow up the bridge right in the middle. Same goes for the tunnel. WTF, that's kinda lacking in homeland security IMHO.
Click to expand...

Yep. Canadian customs officers have built-in bullshit detection. If you twitch, look funny, or give a less than confident answer, then they nail you. USA, they just assume everyone's guilty. :p

- M4H
Click to expand...
Understandable :)

What do you think of the bridge / tunnel security issue?
 
D

dirtylimey

Senior member
Nov 22, 2006
296
0
0
My one visit to the Canadian border didnt give me much faith in Canadian border officials...

We went aside to have them run our backgrounds and the guy asked me if I had been convicted for Grand Theft Auto... I told him no, of course not.

Then he looked up at me, back at the paper he had just printed off, then up at me again and said "You're not black...?"

Yeah, no shlt im not black. Some pretty masterful powers of deduction that guy had :p
 
Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
http://travel.state.gov/pdf/WHTI_final_rule_new.pdf

Cliffs:
Under this final rule, beginning January 23, 2007, United States citizens and nonimmigrant aliens from Canada, Bermuda, and Mexico entering the United States at air ports-of-entry will generally be required to present a valid passport.
Click to expand...

Emphasis mine. If you're by land or sea, you're still safe - but you'll need a passport ASAP.

- M4H
Click to expand...

Until Janurary of 2008 when they start enforcing the same for land border crossings as well.
 
radioouman

radioouman

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2002
8,632
0
0
I have had absolutely no trouble getting into Canada without any id. The last few times that I've driven there, they have not even asked for an ID. (They do check the plate on my car though.)

Getting back into the US, I have always given them my passport, and then take a quick look and let me go. I don't know what would happen trying to get back into the US without my passport.
 
jman19

jman19

Lifer
Nov 3, 2000
11,225
664
126
Originally posted by: jadinolf
Originally posted by: mcvickj
Just get back in the country before January 8th of 2007 or you will be stuck in Canada!! *gasp*
Click to expand...

shudder;)
Click to expand...

Worse than being stuck in Canada, I'd also be unemployed :p
 
S

shabby

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,782
45
91
Just confuse the boarder guy and he'll let you pass. Me and my buddies went down to ohio for a day, then we came back and the cdn boarder guy asked us how long we were gone. 1 day we said, where did you go he asked, my friend goofed and said idaho. He kinda looked up and thought about it and said ok you can go :D
 
meltdown75

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,548
7
81
Originally posted by: radioouman
I have had absolutely no trouble getting into Canada without any id. The last few times that I've driven there, they have not even asked for an ID. (They do check the plate on my car though.)

Getting back into the US, I have always given them my passport, and then take a quick look and let me go. I don't know what would happen trying to get back into the US without my passport.
Click to expand...
No ID at all? shens all day long on that one.
 
B

BornStar

Diamond Member
Oct 30, 2001
4,052
1
0
Originally posted by: meltdown75
Originally posted by: radioouman
I have had absolutely no trouble getting into Canada without any id. The last few times that I've driven there, they have not even asked for an ID. (They do check the plate on my car though.)

Getting back into the US, I have always given them my passport, and then take a quick look and let me go. I don't know what would happen trying to get back into the US without my passport.
Click to expand...
No ID at all? shens all day long on that one.
Click to expand...
I've gotten through a couple of times without it. I just tell them I'm going into Windsor to do some shopping for the day. The US isn't so nice though. I've skated through both of them with just a driver's license lots of times though.
 
moshquerade

moshquerade

No Lifer
Nov 1, 2001
61,504
12
56
Take it from me, who goes in and out of Canada every few months, a birth certificate and driver's license will get you in just fine. I believe they are talking 2008, maybe 2009, before you need a passcard... yes, not a passport, but it's cheaper cousin passcard, to get in.

Good luck with your family emergency jman.
rose.gif
 
S

shabby

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,782
45
91
Both sides have never asked me for any id either, they just let me pass. Must be my charming good looks...
 
moshquerade

moshquerade

No Lifer
Nov 1, 2001
61,504
12
56
Originally posted by: shabby
Both sides have never asked me for any id either, they just let me pass. Must be my charming good looks...
Click to expand...
i find this very hard to believe. where do you cross?

 
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