View Full Version : Question - border crossing
Hey all, I apologize if this kind of scenario has been posted before, but I looked around and found nothing.
I'm planning on going to the U.S. for the weekend, from Canada and I'm paranoid about my passport.
My passport is still valid until march or april 2007, so it's good, however the picture on it was taken around 5 years ago, when I was 13, so I look kinda like a lil kid in the picture, and I'm 18 now and have grown alot since then.
I currently do not have any other photo ID, I'm wondering, will I be good crossing the border with that passport?
i'm also a canadian citizen, white male, and no criminal record - if that helps :)
Thankss
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(robb @ Oct 18 2006, 10:09 PM) 40242</div>
Hey all, I apologize if this kind of scenario has been posted before, but I looked around and found nothing.
I'm planning on going to the U.S. for the weekend, from Canada and I'm paranoid about my passport.
My passport is still valid until march or april 2007, so it's good, however the picture on it was taken around 5 years ago, when I was 13, so I look kinda like a lil kid in the picture, and I'm 18 now and have grown alot since then.
I currently do not have any other photo ID, I'm wondering, will I be good crossing the border with that passport?
i'm also a canadian citizen, white male, and no criminal record - if that helps :)
Thankss
[/b]
Hi Robb,
Welcome to Tripso.
The US Department of State web site states the following:
Entry of Citizens of Canada to the US
Citizens of Canada are exempt from the visa and passport requirement of Immigration and Nationality Act (section 212(a)(7).) To enter the United States, a Canadian citizen must be able to establish both identity and citizenship. Documents that may establish citizenship are: Birth Certificate
Citizenship Certificate
Passport
Although a CBP officer may accept an oral declaration of citizenship, it is recommended that a Canadian citizen carry a document that establishes citizenship. Under current procedures, all travelers may be required to present photo-identification.
NOTE: A Canadian citizen arriving from outside the Western Hemisphere is required to present a passport. Canadian citizens classified as Treaty Trader, Treaty Investor, or Fiancé(e) require a visa.
That being said I would suggest there are a few caveats to the above for you. While your passport is still valid until March 2007, that means if you're not visiting the US until November your passport will be expiring in less than 6 months from the time you're entering the US. In addition, you have a child's Canadian Passport, not an adult passport. That's a double whammy. For Canadians there is no explicit requirement about expiration date, or an adult traveling on a child's passport, of which I'm aware, however, as you suspect it's chancey.
My strong suggestion is bring your birth certificate, and have your driver's license with you. The birth certificate will establish you as a Canadian citizen, and the driver's license (I assume your license has your photo on it.) will establish your identity. I believe this combination will be better than your soon to expire, child's passport.
In addition, if you plan to travel much, don't wait, get a new passport.
So much for that. Where are you going in the US?
Thanks for the reply
I don't have my drivers liscense, or any other photo ID at the moment, so I don't have that to show.
As far as my passport is concerned, it is an adult passport, and I don't see why it would be a problem if it expires soon, the only thing im worried about is the young picture of me.
Again I am being super paranoid about this and I just want to make sure ill have no problems crossing the border so that our weekend isn't ruined.
I'm going to philadelphia
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(robb @ Oct 18 2006, 11:29 PM) 40247</div>
Thanks for the reply
I don't have my drivers liscense, or any other photo ID at the moment, so I don't have that to show.
As far as my passport is concerned, it is an adult passport, and I don't see why it would be a problem if it expires soon, the only thing im worried about is the young picture of me.
Again I am being super paranoid about this and I just want to make sure ill have no problems crossing the border so that our weekend isn't ruined.
I'm going to philadelphia
[/b]
It's a smart attitude to be careful in traveling to another country these days. You can usually count on the security people at the border to follow their regulations to the letter.
I'll take your word for it, but I'm surprised your passport is an adult passport. Adult passports in Canada last for 5 years. You indicated your passport will expire in 2007, which means it would have been issued in 2002, when you were 14. You have to be 16 to obtain an adult Canadian passport. Something doesn't mesh. There are two classes of children's passports in Canada, one that expires in 3 years for children under the age of 3, and one that expires in 5 years for children under the age of 16. I think, unknown to you, you have the latter passport.
As to why passports which soon expire can be a potential problem, many countries, including the US, won't accept a passport for entry into the country, from most countries, which expire within 6 months of the entry date. The reason is that the passport would expire prior to the time, when under their law, the visitor must leave the country. I believe Canada is one of the countries for which this requirement is exempt for US entry, but I can't find the exemption listed on the US State Department web site.
I would still suggest you take your birth certificate with you to prove your Canadian citizenship, and take your passport with the old photo as your photo ID. I doubt you'll have a problem, but one can't be sure, considering the photo on the passport.
Since your passport has an old photo, and you have no other government issued photo ID, if you want to be absolutely safe, you might want to get a new passport. I don't know when you're leaving on your weekend in Philadelphia, but if you apply for the passport in person at a Passport Canada office, the processing time to get a passport is supposed to be 2 weeks (10 working days). A new Passport will cost $87(Canadian).
I've lived in Philadelphia most of my adult life. I hope you have a great time here.
Is there somewhere on the passport that says if its a child passport or adult passport? I just want to be sure on this before I say anything else heh.
weblet
10-19-2006, 07:29 AM
Ned must have gone to bed, robb. I'll bet he is right about the child v adult passport, though. Once everyone wakes up here, I would say you will have a couple of the Canadian agents on the board chiming in for you.
Is there a reason you can't get a drivers license before you come to the US? That and your passport would work fine. I understand about the old picture :P .
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(robb @ Oct 19 2006, 02:34 AM) 40261</div>
Is there somewhere on the passport that says if its a child passport or adult passport? I just want to be sure on this before I say anything else heh.
[/b]
I don't know that answer. I'm not familiar enough with the look of Canadian child passports to know for sure, but in your case I think the answer is your photo would be enough. Actually, the biggest issue is not that it is a child's passport, but that the passport has a photo of you when you were a child, and it's your only photo ID.
Hence my suggestion to get a new passport, and Weblet's suggestion to get a driver's license. I don't know where you are with being a potential driver, but you can get a new passport within a couple of weeks.
We just want your border crossing to be easy. Unless you're coming here in the next couple of weeks, I strongly suggest you just get a new passport.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ned @ Oct 19 2006, 07:47 AM) 40267</div>
I don't know that answer. I'm not familiar enough with the look of Canadian child passports to know for sure, but in your case I think the answer is your photo would be enough. Actually, the biggest issue is not that it is a child's passport, but that the passport has a photo of you when you were a child, and it's your only photo ID.
Hence my suggestion to get a new passport, and Weblet's suggestion to get a driver's license. I don't know where you are with being a potential driver, but you can get a new passport within a couple of weeks.
We just want your border crossing to be easy. Unless you're coming here in the next couple of weeks, I strongly suggest you just get a new passport.
[/b]
ill be crossing the border tommorow heh, so no time to get a new one :(
I appreciate the help though, and I'm going to bring my passport + birth certificate, and if they dont let me in, well then poop :(
Annette
10-19-2006, 03:10 PM
Although I've handed out applications for child passports I've never actually seen one so I don't know where you'd find the designator on it. But the easy way is this: Your passport will have an issue date and an expiration date on page 2. If the difference between the 2 dates is 5 years then it's an adult passport.
Regardless of what kind of passport it is, everyone else who's chimed in so far is absolutely correct in saying that the passport should be valid for 6 months beyond the date of entry. They may or may not enforce this, depending on how picky they feel like being. You really should consider getting a new passport and paying the fees to expedite it, if there's still time for that for your weekend.
You will need a government issued photo ID if you don't get a new passport. One thing that will work at our particular border crossing is an age ID card from the liquor commission - but that only works because the government controls the liquor commission so when that ID card is issued it's actually issed by a government agency. And I don't know that I'd want to use it for something like say air travel or at another border crossing where they may not be familiar with it.
hey all, just wanted to let you guys know that I got accross the border without a problem, did not even need to show my birth certificate
had a great time, i'm going to follow your advice and get myself a new passport soon so i don't have to worry for future trips :)
thx all
BYOFT
10-25-2006, 03:56 PM
That's great, Robb.
Wishing you many happy travels in the future.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(robb @ Oct 25 2006, 03:52 PM) 41063</div>
hey all, just wanted to let you guys know that I got accross the border without a problem, did not even need to show my birth certificate
had a great time, i'm going to follow your advice and get myself a new passport soon so i don't have to worry for future trips :)
thx all
[/b]
That's wonderful. I'm pleased you had a great time.