Can i use a birth certificate with a different last name than my drivers license to get into canada?

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Cariad

Yes, you can...in some cases. For example, a woman will often have a different surname if she has married and taken her husband's name. (I have seen some women change their birth certificates to have both married and maiden on them) I have went through the border recently and used my drivers license with my married name and birth certificate with my maiden name. The border guards do live in the real world with us...they KNOW women get married and change their names. Unless they have reason to question you, they won't. (and they can pull files on you with your ID that will show your license was in another name, they have access to that history)

Now...if you are male and have a different last name on both, that is different. I would strongly suggest doing a legal name change so everything is the same. I have seen some aborginal names which locally we know are "the same" but a different spelling and that has caused problems as well. If you have some kind of document such as adoption records bring that with you. If you don't need it, thats great...but if you do you will be glad.

When you get your passport next year, you will need to show something to explain that different surname for your passport...so finding it now is better.

Keep in mind all these security checks arent to be a pain in the bum. They are to protect the safety of the people in our countries.

A Mac Named Tasha

nope.

lastsaneperson

dont think so

cw21dlr

Well, I live in Windsor, Ontario and cross the Windsor-Detroit border all the time. I image the same criteria applies whichever way you are going. I can tell you that I am female, so my birth certificate and driver's license and not the same last name (have been married and divorced but still go by my married name). I provide both my birth certificate and driver's license at the border (in two different names), with no additional documentation, and have never once been questioned about it. I cross the border at least twice a month.
If you are male, it would probably be a different story but for a female it is normal to have your birth certificate and driver's license in two names.
That is what my experience has been as a female crossing the border constantly.

P.S. Just looking at your name ("Wily") and your profile "picture" and assuming that you're a guy, well, yes, you're likely to have problems.

CHAR L

Well is it your Birth Certificate??? Did you change your name??
Are you a woman, did you get married???
Did you change your last name some how???????

Buster

Not unless ur a married woman.

Momsey

Yes, as long as you take an official document with you that states the legal name change.
Ie. a woman would have her maiden name on her birth certificate and her married name on her drivers licence. She could use her marriage certificate as proof of legal name change.
To avoid being pulled into the immigration office, the best thing to do is to travel with a passport.

hailfeal

nope. has to be the same name, one photo ID and another piece of government id that matches your name. you can use photocopies as long as its notorized. these are acceptable for now, just keep in mind that it will soon be manditory to have a passport to enter canada by land or water. currently if going by plane you need a passport to enter canada.

Shorty

If you have other information to prove that is you, then probably so.

loved1

Melanie J

If you changed your name legally, yes. However, you need to bring proof that your name changed such as a marriage license or an adoption decree.

Juan R

No, they are really tight right now, if you must go to canada, please bring other things that have your last name and ones with a previous last name just to be safe.

moohahaha

to get into canada...maybe.
But you need a good reason why. or just dont show the birth certificate, I think you just need 2 forms of ID.
Its getting into the states thats tricky. The border people are annoyingly picky and mean. My dads a truck driver and they made him and his buddy wait 48 hours and they got stip searched and everything just because his buddy had a stutter problem when he gets nervous and they thought he was nervous cause he had a bomb or some crap like that....lol

miraclestar_1990

i think you can but its better if you just double check

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