Going to canada for the first time?

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Ralfcoder

A US citizen can cross with just a passport. I don't know what a non-citizen will need. Look up Customs Canada and see, or better yet, call them.

Also, be SURE to ask US Customs if you will be allowed back into the US. I have heard stories of non-citizens who go across to Canada for a short stay, and their visa will not allow re-entry. One was a guy who went over to Windsor from Detroit for his bachelor party. He missed his own wedding. It may have been an extreme case, but you never know, so ask. And when you call US Customs, ask what YOU need to carry to get back into the US, too.

freeside49

Yes, Its as easy as that if you have passports. Probably three questions; how long are you staying, purpose of your trip and are you bringing in any fruit or visted a farm in past 2 weeks (to stop diseases transmission)
The driving rules and road layout are essentially the same on both sides.
Brothers of a common mother eh... but being brit you knew that of course.

Have fun

Suanna

Hi Joe,
If you are not yet a US citizen, but a UK immigrant, the border patrol may ask you for your immigration documents to check them over - so bring them with you (sometimes the border patrol officers are in a pissy mood). Yes, you need passports for each person travelling with you, including children. You need to bring your ID with you as well such as birth certificate, driver's license, etc. I am being very picky, but sometimes they are too. As I said the patrol can get snippy. You will be asked about what kind of trip you are on (business/pleasure), how long you are staying (and yes, they keep track), whether you have any produce or other fresh food on you (if you do, they will confiscate it), and have you been near any site with farm animals in the past 4 weeks. Remember too, going back to the US, you will be asked to declare any purchases you have made. I recommend that you do not lie. Just keep the receipts and declare everything. It's just easier. Have a great trip!

Karen L

UK visitors to Canada need a passport to enter but if you are a permanent resident of the US then you need to bring evidence of that, and I'd bring your passport too. At this time US citizens do not need a passport to cross between there and Canada if travelling by land, but they do need to carry proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate and some photo ID like a driver's licence. They do need a passport if travelling by air. After June 1, passport is required for all forms of travel.

Yes, most of the time you can just drive up to the border, present your identification, probably answer a few basic questions about the purpose of your trip, and away you go. They may ask a few other questions but if you appear to be a normal middle class couple it's unlikely. People get turned back occasionally if they have criminal records, if they appear not to have enough money to look after themselves while in Canada, and if it seems they have no ties in the US to bring them back. I often take something such as my property tax bill to prove I own a house back home in Canada.

The Canadian agency that handles all this is the CBSA, the US one is the TSA. Their websites should tell you all this.

Dead Day Afternoon

You'll be fine.
They'll ask the lenght of your visit to Canada and the nature of it.
Say vacation.

short and to the point

passports are not need for us residents until june 1st of this year. a drivers license will work. if you have a passport the crossing will go faster as they are read by the computer. that's it.

other than the cavity search that's pretty much it, although u won't want to drive for long after that cavity search.....ouch !!

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