 |
Crossing the US-Canadian Border | |
| What you need, when and where to do it easiest. | ||
|
|
|
New Website Coming Soon!NewEnglandTravelPlanner.com (NETP, 2000 pages) has been online for twenty years (since 2004), and needs a technical upgrade. The NEW NETP—up-to-date, mobile-friendly, and more useful than ever—will be online in autumn 2023. As always, all research, writing, photography, and web design is done by one person: Tom Brosnahan. That's right: one person, not by an Artificial Intelligence chatbot, but by a real traveler. Thanks for your patience... —Tom Enhance your trip to New England by crossing the border for excursions into the neighboring Canadian provinces of Québec and New Brunswick. Do it right, and you can enjoy a Two-Nation Vacation! Bring Your Passport!If you have a valid passport, that's the best proof of identity and citizenship. You'll need it both to enter Canada and to re-enter the USA. (No, they won't just let you re-enter the USA because you say you're an American citizen. You must prove your identity and citizenship!) If you don't have a passport or passport card, allow enough time before your trip to get one! It can't be done in a day or two. More... Passports are kind of expensive ($145 for your first one), especially if you have to get one for each member of your family. Passport cards are cheaper ($65), but the cost for a family still adds up. More...
Enhanced Drivers LicenseUnder the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), a program that allows US citizens to use some alternative identification documents to enter Canada, Mexico and Caribbean islands and to re-enter the USA by land, some US states issue the Enhanced Drivers License (EDL) to their residents which employ up-to-date security features so they can act as Federal land or sea border-crossing documents. (But the Enhanced Drivers License is not valid for international air travel.) More... (Note: Enhanced Drivers License is not the same as REAL ID. A REAL ID driver's license can be used to board a US domestic flight, but it cannot be used for border crossings.) Check with your state Department of Motor Vehicles to see if your driver's license qualifies as a border-crossing document under WHTI. If you're not a driver, ask for an enhanced non-driver photo ID card (ENDID). Trusted Traveler ProgramsThe US Department of Homeland Security offers several types of identification valid for re-entering the USA, including Global Entry, Nexus and FAST. Here they are. What if I Forget or Lose My ID?Uh-oh... To re-enter the USA, you are required to prove your identity and citizenship. How will you do that? The US Customs and Border Protection officers at the border may be willing and able to help, but it will take time, not to mention hassle.... Crossing the BorderEvery person and vehicle entering Canada or the USA must be inspected and approved. In my experience, the entry into Canada is usually quicker than the entry into the USA. Expect to wait in line between 10 minutes and 45 minutes, or even more to go through the US border post. The first question the Immigration Officer will ask is "Where do you live?" Both countries' officers will want to know how long you plan to stay, or did stay; whether you are carrying alcoholic beverages, drugs legal or illegal, firearms and/or weapon-like substances such as pepper spray (Mace). They will also ask if you are importing anything you plan to leave in Canada, or if you are bringing anything acquired in Canada into the USA. Untruthful answers can result in rigorous inspection, confiscation of undeclared items, fines, denial of entry, or criminal prosecution. How to Behave at the BorderCustoms and Border Protection officers have important security duties. Border inspections are serious business, so you should behave accordingly. Answer their questions simply, clearly, briefly, and truthfully. Avoid idle chat and (especially) humor, and all should go well and quickly, and you'll be on your way. Canadian DollarsAlthough most businesses in Canadian towns accept major US credit cards, and many near the US border may accept US dollar cash, in general you'll want to spend Canadian dollars when you spend cash in Canada. You can obtain Canadian money by using your US bank cash or debit card in a Canadian ATM, or at a Canadian bank. —by Tom Brosnahan
|
|
Sign at the Canadian Customs & Immigration Station on Campobello Island.
Château Frontenac, Québec City, QC, Canada.
|
