Passports into the states vs. ground travel.
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 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Canada
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Hi guys. I thought I'd get this topic started early before I forget. There's a lot of differening opinions about travelling into the United States via car, bus and foot. Some will tell you that no, you don't need a passport except if you plan to fly in and others are going to tell you that yes, you do need a passport even if you enter in any other way. As per Passport Canada's website, you infact won't need to use your passport until January 2008. Here be the official information: http://www.pptc.gc.ca/can/north_america.aspx?lang=e A few tips though that I've found are: - Common sense: Get your passport regardless. Better to be safe than sorry. Without this turning into a pro active exchange of political banterpoints, with the way things are in the world today, something may come up to force the government to completely throw things into the mix from far left field to mess things up, you never know. |
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I acknowledge the representative of a country more civilized than my own.
Getting into the United States is getting harder and harder due to our current national paranoia. This is taken directly from the U.S. State Department's web site:
"Beginning January 23, 2007, (meaning now!) ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport..."
"As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport..."
In other words, if you are flying in to Anthrocon 2007 from anywhere outside the USA, you will need a passport.
It is a good idea to have a passport in any case, as Berner has stated. That way there's no question.
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permalinkLocation: Montreal , Quebec , Canada
Only problem Kage with this , is that the waiting time for a passport in Canada at this time is 90 days ..
(due to heavy demand of course)
So it's ALREADY too late to ask for one..
The best bet is to bring lots and lots of identity proofs with you , namely your state-released birth certificate and photographic identification such as driving license , healthcare card and I ALWAYS bring school cards in extra as they can be used to compare many photos to your face ^^
I remade my healthcare card AND birth certificate today as a matter of fact.
Those only take 2 to 3 weeks to get by the mail ..
I came to see that it was always easier to pass in a bus too.. Since they'Re big groups , sometimes they'll be less thorough and it'll be quicker to go through the borders ^^
ALSO .. a good trick is to honestly answer all the questions they ask you . Don't sound hesitant when they ask you what you're going to do in the USA . Tell them plain and simple.
It's better to have a weird look from the border-officer because you're telling them you're going to a furry convention than to get delayed because you're not being honest or hesitant..
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permalinkLocation: Montreal , Quebec , Canada
and as stupid and Bush-ish as it sounds..
Trying not too look too much Al Quaeda helps too o.o;;
I mean clean shave and stuff like that ..
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I work for a travel consultant here in Calgary. Granted, I just handle the taxes and paperwork, but I do happen to notice the passport talk.
We have seen Canadians stuck in the States without their passports. We no longer sell airfare to any one without a passport. The airlines will just turn you away at the counter.
Canadians can still travel by ground with acceptable proof of citizenship until January 2008. However, we always recommend every traveller obtain a passport no matter the method of travel.
When filing your documents, Government Canada will notify you, on the spot, as to when your passport should mail out. Expedited service is available for a fee.
This comes from experience get your passport if possible. Even if it turns out you do not need it, it still saves good time crossing the border.
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permalinkHey Randorn...
GO OILERS!!
J'K, I'm not really into the hockey thing. Have fun at AC!
Dobe
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*hissss* Oilers!!!
Lol Flames all the way! been a die hard flames fan since Lanny macdonald!
Anyways. Thankyou Randorn for the information. Do you know anything about the winnipeg office at all? Mark and I would like to get our passports before heading to AC just to be on the safe side, but i'm curious if the wait times would be the same as in Calgary or if it is possible to pick up the passports right at the office rather then waiting for them to mail them down the block >.<
Of course the two offices could be or are completely seperate and I just sounded like a dope asking..lol.
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I am sorry for the belated reply.
When I made the journey, Calgary had only the one Government Canada office. With that in mind, standing in line for all of several seconds was very good, and receiving the thing two weeks later was amazing.
Here is some inside information for you; fill out your paperwork online at http://www.pptc.gc.ca/. The office will have you skip a great deal of waiting if your papers are on computer print.
The application will ask when you expect to travel. When you send your application, they will tell you how to get your passport before that date.
After submitting your paperwork, the office will tell you when to expect your passport in the mail. The fuzz needs their time to complete the background checks and such. There might be some top-secret facilities, magic incantations, and elves. Then finally, your passport will arrive by mail.
I hope that helps you a bit anyhow.
PS: I was kidding about the magic incantations.
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Paintball for the win; taste the pain!
Do you belong to PPLI? I swear there is a huge airsoft following with every one CF. I would love airsoft if not for the kiddies and their “SWAT does it, so it has to be cool.”
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