A valid travel document, such as a passport, is required for adults to enter Canada, regardless of the country of origin. If you are traveling with someone under the age of 16, they will need a valid identification, such as a birth certificate. If you are traveling with a child who is not not your son or daughter, you will need a notarized letter from the child's parent or guardian authorizing travel into Canada.
For years, you did not need to show a passport for land travel into Canada; all that was needed was a driver's license and birth certificate. But now anyone traveling from the United States to Canada by land must show a passport. Those traveling from the United States can use a PASS, or the People Access Security Service card, which is less expensive than a passport and only takes about a week to receive. If you are driving a rental car into Canada, be sure you have appropriate documentation and have cleared the drive with the rental car company first.
In addition to a passport or PASS, there are other valid forms of identification by which a United State's citizen may gain entrance into Canada.
The NEXUS card is a pre-approved card that allowed travelers to move quickly between the two countries via land or air travel. An application process to receive the card involves an interview and fingerprinting.
An Enhanced Driver's License is only available to residents of Washington and New York state. It allows individuals who live near the border to travel frequently into Canada by land or sea.
Commercial truck drivers will find the new FAST card beneficial when traveling between the United States and Canada. It is a new part of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection program and allows for easy entry when traveling for work purposes.
The documentation required to visit Canada as a student or temporary worker is the same as that of a tourist, but students and workers are required to show additional pieces of documentation, such as a work permit. In addition, if you plan to live in Canada more than six months, you will be required to show a Temporary Visa, which must be issued before you attempt to enter Canada.
There are limits on the types and amounts of items you can take into Canada, and the items you bring in may need documentation as well. For instance, Canada has strict gun laws, and only guns for which you have a permit for sporting or recreational use will be allowed in. Any other weapons without official proof of these uses will be prohibited.
