To enter Canada from the Untied States, infants must meet the same requirements as all other travelers. The Canada Border Services Agency, or CBSA, requires proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, to cross the Canadian border. While CBSA requires adults to present photo identification as well, this requirement is waived for infants, and all children under age 16. The CBSA website explains that certificates of naturalization and citizenship are also acceptable proof of American citizenship.
All infants re-entering the United States from Canada by land or sea must present either a birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, explains the United States Department of State's, or DOS, Bureau of Consular Affairs website. Adults and children over 16 traveling with an infant must meet all DOS documentation requirements for re-entry, including presenting "either a U.S. passport, passport card, NEXUS card, Enhanced Drivers License or other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative--WHTI--compliant document." explains the DOS.
All U.S. citizens returning to the United States from Canada by air must have a United States Passport. This requirement includes infants according to the DOS website. To obtain a passport for your infant, you must apply in person with your infant at an approved passport acceptance facility or passport agency and provide all required documentation. Passports issued to children under the age of 16 are valid for five years.
When entering Canada, infants are expected to arrive at the border in the same vehicle as their parents, according to the CBSA. If traveling in a large group, ensure your infant is in your vehicle before arriving at the border. The CBSA website suggests that parents who have shared custody traveling with an infant keep a copy of all legal custody documentation, as well as a letter from the other parent stating that he is aware of the trip, and that the child is not being abducted. For infants traveling without either parent, a letter granting permission for the infant to enter Canada with the adults she is with, including the parents' contact information, should be presented at the border, according to the CBSA website.
