June 1, 2009 was an important date for Canadian passport laws. This date was set by the Canadian government, and it applies to American citizens who are crossing over the border from the United States into Canada. Students taking school trips into Canada from the U.S. will no longer require passports, but they will need U.S. birth certificates. Adults will need a passport or a passport card (called a NEXUS card) to enter Canada. Students and adults must have standard passports if they are arriving into Canada by air. American aliens who are legal residents of the U.S. will need to possess a green card before they can cross the border.
U.S. citizens planning on taking a trip into Canada will not need a visa if their trip is 180 days or less. Americans who have a criminal record or who have been convicted of a DUI must contact the Canadian Consulate or Embassy before visiting. Individuals who have these types of convictions may need a waiver of exclusion in order to complete their trip.
U.S. citizens who purchase products in Canada are subject to taxation by the Canadian government once they take these products back over the border into the U.S. This applies only to items that are purchased or received as a gift or any item that was obtained after crossing the American border into the U.S. Because every person who crosses over the border is subject to be searched, all items obtained in Canada should be declared. Items costing more than $400 will more than likely be subject to duty fees. There are exemptions, however, and they vary according to circumstances.
Individuals who are crossing the border into Canada with children must have proof that they are legally able to make this trip. Proof of custody and proper paperwork must be presented once they arrive at the border. Signed documentation (a letter of consent) by the other parent (if a parent is riding alone with a child) is required, and a current telephone number is needed in order for immigration personnel to call for confirmation of the trip.
U.S. citizens can bring only specified firearms into Canada. These weapons include hunting rifles and shotguns, and they must be used only for competition or hunting purposes. There is a 200-round limit on ammunition. Canadian law requires that people who bring firearms into the country must be age 18 and up. Another requirement is a Canadian possession and acquisition license (PAL); alternatively, an individual must register her firearm at the border. Fully automatic weapons, handguns and guns less than 66 cm in length are prohibited by law.
