[Ruxpercnd]

At Last! We are going to treat Canadians like they are from another country! Canada is going to recip, but it's moot. Any American going to Canada better have their passport to get back home anyway. I think this is for the best, as Canadians have been too loose with their immigration, as have the U.S.. I've been using my passport for travel to Canada for a couple years now anyway. This is being phased in starting 2008?

$1:

Passports soon to be required for U.S.-Canada travelers
12:51 PM PDT on Tuesday, April 5, 2005

Associated Press


WASHINGTON, D.C. - Americans will need passports to re-enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, Panama and Bermuda by 2008, part of a tightening of U.S. border controls in an era of terrorist threat, three administration officials said Tuesday.


U.S. Government

Both Americans and Canadians will need passports.

Similarly, Canadians will also have to present a passport to enter the United States, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Canadians have been the only foreigners allowed to enter the United States with just a driver's license.

An announcement, expected later Tuesday at the State Department, will specify that a passport or another valid travel document will have to be shown by U.S. citizens, the officials said.

These include a document called Sentri that is used for Mexico travel or a Nexus for Canada travel.

Until now, Americans returning home from Canada have needed only to show a driver's license or other government-issued photo identification card.

Resources
U.S. Dept. of State - passport info
Americans returning from Mexico, Panama or Bermuda currently need only a government-issued photo identification card plus proof of U.S. citizenship like an original birth or naturalization certificate, according to the State Department's Web site.

The new rules, to be phased in by Jan. 1, 2008, were called for in intelligence legislation approved last year by Congress.

Safeguarding U.S. borders are a top concern of U.S. intelligence and security officials. The concern increased after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and on the Pentagon.

The travel industry has raised concerns that the changes might hamper tourism, one official said.

The announcement follows a three-way summit last month that President Bush held with Prime Minister Paul Martin of Canada and President Vicente Fox of Mexico.

Speaking at Baylor University at Waco, Tex., Bush said border controls with Mexico had to be tightened to make sure that terrorists, drug runners, gun runners and smugglers do not enter the United States.

Besides a passport, re-entering Americans could use another approved travel document like frequent travel cards, which are issued to some people who travel often between the U.S. and Mexico. These cards typically are used to avoid long border-crossing lines.

But in most cases, only passports will do, another U.S. official said.

The new system will deal first with the Caribbean, then Mexico and Canada. It will start at airports and subsequently spread to land crossings, said an official speaking on condition of anonymity.

U.S. inspectors will bear less of a burden with the changes because they won't have to sift through different kinds of travel documents, the officials said.

[CDN_Raptor]

Im not goign to like it cause now ill have to get a passport but its probably for the best and it'll be alot safer for both countries

[Dan74]

I feared it was only a matter of time after those savages struck on 9-11.
Course I understand the reasoning but still don't like it.I cross the border at least once a month so this is just another hassle.
The kicker is that I have always have had more of a problem coming back into Canada than going to the U.S

[xerxes]

As paranoid as the decision seems, it's not that bad an idea. Everytime I cross the border, I use my passport. It's just easier and quicker that way.

Unlike Dan74, I have never had a problem getting back in to Canada. It's always vice-versa. Especially this one time my friend and I were going to Spokane to visit some relatives of his. When we got to the crossing, the border patrol people ask us to park the car. Then they "ask" us to get out and go to the office. As we are seperately getting out, another officer is standing a few meters away, hand on his hip. Then they ask a bunch of questions in their office, all the while being subjected to the propaganda of FOX news in the background.

Though, looking back, our treatment may have something to do with the fact that my friend (who was drving) had hippie length hair and it was a border crossing in the middle of nowhere.

But coming back through the same crossing, the Canadian guy is so relaxed, it was scary. He goes "So...........where ya from?" "Abbotsford!? That's a ways away. How the bird flu thing (this was Apr. 04) going down there?" "Oh, glad I'm not a chicken." "Carry on."

[Ruxpercnd]

Just heard on the news that children will also need passports.

[BartSimpson]

I've always managed to avoid the long lines at Blaine/White Rock by just driving across on a back road between Custer, Washington and the Canadian border just south of Fern Ridge, B.C. - no border controls at all, just a white line on the pavement says Canada on one side and USA on the other.

[DixieCallin]

I've had a passport for my entire adult life..25 years ago, it was a different world.. since 9/11 its changed alot..if anything it should speed up the process a little..

just my 2 cents

[HonoraryHoser]

US customs are already assholes as it is.




If I'm treated like I'm smuggling dope, I might as well so I can get something out of it.

[spikedriver]

sort of like locking your door when you leave the house. they are for honest people. Criminals have all the equipment to make better fakes than the originals and border guards lack proper up to the minute trng. To catch a thief you have to think like a thief. Thats why the best cops ar the ones no one trusts.

Truely its a shame that it took countless lives from 911 until now to get this changed though. I remember being at the attack hel sqn when the towers got hit and the scramble to get them off the tarmac. armed for bear but no authority to do anything .. even the units which were in ON for trng were grounded and we are the national defence units. Who drives security - I don't think its Canada.

[elk6x6]

I have crossed the border many times in my life with no problems on either side until the last time, and I mean the last time. I was traveling to Lethbridge with my son so that I could drive his car home after he purchased a new truck. The Canadian border patrol had us get out and answer several questions, then inside for more questiones. In the mean time they must have done a computer check on our crime history. They found only one thing on me and that was: On my 21st birthday over 35 years ago I got pretty drunk and was arrested for drunk and disorderly. No problem with that but when I was in the drunk tank I accidentally knocked their coffee pot off the counter and it broke. The us police said they would not file any charges if I bought them a new one, which I did. It was just a foot note on my record. The Canadian border patrol told me that in Canada that it was malitious destruction of Govt. property which is a felony qnd that he was going to bar me entry into Canada for it. That is unless I sent $250.00 to Toronto to purchase a pardon. That is ridiculous. Then he ask what we were going to do in Canada. When we told him my son was going to buy a $47,000 pickup, he said well OK I will let you through. Well that is the last time I will ever visit Canada. We used to vacation there almost every year and travelled to Lethbridge several times a year to visit friends and eat some of the best chinese food. We spent alot of money there on machinery and other expenses. Not any more because Canada has the best justice money can buy.

[CanuckEMT]

Hmmm, best justice????? haven't had much of an exposure to Canadian justice system have you?

I wouldn't go judging the entire country on one goof that works at customs and thinks he is the " end all be all". I used to cross the border at the Coutts/Sweetgrass crossing at least 2 to 3 times a week. The only time I ever got harassed is coming back to my own country. Once they were not going to let me in because I did not have my birth certificate on me, and would not take my Alberta drivers licence as ID. They said anyone could get one of those.

As for the passport issue for crossing into the US, what about all the truckers that cross there everyday? I would hate to see the line-ups when this comes into effect. I can understand to a point why this is happening, but I also believe it is just another way that the US is getting even for a few STUPID decisions by our illustrious Liberal gov't. This petty fight that is going on from Beef to softwood lumber to missle defence is getting a little rediculous. We share the largest undefended border in the world, we trade an unbelieveable amount of products and our relations are the worst now that they have ever been.

[canucker]

PeterFinn PeterFinn:

I've always managed to avoid the long lines at Blaine/White Rock by just driving across on a back road between Custer, Washington and the Canadian border just south of Fern Ridge, B.C. - no border controls at all, just a white line on the pavement says Canada on one side and USA on the other.

Are you serious? I know if you drive down 0 Avenue you can see the markings of the border, and it would be easy to cross, but not by road. Hmm, interesting. The border is sometimes such a hassle because I am Canadian and my other half is American. We usually go across the truck crossing.

[BartSimpson]

canucker canucker:

PeterFinn PeterFinn:

I've always managed to avoid the long lines at Blaine/White Rock by just driving across on a back road between Custer, Washington and the Canadian border just south of Fern Ridge, B.C. - no border controls at all, just a white line on the pavement says Canada on one side and USA on the other.

Are you serious? I know if you drive down 0 Avenue you can see the markings of the border, and it would be easy to cross, but not by road. Hmm, interesting. The border is sometimes such a hassle because I am Canadian and my other half is American. We usually go across the truck crossing.

Straight up. There's the truck crossing (which is a HELL of a lot nicer and more efficient than the 1-5/99 crossing) and then there's the crossing at the 13 on the way to Lynden. Due west of there there's a crossing that leads you to the vicinity of 232 Street. (It's just WRONG to post the specifics on here - you know the area so I'm sure you'll figure it out!!)

[Ruxpercnd]

There's a lot of places where you can just walk across by jumping the ditch from the Canadian road to the American road. This area is patrolled. Mostly for illegals, not Canadians. This border was intended to be unguarded from the beginning. Last time across, I used the truck crossing and went up Canada 15. Seemed like the easiest way to Whistler.

[CanuckEMT]

When I used to live in White Rock A long time ago it was a pain to cross at the Peace Arch crossing. I would use 176 st or the Sumas crossing.

Long way around to BIrch Bay though in the summer and you would loose some valuable babewatching time.....