Passport Requirements

Hi all,

I am a Canadian citizen and a permanent resident in the USA. I am flying to Vancouver on June 5 (come hell or high water), and I submitted a passport application a week and a half ago. I'm not sure if I'm going to get the passport in time - you never know with the photo requirements, timing, etc.

Anyway, I have determined that I can get back into the US with my green card (an adjudicated travel document, or so says US Customs and Border Protection), and my birth certificate. Question is, can I get into Canada with that same documentation, or do I absolutely need a passport? Will they turn me away?

I'll be travelling with my son, an 8 year old American. (I'll be sure to have my wife wife write me a note for their perusal!)

I have a hard time believing that the Canadians will turn my son and I away. Believe me, we don't look like terrorists - and try as I might, I still sound Canadian.

Thanks for your thoughts in advance.

Doug

Sure it's on there somewhere: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/whti-ivho/menu-eng.html

My understanding is that you couldn't get on the plane without a passport or a canpass (which is as hard to get as a passport).

Thanks for the reply Steven.

The WHTI (US law) is pretty clear about the ability of a Legal Permanent Resident to use the green card in lieu of a passport. What's unclear to me, even after looking at the Canadian website, is how the people at YVR will view it.

Doug

It's not as much about getting into Canada and whether or not they'll turn you away as it is about getting on the plane. From what I've read, you will not be able to board a US plane headed for Canada without a valid Canadian passport or Nexus card. You don't need it yet for domestic or land, so you could fly to Seattle and drive to Vancouver if that's an option. I would call the airline if you're not interpreting the bulletins the same way. If it's a "rule", you won't be able to bargain with them when you arrive at the airport.

That's how I understand it as well. If you're flying internationally, you need a passport to get on the plane, regardless of your immigrant status anywhere.

US citizens cannot get on a plane to Canada without a valid US passport. An American colleague of mine just went through this.

So if Americans can't do it, I doubt Canadians can either. Even if it is possible, I certainly wouldn't trust the airlines to know the fine points of immigration law. They will default to "no" to cover their liability. You could easily be stuck at the airport and miss your flight while you argue the point, whether you are right or wrong.

The one loophole is you can cross via land or (I believe) sea with only a birth certificate. That was what my colleague ended up doing -- flying to New York and then driving to Montreal. Canadians can probably do this as well.

I heard that US customs had planned to close that loophole this year but they extended it for another year (or maybe longer, dunno).

It turns out I'll get my passport in time, so it's all good.

I did get the United Airlines rep to believe my legal argument; however, policy is one thing, and the law entirely another.

D