Yet another dual citizen moving to the us questio

Hi everyone,
Hopefully this is a quick question but after reading all the archived stuff I still need clarification.
I currently live in Canada and have a Canadian passport. I also have a US birth certificate and social security #. I want to move to Honolulu in June. What paperwork do I need to cross the border without a cavity search. I'm in Hawaii right now, should I apply for a us passport?

Thanks
Ian

Yes, get yourself a US passport, that will make entries to the USA almost hassle free.

Do I need co signers like I would need for a Canadian passport? If so, how do I get those having not lived in the states for ~20 years?

Do I need co signers like I would need for a Canadian passport? If so, how do I get those having not lived in the states for ~20 years?

No, no co-signers needed. You can download the application online and print it off completed to take to your local acceptance center. If you haven't had a US passport prior, you have to go to a service center (there is a searchable list) where they'll check your photo ID and keep your birth certificate. You typically get them back in seperate mailings. Some acceptance facilities do premium (express) processing, others don't, you'll have to sort through the list the passport site generates for your zip code. They also give you your choice of passport book, passport card, or a combo package.

A quote on the card and a link to the Application;
"The wallet-size passport card is convenient and less expensive than the passport book. However, the U.S. Passport Card cannot be used for international air travel. This new travel document can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry."

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738_2.html

I'm in Hawaii right now, should I apply for a us passport?

You should already have one if you're in Hawaii, entering as a citizen of another country is misrepresentation. CBP definitely don't like that.

You don't need to bother with a US passport if you only plan on going to the US and back, you can get a NEXUS card instead. Don't need photos, they take it at the enrollment centre. www.nexus.gov - remember you're enrolling as a US citizen, although I think you can enroll as a dual-citizen, IIRC. All the enrollment centres are in Canada or along the northern US border.

Remember if you're moving to the US that you need to be up-to-date on your US tax returns - US citizens must file a 1040 return every year regardless of where they live. Also need to file a Form 2555 every year if your tax home is outside the US. Have a read of Form 2555-EZ and the instructions for it if you haven't been doing this.

Thanks for the help. To clarify, I'm in Hawaii on vacation and thought I might be able to get some of this out of the way while I'm here. I'll go apply for a nexus as soon as I get back.

I'll deal with the tax stuff when I get down here, I assume I'm just putting 0 on my returns for years where I have earned all my income in Canada right?

If you are planning to move to the US, a US passport would be the better option over the NEXUS card I do believe. Especially if after you move, you decide to fly somewhere international and back again, as you would need your US passport in order to return to the US. NEXUS card is only for North America cross border travel.

Also, a US passport is valid for 10 years. NEXUS I believe is only valid for 5 years.

Yeah, but it's only $30 and they take the photo, so it's a lot cheaper. Plus you skip the line if they have a NEXUS line. Also quicker and easier to get than a passport.

The only problem is re-entering the US if you visit a third country, you can get into that country with a Canadian passport, but you can't back into the US with a NEXUS card unless the POE is NEXUS-equipped (and generally they're only at Canadian pre-clearance or land borders).

How I would do it is apply for the NEXUS card now, then sort out the passport later.