How picky are Canadian border guards?

[Arinya]

Ok, I'm going to Canada this Friday. It was an all of a sudden spontaneous trip so I don't have time to get a passport or my original birth certificate. My question to you all is...I have a valid drivers liscense and a copy of my birth certificate. Will this be good enough? It's the copy of my birth certificate that I'm worried about, will they want the original to let me into Canada or will my copy of it be good enough?
I'm from Michigan by the way, not sure if that makes a difference...so...
Who's traveled to Canada lately and how picky were the border guards? We're only going over for the day and night by the way.

[LadyTrinity]

Ugh! My gosh.. I have crossed the ontario boarder to get into michigan and they were so strict. If they question anything.. they make you pull your car over and they search the car then search your bags and purses then make you go into their station.. :achug: Make sure you drink lots LOL To get you through it. It can be fustrating. Jk! dont drink!!!:lol:
I am not sure if your copy will be good enough...

[BrigidMoon]

I've never had problems crossing the border. I just answer the questions honestly. I've never had to show them any proof of being an American citizen but having those documents with you is a very good idea!

[Maggie]

Ok, I'm going to Canada this Friday. It was an all of a sudden spontaneous trip so I don't have time to get a passport or my original birth certificate. My question to you all is...I have a valid drivers liscense and a copy of my birth certificate. Will this be good enough? It's the copy of my birth certificate that I'm worried about, will they want the original to let me into Canada or will my copy of it be good enough?
I'm from Michigan by the way, not sure if that makes a difference...so...
Who's traveled to Canada lately and how picky were the border guards? We're only going over for the day and night by the way.

Do you have time to get an embossed (official) copy from the courthouse? If not I would call immigration and ask. I know the ones from Detroit are very strict, and elsewhere too. When the kids were small and travelled with the ex I had to give him a written statement that they had my permission to travel with him to Vancouver--and this was several years ago.

Maggie

[JasmineRose]

I live close to the Canada border and have gone through several times. I'm not all that old and I remember when all they wanted was to see the license of whoever was driving the car and they asked where each passenger was born. Then it changed to driver's license and voter registration card of the driver and every passenger. When my cousin was visiting for Christmas a few years ago, it was announced that birth certificates were required but no one looked at them. I haven't been there since but I guess now they're requiring and actually checking passports per what a friend told me when she visited there last fall.

[squerrik]

Last Oct. I went from Michigan, through Canada to New York and Back again over the course of a weekend and was only asked for ID once and at that time he also asked to look in the back of my pick-up. It took all of 5 minutes and I think he did it only because he was required to check so many cars during his shift and it was slow that night.

[Zophael]

Ok, I'm going to Canada this Friday. It was an all of a sudden spontaneous trip so I don't have time to get a passport or my original birth certificate. My question to you all is...I have a valid drivers liscense and a copy of my birth certificate. Will this be good enough? It's the copy of my birth certificate that I'm worried about, will they want the original to let me into Canada or will my copy of it be good enough?
I'm from Michigan by the way, not sure if that makes a difference...so...
Who's traveled to Canada lately and how picky were the border guards? We're only going over for the day and night by the way.

I've never had a problem getting into Canada with only a driver's license. If you go during a high traffic time, there is a much less likely chance they will bother searching your car or get picky about paperwork and such. I find coming back to the states more of a hassle. US customs is so drug paranoid. Don't return in the middle of the night unless you want a long wait with US authorities.

[JasmineRose]

That's interesting because I've never had any problem coming back into the States. In my experience, they wave you through without hardly stopping you at all. But getting in (to Canada) seems to be much more of a hassle. I guess it depends on which gates you go through and who is manning them at any given time.

[Zophael]

That's interesting because I've never had any problem coming back into the States. In my experience, they wave you through without hardly stopping you at all. But getting in (to Canada) seems to be much more of a hassle. I guess it depends on which gates you go through and who is manning them at any given time.

I probably should have clarified.
The US authorities were a pain returning from BC to Washington. Probably because of all the heroin that comes via Vancouver. Never got hassled coming back from the eastern provinces.

[malice]

i've never been to canada but i know a drivers license will prob ly be good nough

[MoonDragn]

Driver license is not enough. You need a valid passport, birth certificate or naturalization papers. They do randomly check and depending on which border you go through. Some actually process you in large buildings one at a time. A copy will NOT do. The border has been getting more and more strict recently so to be safe its probably a good idea to get one of those things. They may let you through but they may not let you back into the states without them.

[The High Queen of Faerie]

it's never been all that terrible for my family. :)

[wolf]

To be safe you will need either the raised seal birth certificate, not a copy or a US Passport.

They vary in how picky they are. If you are with a group of young folks travelling alone, you will be scruitinized.

I did a lot of talking and drinking with Canadian border guards at a conference recently.

[Arinya]

Hmmm...well....i don't have time to get a passport or to get my real birth certificate so I suppose i'll just take my drivers lisencse and my copy of my birth certificate and do what I can. :halohead: I'll let you all know how it goes...ergh.

[ravenmyst]

I went to Niagra Falls last summer and we only had our drivers licenses, and all our social security cards, they asked some questions but as we walked and were only there for the day, had no problems going either way

[redlady]

Probably you should contact an office of the RCMP just to be sure.....a quick,amusing story:An elderly couple I met at the Scottish Highland Games in New Hampshire in 2001 had their car searched at the border while coming into the States from Ontario.....they got some real :2G: :hmmmmm: :yikes: :wtf: looks when the guards found the husband's sgian dubh and claymore...until they saw his kilt :woot:

[BlackMagicalCat]

if your a trck drvr they are a pain in the rear,but its coming back into the US when you have to face the ,,,,,,,Gestapo secret police,they are unfriendly and will tell you in a New York minute you are not a US citizen until they say you are,so be nice and dont argue with them,you have no rights until they let you in our beloved country.

[Gracecat]

Visit yearly and as recent as last October. They checked driver's license and once in a while, it's 50/50 they'll check birth certificate. A copy is fine from my experience. You can bypass the DL and BC with a passport but it's unnecessary if you stay in the North American Continent. They don't require a passport to date and as far as I know there is no discussion of requiring one in the near future. :)

It's easy, just be honest and relaxed.

[Gracecat]

FWIW, I return home with several bottles of Ice Wine from Alberta nearly every year. Customs never has said anything. It may be different though, grain alcohol and wine could be regulated differently.

[Caeridwynn]

All you need is your drivers license. My husband is Canadian and we have been back and forth many times (before we ever married) both separately and together. I've never been asked for more than my license and sometimes nothing at all. We lived in Ontaro for a year and crossed the Michigan/Ontario border all the time throughout the year. They'll usually just ask what you are going to Canada for and how long you plan on being there.

[wooleybob]

I go to Canada all the time and I am from Michigan too. They aren't too picky but they do ask some questions. I went to Canada one time with my family friend and they almost didn't let us through because I am not her daughter. Also, she has an adopted daughter from China and they were really suspicious about her. They will ask why you are going, how long you are staying and what you bought while you were there. There are some things you can't bring back from canada like alcohol. And try not to be too nervous when they are asking you questions because my friend was really nervous so it caused them to search our car and he asked us all if we had weapons or mace. Good luck! :lol:

Edit: Also, make sure everyone has an ID. Even if its a school ID card because they asked us for them.
You can bring alcohol from canada,you can only bring a 5th or one case of beer back,you can bring one carton of smokes..If you have more than one adult than you can bring the limit back per each adult..Stop at the duty free shop before ya come over from canada,they got some good deals there,and also if you save your reciepts on a certain amount you can get the taxes you paid back,when ya stop at the duty free..