Re: [Paddlewise] Canadian Entry and Exit... or... if we go, can we come back?

From: Darryl <Darryl.Johnson_at_sympatico.ca>
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:25:00 -0400
> rcgibbert_at_aol.com wrote:
> > Craig,
> > 
> > You need a passport to come back. It is highly useful to have one
> for
> > the Canadian authorities as well. There are WA state super
> dooper
> > drivers licenses which will be honored at the border, but a
> passport is
> > bombproof.
> 
> Where does this information come from?  I transited each way in
> early-June 
> of 2008 (yes, just three weeks ago) on a drivers license (Oregon)
> and a 
> birth certificate, via the Black Ball ferry out of Port
> Angeles/Victoria. 
> No official on either side questioned my ID.
> 
> -- 
> Dave Kruger
> Astoria, OR

It is my understanding that "technically", only a valid driver's 
license is required to cross the border in either direction. However, 
"practically", you may be asked for a passport and refused entry 
without one. This happens regularly to an older gentleman in southern 
BC who crosses to buy his gas in the USA. No passport; no entry. The 
guy is 84, but obviously age is no factor in the screening process.

And don't even bother if you have anything but a plain vanilla 
Canadian or USA citizen involved. My sister-in-law with dual Canadian 
and USA citizenship was given a hard time by Canadian officials when 
she recently came back to Canada for a family reunion, and then given 
a hard time by USA officials for having crossed into Canada using her 
Canadian documents and then trying to return using her USA documents. 
(Apparently they find this terribly confusing, and they don't like 
being confused.)

My own recent (post 9-11) experiences using a Canadian passport at 
the border -- in Eastern Canada -- with kayaks aboard have been 
smooth and fast in both directions.

-- 
  Darryl
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Received on Wed Jul 09 2008 - 05:23:39 PDT

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