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

As I indicated when I started this thread, there are a lot of apparent
variables in the stories. The best I can get is the following:

A passport or approved identification document (see below) for anyone
returning from a foreign port by air. This does not include US possessions.

For those of us who are traveling by land or sea (boat or car, essentially):
As of January 31, 2008 your oral representation of citizenship is no longer
sufficient. US and Canadian citizens have some options:

U.S. and Canadian Citizens  Single Document Option

One of the following documents should be presented to prove both identity
and citizenship.

*Acceptable Documents as of January 31:*

   - U.S. or Canadian Passport
   - U.S. Passport Card (Available spring 2008)*
   - Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)*
   - State or Provincial Issued Enhanced Driver's License (when available 
   this secure driver's license will denote identity and citizenship.)*
   - Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)*
   - U.S. Military Identification with Military Travel Orders
   - U.S. Merchant Mariner Document
   - Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card
   - Form I-872 American Indian Card
   - Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) Card

** Frequent Land Border Crossers  to expedite processing into the United
States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends using one of the above
asterisked documents.*

U.S. and Canadian Citizens  Two Document Option* *

All U.S. and Canadian citizens who do not have one of the documents from the
list above must present* BOTH* an identification and citizenship document
from each of the columns below.

*Identification Documents**

   - Driver's license or identification card issued by a federal, state,
   provincial, county, territory, or municipal authority
   - U.S. or Canadian military identification card

** All identification documents must have a photo, name and date of birth.*

*Citizenship Documents*

   - U.S. or Canadian birth certificate issued by a federal, state,
   provincial, county, territory or municipal authority
   - U.S. Consular report of birth abroad
   - U.S. Certificate of Naturalization
   - U.S. Certificate of Citizenship
   - U.S. Citizen Identification Card
   - Canadian Citizenship Card
   - Canadian certificate of citizenship without photo

So, right now, since we're past January 31, 2008, you can use a birth
certificate (and it really isn't clear whether the certificate has to be
certified or not, but probably that couldn't hurt) and a driver's license if
you don't have a Passport.

Washington State is issuing "Enhanced Drivers Licenses" that will satisfy
the one-document requirement. You need a certified birth certificate to get
one. Other state are expected to begin to issue EDLs soon.

But, as always with a bureaucracy, the individuals you will be dealing with
have some discretion (although not legally). A passport is the single
document they'll be most familiar with. YMMV

Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
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