Canada Travel Requirements

Canada travel requirements for entrance into that country are different from the requirements to re-enter the United States. While Canadian law allows all American citizens entering Canada to show government-issued photo ID (e.g. Driver’s License) and proof of U.S. citizenship such as a U.S. birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or expired U.S. passport to enter, the United States does not accept these documents.

U.S. citizens who travel to Canada must present a valid passport to enter the United States by air or a passport, passport card or other approved WHTI and WHTI-compliant document when entering by land or sea.

Oftentimes, the discovery that a passport is required for travel to Canada happens only a few days before the scheduled trip. The only way to get a passport in less than two weeks is to apply at a regional passport agency or, when this is not possible, through a registered expedited passport service.

The exception to this requirement is for U.S. citizens under the age of 16 (or under 19, if traveling with a school, religious, or other youth group) who need only present a birth certificate (original, photocopy or certified copy), Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or naturalization certificate.

If you plan to travel to Canada with a minor who is not your own child or for whom you do not have full legal custody, Canada Border Services Agency may require you to present a notarized affidavit of consent from the minor’s parents or legal guardians. There is no specific form for this document, but it should include dates of travel, parents’ names and photo copies of their state-issued IDs.

One of the WHTI-compliant documents for crossing the land border is the U.S. Passport Card. The card may not be used to travel by air and is available only to U.S. citizens.. All American citizen travelers are encouraged to apply for a U.S. passport well in advance of anticipated travel in order to avoid any problems.

Both the U.S. and Canadian governments urge frequent travelers to join the NEXUS trusted traveler program. NEXUS members receive a special travel card that allows expedited border crossings for both private and commercial travelers through both U.S. and Canadian border controls very quickly.

A visa is not required for U.S. citizens to visit Canada for up to 180 days. Anyone seeking to enter Canada for any purpose other than a visit (e.g. to work, study or immigrate) must qualify for the appropriate entry status, and should contact the Canadian Embassy or nearest consulate and visit the Canadian immigration web site .

Anyone with a criminal record (including misdemeanors or Driving While Impaired (DWI) charges may be barred from entering Canada and must obtain a special waiver well in advance of any planned travel. To determine whether you may be inadmissible and how to overcome this finding , refer to the Canadian citizenship and immigration web site.

The Canadian Embassy is located at 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC and the telephone number is (202) 682-1740. Canadian consulates can be found in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Juan or Seattle.

If you already have a trip to Canada planned and need to get a passport quickly, you can apply online for expedited passport service. If you are still planning your trip, be sure to sign up for the best Canada tours so that you see and do everything you want to.