Hello Sarah!

You are probably sick of hearing about Canadian border stories, but here’s one more if you are still interested…

I lived in Niagara Falls, NY for a while and never experienced problems crossing over or back from the Canadian border into Niagara Falls, Ontario. However my mother, who has a strong Greek accent and ethnic “look,” was made to pull over into the immigration building at the U.S. border and have her citizenship information pulled from the national database. This happened twice. Each time, we were traveling in a car with U.S. plates and she presented her driver’s license and Social Security cards. The border police were quick to mention that these are not actual proof of citizenship (this is true).

So the moral of the story is that you will never have to go through this hassle if you just keep a U.S. birth certificate, passport, or voter registration card and picture I.D. with you when crossing the U.S./Canada border.

Sincerely,
CSTR

Dear CSTR,

Heartily sick, yes, but thanks for the tip anyway. That’s really depressing that that happened, but instructive also. Read on…

Just to keep the border crossing issues confusing, I read this:

“To cross into the United States commencing January 1, 2001, you will need a valid passport. The Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) office I contacted said that even US citizens returning to the USA from Canada will require a valid US Passport. They said they would not prevent US citizens from crossing the border to get home for the first couple of months, but in the interim their “alternate documentation” (birth certificate, voter’s registration card, driver’s license) would be carefully scrutinized. Those without passports may be delayed while the papers are authenticated.”

It’s here (near the bottom).

H

Dear H,

AUGH! I mean, “thanks.” I’m wrong – dammit – but actually, I’m glad that I know I’m wrong, because I cross that border a lot, and while I always bring my passport anyway, now I know that I really really have to bring my passport.

That’s that, folks. You must have a valid passport to enter Canada from the U.S. Waiting for Canada, if you see this, either get your mother to give your passport back to you or declare it stolen and apply for a new one as soon as possible.

Everyone else: I beg of you, no more letters on this subject.

[11/28/00]

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