Crossing the Border without a Passport

[warlord 72]

I swore there was a recent thread on this and I for some reason can't find it at all. I am seeing a lot of fun conflicting articles on the internet that all seem legit, but seem like they contradict each other. So wanting to know the official rules:

So girlfriend (USC without a passport) and I (Dual Citizen with 2 passports) are visiting her parents in North Dakota and she thought it would be fun to drive up to the Peace Gardens (on the border) and take some fun photos of us standing on each side of the border. Problem is she doesn't have a passport yet and she just legally changed her name back to her original maiden name (previously divorced). So without a passport, the only valid option would be a Drivers Licence backed by a birth certificate.

Now it seems what I've been reading is that you can use that to enter Canada, but not back into the US and that she would have to have a passport. I thought I read on here that people still were able to use the DL/birth certificate and did not need a passport to travel back and forth by car yet (or am I just remembering the old posts wrong)?. But according to the https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/74/~/us-citizens---documents-needed-for-entry-into-the-u.s. you cannot just use a DL/birth certificate anymore and has to be a WHTI - Compliant document.

The other question is on the Peace Gardens and if you actually even need to cross the official customs when going to that park? I think there's something similar in Washington were you actually don't need to cross over officially into the other country, but just cross the actual border line before customs. If this is true we wouldn't need to worry (though my brother lives in Manitoba near by so that would be fun to visit him if we could).

Anyways that's my long winded question for the day...

Edited August 12, 2014 by warlord

[dalidali 0]

I was recently told (in person at the gate) by a US Customs Border Patrol officer at a Mexico land POE, that a valid drivers license would get that person through.

Back that up with a birth certificate showing birth in the USA and you will get across.

The "official" line is that, yes one does need a passport or other qualifying ID.....however US citizens without those "official" forms of ID cross everyday at Mexico POE's.

As always, your mileage may vary depending on the particular officer on the line.

Making you turn around and deny entry is highly unlikely.

Edited August 12, 2014 by dalidali

[Kas&Isaac 2]

My US Fiance does't have a US passport and he comes up to Canada to visit me at least once a month. He is also stationed in the airforce in North Dakota. The Canadian Border Patrol has pulled him into Secondary (not always, but it happens pretty often) but he is able to produce a driver's license and his birth certificate and they let him cross after they check them. He hasn't had any issues with going back to the US with only a birth certificate and driver's license. I am not sure if it helps that he is in the military but it works for him every time.

[Rob L 3,811]

I know for a fact that at the Blaine Peace arch park that there is a park bench that sits in no mans land. The Seattle times published an article about a couple in the unfortunate state of being married but unable to visit each other because of problems at the border

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2009855236_separated13m.html

[Rob & Monika 87]

I know several families that cut through Canada to travel between NY and Michigan. They are all related in some way, and they all seem to neglect being prepared for crossing the border. I overheard them talking a year or two ago about how they didn't have passports, but had no problems cutting through Canada with just their licenses and birth certificates. They knew about needing a passport, but thought they would try it anyway, and if they failed they would just drive around Lake Erie. Just last week another one of them was telling me he cut through Canada using an expired US passport, no problems whatsoever.

Legally, the US cannot deny a US Citizen entry into the country. They can send you to secondary, and investigate you until they are satisfied that you really are a US citizen. The laws regarding having a passport or enhanced license are really there to ease the burden on CBPs job of proving you are a citizen.

Canadian laws are a little more relaxed, but you cannot enter without having sufficient proof to get back into your home country. A driver's license and birth certificate should be enough, but it really comes down to the individual border agents.

[warlord 72]

Yes, I just found out that Canada will allow the DL with a Birth Certificate, but the US won't. However as mentioned, the US will not deny you entry, but it will take a lot longer to go through. Had to call the Peace Gardens Border Patrol since the Gardens them self do not deal with the border rules.

However if you are just going from ND to the Gardens and not across the Canadian border checkpoint, then you just need a DL and Birth Certificate to get back across the US Border Checkpoint...

[Rob L 3,811]

. However as mentioned, the US will not deny you entry, but it will take a lot longer to go through.

‘Home is the place where, when you have to go there,

They have to take you in.’

Robert Frost