I don't need a passport to go to Canada, do I? ( Niagra Falls) - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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You might want to check online or call your nearest passport office to verify. I know with the rule changes that they are stricter about having a passport. I believe DD took her passport with her when she went to Canada last year. Good luck!
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From my understanding (and I could be wrong) you must have a passport now when you travel anywhere outside the US. But they have lightened up a little saying if you show proof of applying for a passport along with your legal papers you may go out of the states but only because of the backlog of people applying for passports. I don't know how long this will last. Someone tell me if I am wrong because I only caught a few snippets recently on the news on this subject.
To answer your question, No, you don't need a passport yet if you are driving. You will need government issued ID proving your citizenship (and your childrens') and your right to return to the United States. Birth certificates are recommended. You will also need the court-issued document giving you custody of your children. If you share custody (and I don't remember, but I don't think you do), then you will need your ex's written legal permission to take your children from the country.
Lori is correct that the US gov't has relaxed it's rules about passports and flying until September because of the backlog. Anybody who plans to take advantage of that must be able to produce a receipt stating that their passport application is currently submitted and is being processed.
If you share custody (and I don't remember, but I don't think you do), then you will need your ex's written legal permission to take your children from the country. Passport rules to be eased temporarily - CNN.com
we share legal custody, and I have full physical custody, so I would imagine I still need the letter from the ex.... yes?
we share legal custody, and I have full physical custody, so I would imagine I still need the letter from the ex.... yes?
thanks so much...
That's a question I just can't answer for certain. I would check what the custody papers say and perhaps you should check with your lawyer. You may only need to bring the custody documents with you. I can tell you my experience. Some Border Officials will question more rigorously than others. My husband and I are married. I took our children to WDW on 2 separate trips without my DH and had him sign a document that I found online on a Canadian Gov't website giving his permission for me to remove the kids from our country and we had it witnessed by a friend of ours who is a Crown Prosecutor (lawyer). One trip, the Border Official didn't even question us; the other trip, I had to produce the document and I still wasn't certain that she would allow us entry into the US.
Passports are not required if you are driving over the boarder. This is supposed to change come January.
You might need a notarized letter from your ex to bring the kids over the boarder. I don't know for certain, so check with customs.
Have fun in the Falls! Be sure to visit Clifton Hill and ride the Maid of the Mist! Did you have plans to see Marineland?? Another cool thing to do is park on the US side and walk to Canada across the Rainbow Bridge. Great photo ops!!!!
I've been told that the law that was supose to be passes will be passed at a later date than originally planned suspending the need for a passport to travel to Canada, and any U.S. territory.
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I don't have a passport (and I honestly don't feel I need one). It is a STUPID rule to make you have a passport to go into Canada (just JMHO) but whatever. To fly into Canada you will not need a passporter until October but you DO need to show that you have applied for a passporter. To drive into Canada you won't need a passport until Jan 30, 2008....let's hope they make a low cost ID card before then...or I am driving through Ohio instead of Canada!
Anyway....I drive though Canada just last week and didn't have any problems getting into Canada (in Michigan & Niagara Falls) or into the US (in Lewiston & Michigan). On the way back into the states I didn't even have to show my drivers license. It was just me and Belle (my dog) in the car.
You should have a notarized note from your kids's father just in case.
Belle and I stopped in Niagara Falls on our way back to Michigan from Vermont. It is SOOOOO nice there. I wish we could have spent alittle more time. My favorite place is the park on the American Side. It is so natural and relaxing. The Canadian side is full of tacky shops and "museums". They have really spoiled the natural beauty of the falls.
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The US does not yet require a passport if you're a U.S. citizen reentering the U.S. by land from Canada.
However, Canada has its own thoughts on what documentation is needed when crossing the U.S. border into Canada. Officially, U.S. citizens need only proof of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate, goverment-issued photo ID, etc.). However, Canadian immigration officers have been asking for passports for several years now, and will question you more closely if you do not produce a passport. When crossing into Canada from Detroit with our Michigan drivers licenses we were warned flat out that the next time, we should bring our passports (even though Canadian law hasn't actually changed). My guess is that the officers in the field may be annoyed that the U.S. is being harder on Canadian citizens, so what goes around, comes around.
And that's why it's called the world's longest friendly border.
Bottom line, if you've got passports, bring 'em.
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Belle and I stopped in Niagara Falls on our way back to Michigan from Vermont. It is SOOOOO nice there. I wish we could have spent alittle more time. My favorite place is the park on the American Side. It is so natural and relaxing. The Canadian side is full of tacky shops and "museums". They have really spoiled the natural beauty of the falls.
my cousin told me that the Canadian side was much better to see the falls, if you think the American side is just as good, I would just rather do that, instead of going through all the hassle...
and I haven't even had two seconds to go get everyone's birth certificates!
thank you, Dave - I haven't had a passport in years ( since I went to Austria in high school for a ski trip) so I think I just might play it safe and see Niagra Falls from the U.S. side...
my cousin told me that the Canadian side was much better to see the falls, if you think the American side is just as good, I would just rather do that, instead of going through all the hassle...
and I haven't even had two seconds to go get everyone's birth certificates!
Do you just want to SEE the Falls or are you actually staying there for a few days? If you are vacationing there you almost HAVE to cross the boarder at some point. Most of the tourist attracations are on the Canadian side. If you just want to see the falls you can see them okay from the American side...but the full view is from the Canadian side. I have never been asked for a Passport when crossing the boarder and I have never been warned I should have a Passport. I have photo from both sides that I will try to post so you can see the difference. You would really be missing out if you didn't see the Falls from the Candian side.
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I don't need a passport to go to Canada, do I? ( Niagra Falls)
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Did you have plans to see Marineland?? Another cool thing to do is park on the US side and walk to Canada across the Rainbow Bridge. 
Great photo ops!!!!
I have photo from both sides that I will try to post so you can see the difference. You would really be missing out if you didn't see the Falls from the Candian side.
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