Entering Canada enroute to Alaska

[pjtemplin]

REAL ID will be the minimum standard (some day) to go through TSA at US airports. Enhanced DL or passport also work.



Enhanced DL is a valid ID for entering Canada/Mexico via land or sea. Passport also works. AFAIK REAL ID is not sufficient for that task.


Passport is a valid ID for entering Canada/Mexico via air. AFAIK Enhanced DL is not sufficient for that task.


There may be alternate documents suitable for any of those tasks, e.g. NEXUS.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

It is my understanding that the Enhanced/RealID is for flying and TSA, not border crossing. Passport or Trusted Traveler for boarder crossing.

 

[rslifkin]

It is my understanding that the Enhanced/RealID is for flying and TSA, not border crossing. Passport or Trusted Traveler for boarder crossing.

RealID is for TSA purposes. An Enhanced Driver's License is another step up from RealID though. It's only offered by some border states, but an Enhanced Driver's License is adequate to get you into Canada and Mexico by land or water, but not by air (and no good for travel to any other country).

 

[hollywood8118]

Why bother if one has a passport?
We pay enough for the thing might as well use it .
HOLLYWOOD

 

[rslifkin]

Why bother if one has a passport?
We pay enough for the thing might as well use it .
HOLLYWOOD

Agreed, if you have a passport there's no reason to get an EDL. It's basically there as a cheaper option for people who live in border states and may want to drive to Canada periodically, but have no other reason to have a passport.

 

[Barrie]

Hi Bill and Betty: Depending on the mood of the customs officer you may be subject to secondary inspection. With a camera rolling you will be asked to sing the Canadian anthem in both official languages. Also be prepared to know that Ottawa is the nations capital and it is not Toronto. Having a butter tart recipe to show will give you brownie points.
Also there could be a quiz like: "what percentage of continental USA is north of Niagara Falls" (not counting Alaska). Answer: 5% - 15% - 20% or 30%. ( can hear your feet rushing to get an atlas)
Welcome to Canada. Have a great trip. eh.

 

[AlaskaProf]

Also there could be a quiz like: How do you get six Newfies in a Volkswagen?


Welcome to Canada. Have a great trip. eh.

xx

 

[soin2la]

How do you get six Newfies in a Volkswagen?

Tell tree a dem ta git oot.

 

[Kuncicky]

Hi Bill and Betty: Depending on the mood of the customs officer you may be subject to secondary inspection. With a camera rolling you will be asked to sing the Canadian anthem in both official languages. Also be prepared to know that Ottawa is the nations capital and it is not Toronto. Having a butter tart recipe to show will give you brownie points.
Also there could be a quiz like: "what percentage of continental USA is north of Niagara Falls" (not counting Alaska). Answer: 5% - 15% - 20% or 30%. ( can hear your feet rushing to get an atlas)
Welcome to Canada. Have a great trip. eh.

You did a great job of guessing my wife's name. But guess it was fairly obvious.


Thanks for the tip on the possible secondary inspections. We shall be prepared. Of course, since we have very pronounced southern U.S. accents, the answers would not be understood anyway, I suspect.


Back much earlier in life, I did a train trip from Vancouver to Montreal, coming to a rest down below the Queen Elizabeth hotel in Montreal. Still one of the high points of my life.


Bill

 

[AlaskaProf]

Tell tree a dem ta git oot.

Tell them it's going to Toronto

 

[rgano]

The “special drivers license” is the enhanced real ID that is being phased in and will be required for TSA at some point. May 2023?

In the upper right corner it will have a black star inside a circle or a flag

You will need to have gone to the dmv to have your id checked and I think finger printed.

My enhanced Florida driver's license contains a white star in a gold circle at upper right.

 

[tiltrider1]

I have Global Entry attached to my Nexus. This means I need nothing but my face to enter the US. However, I’ll need a passport to leave the country except Mexico and Canada, there I could get by with my Nexus card. Still, I take my Passport when ever I fly or leave the country.

 

[SteveK]

Nexus works in North America, only need a passport to go to other countries. Not sure why there are so many different ID that work this or that but not all like Nexus land, sea and air. Get the iris scan and even better.
US customs staff are not up to date I found out. Going to Hawaii one wanted a passport (which I had) but I convinced him since it was the USA I do not need a passport, only Nexus. You do need Nexus to go into the express lane, a passport will not get you there.

 

[BDalt]

Going back to US

Noteworthy that US has not dropped its Vax requirement for entry, while Canada has. They don't ask often now but sticklers do.

 

[Inbreaker]

Tell them it's going to Toronto

That's just wrong. There was some real enthusiasm in Newfoundland over the idea of Quebec separating, because it would shorten the drive time to Toronto.

 

[AlaskaProf]

That's just wrong. There was some real enthusiasm in Newfoundland over the idea of Quebec separating, because it would shorten the drive time to Toronto.