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Beginning June 1, 2009, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), requires anyone entering or re-entering the United States to have a passport or other appropriate secure document.

WHTI currently requires anyone, including U.S. citizens, entering or re-entering the United States by air to have a passport or a NEXUS card when used at a NEXUS kiosk at designated airports..

Visit the U.S. Department of State Web site frequently for international travel updates at www.travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html.

For detailed information about obtaining or renewing your U.S. passport, visit the U.S. Department of State, Passport Services Office at travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html, or access U.S. passport application services from the United States Postal Service at www.usps.com/passport/.

The NEXUS program is limited to citizens of Canada and the United States, lawful permanent residents of the United States and permanent residents of Canada. For information on how to apply visit www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/nexus_prog/.

For detailed information on entry requirements, including medical exams, working or studying in Canada, and what you are permitted to bring into Canada, visit the Canada International Web site at www.canadainternational.gc.ca.

Passports & Visas FAQ

Do I need a passport to enter Canada?

As of June 1, 2009, anyone entering or re-entering the United States, including U.S. citizens, by land and sea are required to have a passport or other appropriate secure document.

International visitors to Canada that are not U.S. citizens must carry a valid passport and visa (if required). Citizens from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and others do not require a visa to enter Canada. Visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada online for a complete listing at www.canadainternational.gc.ca.

What are the requirements for children entering Canada?

If you are travelling with children, you must carry identification, such as a birth certificate, proof of citizenship or student visa for each child under 18 years old. Divorced parents who share custody of their children should carry copies of the legal custody documents. Adults who are not parents or guardians must have written permission from the parents or guardians to accompany the children. When travelling with a group of vehicles, parents or guardians should travel in the same vehicle as the children for border crossing.

Customs officers are often looking for missing children and may ask questions about the children who are travelling with you.

New U.S. passport rules will come into effect soon. Will these rules affect my trip to Canada?

Yes. Beginning January 31, 2008, U.S. citizens 19 years and older who enter the U.S. at land and sea ports of entry from within the Western Hemisphere will need to present government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license as proof of identity, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate, or a passport. Children age 18 and under will be able to enter with proof of citizenship. Verbal claims of citizenship and identity alone will not be sufficient to establish identity and citizenship for entry into the United States.

By June 1, 2009, or earlier, a new American law, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), will require anyone, including U.S. citizens, entering or re-entering the United States by land and sea to have a passport or other appropriate secure document.

Visit the U.S. Department of State Web site frequently for international travel updates at www.travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html.

When the new U.S. passport rules come into effect, will my children require passports?

Beginning January 31, 2008, children age 18 and under will be able to enter the U.S. via land and sea with proof of citizenship. Currently, all children, regardless of age (including newborns and infants), must have their own passport to enter the United States by air. U.S. travelers to Canada are reminded that divorced parents who share custody of their children should carry copies of the legal custody documents for children less than 18 years old. Adults who are not parents or guardians must have written permission from the parents or guardians to accompany the children. When travelling with a group of vehicles, parents or guardians should travel in the same vehicle as the children for border crossing.

Where can American travelers get a U.S. passport?

First-time passport applicants need to apply in person to one of 7,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States. Applicants should bring two regulation size photographs of themselves, proof of U.S. citizenship and a valid form of photo identification, such as a driver's license.

U.S. passport renewals can be done by mail if the recent passport is available to submit, is not damaged, was issued within the past 15 years and you were over age 16 when it was issued. Applicants must either still have the same last name, or can show legal proof of name change.

For detailed information about obtaining or renewing your U.S. passport, visit the U.S. Department of State, Passport Services Office at travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html, or access U.S. passport application services from the United States Postal Service at www.usps.com/passport/.