From
http://www.pptc.gc.ca/travel_tips/trip_planning_e.asp Do I now need a passport to travel to the United States?Though passports are the document of choice for travel, Canadian citizens do not currently require a passport to travel to the United States. However, Passport Canada encourages Canadians who are considering travelling outside Canada to obtain a passport, as it is the most widely accepted proof of Canadian identity and citizenship.
In April 2005, the United States Government announced the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative to be implemented in three phases beginning on December 31, 2005. After further review, it was recognized that implementing the December 31, 2005 phase would be problematic for travellers.
On September 1, 2005, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative proposal was formally submitted for public comment. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will require all U.S. citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and citizens of Canada and Mexico to have a passport or other accepted secure document that establishes the bearer's identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the United States by January 1, 2008.
In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as follows:
December 31, 2006 - Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
December 31, 2007 - Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.
For further information, visit the U.S. State Department Web sites at
www.state.gov and
www.travel.state.gov.
Topic: the border and passports? (Read 2921 times)