Is a passport required to land travel from WA State to Canada? If not now, will it be in the future?

Passports Required for Air Travel to United States as of January 23, 2007



The Departments of State and Homeland Security announced today that the requirement for citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda to present a passport to enter the United States when arriving by air from any part of the Western Hemisphere will begin on January 23, 2007.

This change in travel document requirements is the result of recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission, which Congress subsequently passed into law in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. These new travel document requirements make up the Departments' Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). In order to obtain national security benefits as quickly as possible, and to expedite the processing of arriving passengers, the plan will be implemented in two phases.

The first phase involves travel by air and requires all citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer's identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the United States from within the Western Hemisphere. The final rule for the air phase of the WHTI rule will be published in the Federal Register on November 24, where it can be viewed at www.regulations.gov . That rule is also available on the Department's consular web site, travel.state.gov and on the Department of Homeland Security's web site, www.dhs.gov.

A separate proposed rule addressing land and sea travel will be published at a later date proposing specific requirements for travelers entering the United States through land and sea border crossings. As early as January 1, 2008, U.S. citizens traveling between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea could be required to present a valid U.S. passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible.

The Department has dedicated additional resources and personnel to meet the increased demand for passports generated by these requirements. In Fiscal Year 2006, the Department issued a record 12.1 million passports to American citizens, and anticipates issuing 16 million passports in Fiscal Year 2007. U.S. citizens can find information about how to apply for a passport at travel.state.gov or by calling 1-877-487-2778.

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2006/1066

It will be around the first of January, next year, when a passport is required for all travel.

WA State "to" Canada. No. Travel "to" Canada is not set to change, nor has it.

It is your return to WA State that is where you may need a passport. (in your case this is called your "re-entry" to the USA because you began your journey in the USA)

For land travel, "entry or re-entry" to the USA will require a passport as early as January 2008. (they have a contingency now that allows them to push this back to 2009, but no plans on that yet) This is the same date as for travel by water.

For travel by air, "entry and re-entry" to the USA required a passport since January 23, 2007.

It is a good idea to have a passport, even it is not required though. If you lose a drivers license or birth certificate, these can only be mailed to your home address. (no good if you are stuck in Canada) A passport can be mailed to the nearest US Embassy.

Yes a passport is now neeeded
thanks to the Parinoid American government ~!!!!

Okay, how about the REAL answer?

Currently you do NOT need a passport for travel by land or sea between U.S. and Canada. The passport law for land and sea goes into effect Jan 2008 or later.
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

Passports are currently needed for travel by air.

Got across from BC into WA on a photocopy of my Canadian ID and a truck full of stuff that could have very easilly contained all sorts of drugs and what-not. They didn't even check any of it or have me pull in or anything. This was January 6, 2007--just a few months ago. The boxes were full of clothes and other stuff as I was moving down here for 4 months and told them so. I haven't been back to Canada since but I continue to be amazed at how easy it was to get into the U.S. Not for long... the passport laws will apply to all means of entry into the US starting January 2008.

Having one sure makes it easier to cross back and forth. So if you do not have one, don't wait - get one!