Going to Canada by car using old passport

T

thrix

Registered Users (C)
I plan to go to Canada next day after oath with DL+nat cert and my passport from my origin country. I don't need visa using my passport to get into the Canada. I want to use that passport to get some stamp :D I never got any stamps from anyone and it loos like I don't travel. On my way back I want to use my DL + nat cert. Can Canadian immigration officer ask why I don't have any visa in my passport or for GC? What if I say I have nat cet, but I am dual citizen and want to use different passport? Will they allow me to enter Canada?
 
Just FYI, I have an Italian passport and I went to Canada by car last month.
They did not stamp my passport. They did ask for my green card. They did ask for my wife's US passport (I think you need it now to go to Canada as well).
I don't think you'll break any law by going into Canada with your other passport, even though Canadian immigration will ask for your green card or your immigration status.
At that point you will have to show them your natz certificate.
 
I am not claiming expertise, but I think thrix would be identifying himself as US citizen through the naturalization certificate and the drivers license. I don't think they will care to stamp the other passport. I am pretty sure thrix will have to use the drivers license and naturalization certificate when coming back. The officer at the Canadian immigration booth will ask him what his status in the US is, thrix will have to say US citizen, so all in all I am not sure what that old passport role is going to be ;)
 
be careful guys: The law requires that all US citizens show a US passport when entering and exiting the united States. As a US Citizen after oath, you are required to have a US passport to exit the country. That is the law.

Now, if you have both passports, then you can show the other one to enter Canada or how ever you want, but you have to have a US passpot before exiting unless you are exiting for good.

Following 9/11, all US citizens are now required to have a US passport even when going to Canada or on a cruise. i don't know why they will let you back in with a naturalization certificate and a driver license if they don't let people in with driver license and birth certificate.

BE CAREFUL !!!!!
 
fbanna79 said:
Following 9/11, all US citizens are now required to have a US passport even when going to Canada or on a cruise.
Click to expand...
That is not true. A driver's license + US birth certificate or natz certificate will get you back into the US from Canada via land or sea. Or one of those new WHTI-compliant enhanced driver's licenses.
 
I agree with Jackolantern. Until June 2009 the driver's license + naturalization certificate should be fine. Last time I traveled by land to Canada there is nobody you can tell in the US side that you are a US citizen when you are leaving, one just drives straight to the Canadian immigration booths.
 
Jackolantern said:
That is not true. A driver's license + US birth certificate or natz certificate will get you back into the US from Canada via land or sea. Or one of those new WHTI-compliant enhanced driver's licenses.
Click to expand...

DL + US birth certificate/Natz certificate will allow you back into the US from Canada or Mexico or Caribbean islands or Bremuda, but next year DL + certificate won't be required anymore. Only US Passport, Passport Card, or WHTI-compliant enhanced driver's license will be required on June 1, 2009 (that's only for land port or sea port). See the rules on the government site: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

News link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2004325129_passports06.html
 
sarrebal said:
Just FYI, I have an Italian passport and I went to Canada by car last month.
They did not stamp my passport. They did ask for my green card. They did ask for my wife's US passport (I think you need it now to go to Canada as well).
I don't think you'll break any law by going into Canada with your other passport, even though Canadian immigration will ask for your green card or your immigration status.
At that point you will have to show them your natz certificate.
Click to expand...

I will exit USA using nat cert + DL, but I want to enter Canada using me european passport and I want to be considered as this citizen. I don't want to present them any other documents. I want to enter USA using nat cert + DL.
 
thrix,

Please let us know how it goes. My guess is that they are going to ask you about your status in the US. I assume you are going to say US citizen and then I think they will ignore the European passport ;) However, I am interested in what your experience will be, please let us know.
 
Huracan said:
thrix,

Please let us know how it goes. My guess is that they are going to ask you about your status in the US. I assume you are going to say US citizen and then I think they will ignore the European passport ;) However, I am interested in what your experience will be, please let us know.
Click to expand...

I'll tell that I forgot my GC and since I don't need visa using my passport, I don't need it.
 
thrix said:
I'll tell that I forgot my GC and since I don't need visa using my passport, I don't need it.
Click to expand...

Why complicate things when all you need is a DL and US naturalization certificate for land travel, unless you're going to Canada by air?
 
thrix said:
I will exit USA using nat cert + DL, but I want to enter Canada using me european passport and I want to be considered as this citizen. I don't want to present them any other documents. I want to enter USA using nat cert + DL.
Click to expand...

I think you will be fine...cause as far as I can remember, while exiting by car, you do not encounter any US officials, only canadian...you can do what you please. On the way back...you only encounter US officials...present your nat cert + DL ... and you will be fine.

Don't be disappointed if canadian officials ask you what your status is in the USA (since you have no stamp in that passport), and once you tell them that you are a US Citizen...they just wave you through...without a stamp.
 
Don't worry, Canada doesn't care if you have US and three other citizenships ;) They'll accept it. They will still like to know why you are driving from the US and what is your status in the US so they can determine if you are a risk of immigrating to Canada, or perhaps if they should notify the US about any irregularity (that is my pure speculation). However, as I said, I am still curious of the results of your experiment and I wish you well.
 
thrix said:
I don't want to lie, I want to check if they accept my right to be dual citizen or not. If not, I'll show them my DL+nat cert.
Click to expand...
You are going to some crazy lengths just to put an arrival stamp in your passport, even though they might not stamp it anyway.

When you are coming from the US, the Canadian officials will ask about your status in the US, because they want to know that you can leave Canada and go back to the US without a problem (or at least that you have a ticket to move on to another country). Showing them the US passport after showing them a non-US passport is likely to cause trouble, or at least some confusion and delay. Don't give them a reason to doubt your documents or ask more questions, just show your US passport alone (or DL+certificate) and get it over with.
 
I drove to Canada last month (from NYC to Montreal through I-87/I-15).
I presented my Italian passport alone.
Canadian officer asked for my green card and did NOT stamp my passport.
You will not meet a US officer on your way out and the Canadian officer will not stamp your passport.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top