If I am not mistaken a US GC holder is exempt from having to get a visa to Canada to visit, even if the country their citizenship is from usually requires it? Also, when a GC holder arrives at the border do they need to provide only their GC to the Canadian's and the same on the way back into the US or are they also required to have their passport with them?
Green Card holder traveling to Canada
- Thread starter dhlunar
- Start date
fitness901
Registered Users (C)
Hey
i visited Canada last year two times..............first time they just asked us only our green card ,even they did look at it that much
but last July they asked us to show them our passport and GC, check the car and how many people we were there ,Canadian border and same on the way back into the US. So it is good to have both........actualy in Us border they did scan our Green card Too
i visited Canada last year two times..............first time they just asked us only our green card ,even they did look at it that much
but last July they asked us to show them our passport and GC, check the car and how many people we were there ,Canadian border and same on the way back into the US. So it is good to have both........actualy in Us border they did scan our Green card Too
cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
I will probably be going to Canada by bus one of these days. Has anyone done that before? Will they let me board with just a GC? My RP is expiring soon, and I don't have a valid passport.
Triple Citizen
Registered Users (C)
cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
Oh really? Well, it would be my almost-expired RP, because my passport expired 5 years ago, hehe.
Triple Citizen
Registered Users (C)
cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
AS6 since I was an over-21 derivative. Does that matter?
nelsona
Registered Users (C)
Triple Citizen
Registered Users (C)
No. I just wanted to know why you do not have a national passport. AS6 would explain that one 
US permanent residents don't need a passport. Quote from DHS.GOV:
Lawful Permanent Residents
Air Travel
All travelers including children must present a passport or secure travel document when entering the United States by air.
Land/Sea Travel
Lawful permanent residents may continue to present their Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card. More information available at CBP.gov.
So for land travel, GC is more acceptable than certificate of naturalization/certificate of citizenhsip?
So for air it is either the passport (if it shows immigrant status) or the green card (a secure travel document)?
cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
Apparently, though I have only been to Canada by car.
nelsona
Registered Users (C)
Well, you must always enter US on your status, so even if you have foreign passport, you will need to show GC.
Canadians require passports for all visitors travelling by air. That includes US citizens and US permanent residents. Just because the DHS may accept permanent residents returning without a passport does not mean Canadians will do the same. For land travel, Canadians asked for my passport 50% of the time. So, my advise is to bring both GC and a passport when travelling to Canada either by land, sea or by air.
cafeconleche
Registered Users (C)
Not true. Check this out: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5023-eng.html#s2x3
"Permanent residents of the United States may travel to Canada from the United States or Saint-Pierre and Miquelon without passports, travel documents or visas provided they produce satisfactory evidence of their identify and status. However, if these persons travel to Canada from any other part of the world they require passports (or travel documents) and are visa-exempt (provided they can substantiate their status as a U.S. permanent resident).
The following documents are proof of permanent residence:
-U.S. Permanent Resident Card (see Appendix II, item 11).
-Form I-688, U.S. Temporary Resident Card Ó annotated to indicate permanent residence in the United States (see Appendix II, item 13).
-A temporary I-551 machine-readable immigrant visa (MRIV) bearing the statement: "UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR" directly above the machine-readable zone, when contained in an unexpired passport and endorsed with an admission stamp, constitutes a temporary I-551, valid for one year from the date of endorsement on the admission stamp (see Appendix III, item 12)."
But, if you do have a passport or travel document, I do agree that you should take it with you just in case.
"Permanent residents of the United States may travel to Canada from the United States or Saint-Pierre and Miquelon without passports, travel documents or visas provided they produce satisfactory evidence of their identify and status. However, if these persons travel to Canada from any other part of the world they require passports (or travel documents) and are visa-exempt (provided they can substantiate their status as a U.S. permanent resident).
The following documents are proof of permanent residence:
-U.S. Permanent Resident Card (see Appendix II, item 11).
-Form I-688, U.S. Temporary Resident Card Ó annotated to indicate permanent residence in the United States (see Appendix II, item 13).
-A temporary I-551 machine-readable immigrant visa (MRIV) bearing the statement: "UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR" directly above the machine-readable zone, when contained in an unexpired passport and endorsed with an admission stamp, constitutes a temporary I-551, valid for one year from the date of endorsement on the admission stamp (see Appendix III, item 12)."
But, if you do have a passport or travel document, I do agree that you should take it with you just in case.
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