Entering Canada

On 31 Jan 2006 15:37:09 -0800, "katleman"
wrote:

..... had the passport requirement been in affect for
our trip, we would not have spent $450 to acquire passports for all, on
the off chance that we might have enough time to divert into Canada.
It was a lark, an opportunity, and quite memorable.


That's your choice, but once you pay you $450 for a passport, you can
use it anytime you leave the US -- to Europe, Asia, on a cruise, or to
Canada and Mexico.



I'll take a delay of
hours if I don't have a passport, but instead just a simple DL.

Having a passport does not add any time to a land crossing, so it's a
non-issue.



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sechumlib wrote:

Frank F. Matthews wrote:


Not really. The border is porous enough to get back across pretty
easily. Thousands do it every day. In the case of a US citizen you
don't have to be worried about the homeland security thugs. If they
stop you you are a citizen wandering about within the US. They cannot
throw you out. Unless they actually catch you entering they cannot
even make a charge of illegal entry stick without managing to prove
that you entered instead of just being there. You can be harassed but
unless you let your mouth run they cannot do much.


Does that mean you advocate secretly crossing the border at some place
where there's no checkpoint, to avoid having to prove anything? Do you
have any suggestions for those who follow your teachings and DO get caught?

And how do you propose that I find a place that's not on a road (where
there will be an entry station) at which to cross in my car, without
damaging the car?


I was simply pointing out that it is unlikely to be impossible to return
without a passport.

Dave Smith wrote:

Sadly, you're right. HOwever, the change is in stopping people from
entering. I haven't heard any proposals to stop people from leaving, or
to even check to see who is leaving. Although that too will probably
come someday.

Among those who will not be allowed to enter will be Americans without
passports. By denying them the right to return, you are also denying them the
ability to leave.

What I was thinking of was more like the Communist situation, where
leaving was intended as a one-way journey.

Michael Gallagher wrote:

So, OBVIOUSLY, they should get passports. Problem solved for as long
it's valid, which is ten years. Renew it, and you're good for another
ten.

Wow. In Canada, passports are good for only five years and are
non-renewable. Of course, I've heard of many situations involving fake
Canadian passports; far fewer with US ones.

I'm picturing a time soon when passport info, including picture, aready
scanned into a data base, will become available to immigration
officials, giving you an almost unfakeable virtual passport.

Al Dente wrote:

Wow. In Canada, passports are good for only five years and are
non-renewable. Of course, I've heard of many situations involving fake
Canadian passports; far fewer with US ones.

Indeed. It is an expanse and a pain in the butt to get a passport.

I'm picturing a time soon when passport info, including picture, aready
scanned into a data base, will become available to immigration
officials, giving you an almost unfakeable virtual passport.

That time is here. Driver licences have pictures and many of them have
magnetic strips with encoded information. Enforcement agencies have linked
networks which they constantly cross reference. All they need is a viable
piece of identification and they can get the information they want or need.
There is absolutely no need for a passport. It is politics. The current
administration seems to prefer to take steps like this to keep the
population in a state of fear and paranoia.

On Sat, 04 Feb 2006 09:59:12 -0500, Al Dente
wrote:

Wow. In Canada, passports are good for only five years and are
non-renewable ....

Wow. I'd glommed the five years but didn't know you couldn't renew
it. Then again, you could probably just get a new one before the old
one expires, at the same price you paid for the first one. Whereas in
the US, renewing a passport costs less than getting a new one.

And you guys think the US is devious? HA!



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