I friend of mine is coming up to visit me from the states. Can someone clarify the papers needed to cross the border?

Do you have to have a passport or will a driver's license + naturalization certificate do?

 

Looks like your friend will be fine with DL and proof of citizenship.

See here for details:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1082.html

 

I would be cautious if your friend is flying. A friend of mine was planning on flying in to Toronto from SF and they wouldn't even let her on the plane without a passport. However if they're driving, that may be a different story. Most people I know who have driven here haven't had problems.

 

You can get by with just a driver's license plus naturalization certificate if need be, but a passport is HIGHLY recommended. If at all possible, tell your friend to bring his/her passport. It'll save him/her time and agitation. Customs loves to give people a hard time if they don't have a passport; hell, even with a passport, they still like to give you a hard time. This will probably be a bigger issue when coming back to the USA than it is when going into Canada.

If your friend doesn't currently have a passport, there is most likely still time to get one. There is expedited processing, it's expensive but very fast. My girlfriend got hers in just over a week.

On my Whistler trip last week, we drove across the border and were stopped both going and coming back. On the way up, Canadian Customs asked us a bunch of questions about why we were going to Canada, but didn't ask to see any actual ID. On the way back, we were stopped because one of my friends forgot his passport. USA Customs searched our car and ran all of us through their system before letting us go.

I've also flown into Vancouver before (as well as Taiwan) and it's pretty much the same deal. You technically don't *need* a passport to cross the border, but it would be wise to, and I will always carry my passport when doing so.

 

Last yr, I flew from MKE to TOR and only needed a birth-cert and DL. No hassle at all.

I have since acquired a PP and from what i understand that can help move things along in case there are questions or duties owed etc....

Be aware that security at airports are quite prejudicial. In 2003 I flew w/ a co-worker who is from India and he was held up at Kennedy quite a bit. I mean I totally see where that came from and my co-worker laughed it off but tell your friend if he is of mid-east decent.....expect a delay.

 

Thanks for all the insightful information everyone!

 

Yep, I flew from Indy to Vancouver in 2001 (before 9/11). All I needed was to sign some paperwork which was on the airplane, and show my driver's license. They ask a bunch of dumb questions and that's it. Same dumb questions they ask you when you pull over.

 

same when i went to Edmonton.... birth cert (which i had to get fed-ex'd from north carolina) and my drivers license.

I now have a passport too...just in case.