Border crossing into and out of Canada

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by bweybright

Interesting that nobody has mentioned the need for a passport or enhanced drivers license (available from most border states I believe). You may be able to get into Canada with a US drivers license but it will be a major problem getting back into the US.

Missouri is in the transition period to issue the enhanced drivers licenses. You can either wait until your existing expires after which the renewal will be enhanced, or you can spend $5 and have your existing license reissued as an enhance one.

Was down in Florida this spring and went to the Pensacola Navel Museum. It was interesting to note that they require you to have the enhanced license for entry onto the base to see the museum. Thankfully the guard either didn't notice or they were temporarily waiving the requirement since I was allowed in on two different days.

I was up in Michigan a few weeks ago and in case I wanted to travel further, I went ahead and got an enhanced license prior to departing. All I had to bring was my birth certificate, and my checking account statement and 2 other utility bills showing my name and mailing address. A lot cheaper than a passport for my purposes.

As noted Canada doesn't need the enhanced ID but to get back into the US you need a passport or an enhanced ID drivers license.

Jack

[Streamracer]

You can get a passport card for $30. It get you back into the us from adjoining countries or cruises. If you fly you still have to have the passport for $110. Have to fill out the same paperwork.

[DavidsonOverlander]

Originally Posted by sirtate

It's funny how people keep saying that they should be more like Canada...

Canada has outlawed handguns and assault weapons for quite sometime...

Yet there were mass shootings in Toronto just a couple of weeks ago... How did those guys get those banned weapons?

Regardless, the line up on the Canadian side of the bridge to Pt Huron Michigan is about 5miles long on Friday afternoons.

Less so during the rest of the week...

Most illegal guns in Canada are smuggled from the USA:
Man who smuggled record number of guns into Ontario sentenced to 8 years in prison

Yes there was a spate of shootings over the recent holiday weekend, but no one was killed. Despite the recent shootings, gun deaths in Toronto are currently at a 3 year low.

In 2018 the homicide rate in Toronto was 3.11 per 100,000 people, which is much lower than similarly sized American cities such as Chicago (24 per 100,0000), Dallas–Fort Worth (8), Houston (12), Washington (17), Philadelphia (20), Miami (11), Atlanta(16) and Boston (8)

[Wieland]

Originally Posted by Sharon_Jon

We would appreciate some help planning a trip. On the first leg we are traveling from the Hartford area to northern Wisconsin. Google maps shows a route on I-80 to Buffalo then into Canada on 81 and 405 at Lewiston. Then to 402 and back to USA at Sarnia getting on I-69 then over to I-75 North. We went this way several years ago. Concerned about time at the border crossings. Anyone with recent experience or other thoughts about this route? Thanks for any help.

I live in Lewiston, NY right close to the border crossing. We experience it every day: the present administration has called a large number of customs offiocers to the southern borders and we feel the lack of personnel.
Waiting time at the border is in the 1 to 2 1/2 hours range typically these days. Now that should not have an effect on the crossing into Canada - but unfortunately it is in a similar range. I would take the southern path around Lake Erie myself even though it is terribly boring!
Wieland

[JCWDCW]

The fact that you are just passing through will take some of the issues off the table. I get a much easier crossing when I'm running Bluewater ( Port Huron) to Saulte St Marie just for the short cut. Fill up with fuel in the US and and you should be able to get backinto Michigan on the same tank ..Our fuel prices are 1.15-1.20 per litre CAN which is over $4 per US gallon CAN or about $3 per US Gallon US funds

Crossing into Canada....no fire arms...period.... unless you have them pre-registered...really hot item at this time in Canada.
Crossing into the US no fruits, vegetables, raw meat. Tell them everything you have both ways...then you don't get flagged for false statements. They usually are pretty reasonable. If your food is in sealed packages and has US origin on it, the US border is pretty accepting of that! Canada is less restrictive but it depends on the agent. I always keep to the lines closest to the admin buildings because they are staffed by senior officers who are less inclined to be looking for a coupe
JCW

[Popcornkid]

Originally Posted by DavidsonOverlander

Most illegal guns in Canada are smuggled from the USA:
Man who smuggled record number of guns into Ontario sentenced to 8 years in prison

Yes there was a spate of shootings over the recent holiday weekend, but no one was killed. Despite the recent shootings, gun deaths in Toronto are currently at a 3 year low.

In 2018 the homicide rate in Toronto was 3.11 per 100,000 people, which is much lower than similarly sized American cities such as Chicago (24 per 100,0000), Dallas–Fort Worth (8), Houston (12), Washington (17), Philadelphia (20), Miami (11), Atlanta(16) and Boston (8)

Ontario courts are at the point of Extreme overload because the judges have been instructed by the Fed to go easy on the illegals , hence the spate of recent violence. It’s the catch & release program in our justice system - which scares most of us Crapless ! ! We have nothing to defend ourselves with 🤬
The Toronto Police Chief recently declared he was helpless to stop the shootings .

90% of these handguns guns are smuggled in from the USA thru channels our police can’t stop.

[JCWDCW]

One last comment. Look the officer straight in the eye and just answer the questions.; yes or no if it can be kept that simple...don't get chatty, and don't try to be cute or funny. Border crossing is serious business and deal with it in that light!
I leave the door to the trailer unlocked so the officer can get in and inspect at his/her leisure. They will ask you to turn off the engine and give them your keys!!! Safety issue...The only comment I will have if they enter the Trailer is to request that they hear the fridge door click when it closes, and if there is a trick to releasing the catch tell them that too. I had an agent nearly rip the lock of my old trailer fridge, because she didn't know there was a travel lock.
More and more they are asking for your trailer license number....some sort of effort to see if you actually own the trailer?...Not sure.
JCW

[sirtate]

Originally Posted by Popcornkid

Ontario courts are at the point of Extreme overload because the judges have been instructed by the Fed to go easy on the illegals , hence the spate of recent violence. It’s the catch & release program in our justice system - which scares most of us Crapless ! ! We have nothing to defend ourselves with [emoji2959]

The Toronto Police Chief recently declared he was helpless to stop the shootings .



90% of these handguns guns are smuggled in from the USA thru channels our police can’t stop.

The handgun smuggling will always be there as long as civilians can buy a gun legally somewhere...

Presently, you just need to know a guy in the US and keep your cool for the questions at the booth...

They'll catch some, but they can't catch all.

[sirtate]

Originally Posted by JCWDCW

One last comment. Look the officer straight in the eye and just answer the questions.; yes or no if it can be kept that simple...don't get chatty, and don't try to be cute or funny. Border crossing is serious business and deal with it in that light!
I leave the door to the trailer unlocked so the officer can get in and inspect at his/her leisure. They will ask you to turn off the engine and give them your keys!!! Safety issue...The only comment I will have if they enter the Trailer is to request that they hear the fridge door click when it closes, and if there is a trick to releasing the catch tell them that too. I had an agent nearly rip the lock of my old trailer fridge, because she didn't know there was a travel lock.
More and more they are asking for your trailer license number....some sort of effort to see if you actually own the trailer?...Not sure.
JCW

Treat it like an interrogation.

Because it is.

Answer their questions, succinctly and truthfully.

Do not elaborate.

When you hit the booth, tell the officer how many people are in the vehicle when you hand your documents over. (You have them ready, don't you?)

You'll be asked where you are going and why.

You'll be asked where you live.

You'll be asked what you are bringing with you.

Fruits/Vegetables and tobacco and alcohol are big items. Do not misrepresent that stuff.

Sometimes I've been asked if I know anyone on the American side of the border. (I'm Canadian, and work there almost daily on a B1 visa).

You are supposed to be on edge when you hit the booth. That's by design. They will ask you questions that are designed to make you flustered.

The psychology that they use is interesting, and is effective at rooting out people who are good actors. They'll get you off your script and take you down a rabbit hole if you aren't telling the truth...

K.I.S.S.

Other than the wait times, it's no big deal...

[DavidsonOverlander]

Originally Posted by Popcornkid

Ontario courts are at the point of Extreme overload because the judges have been instructed by the Fed to go easy on the illegals , hence the spate of recent violence. It’s the catch & release program in our justice system - which scares most of us Crapless ! ! We have nothing to defend ourselves with 🤬
The Toronto Police Chief recently declared he was helpless to stop the shootings .

90% of these handguns guns are smuggled in from the USA thru channels our police can’t stop.

I would love to see a reliable source for your comment "the judges have been instructed by the Fed to go easy on the illegals".

Also a full quote of Mark Saunders declaring that he was helpless to stop the shootings. I suspect what he said was something in regard to this being a social problem with gangs that the police can't solve on their own without help from other levels of government, but perhaps you can clarify.

Not sure about 90%, but I believe that you are correct that the majority of guns come in from America. A gun that costs $200-$300 in America will sell for $3000 in Canada on the black market. Other sources are guns manufactured illegally in Canada, and Canadians buying guns legally and selling them to criminals.

[Old Grumpy]

Originally Posted by waninae39

crossing into Canada is easier than into the USA

We recently crossed into Canada at the Niagara Falls crossing and back into the US in Michigan. The Canadians did everything except a body cavity search and delayed us for an hour or so while they went through every nook and cranny in both our truck and trailer. Crossing back into the US took no more than 30 seconds for the guard to say "Welcome home!"

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by Countryboy59

You do not need a passport to cross into the US if you are a US citizen, only a photo ID and birth certificate. The requirements are easily found online.

Photo ID rules are specific now and the source of the photo ID is very specific if you are a US citizen crossing from Canada back into the US. For example my old Missouri driver's license is not a valid ID. However if you obtain an Enhanced Missouri driver's license it is. Here are the current requirements as stated in the US Customs and Border Protection Web page.

"What types of documents are accepted for entry into the United States via land and sea?

U.S. citizens can present a valid: U.S. Passport; Passport Card; Enhanced Driver’s License; Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST); U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders; U.S. Merchant Mariner document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or Form I-872 American Indian Card, or (when available) Enhanced Tribal Card.
U.S. and Canadian citizen children under the age of 16 (or under 19, if traveling with a school, religious group, or other youth group) need only present a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship. The birth certificate can be original, photocopy, or certified copy."

If you do not have one of the above documents, you can be refused entry to the US and may experience delays while the US border crossing authorities attempt to verify your clearance to enter the country. Note that these rules apply to western hemisphere travel for roads and sea and do not apply to air travel which has different rules. This is why if you are unwilling to pay the fee and carry a passport, the Enhanced Driver's License is probably the preferred way to gain entry back into the US from a Canadian trip.

Driver's Licenses meeting the Enhanced ID requirement usually display a white star within a gold filled circle on the top right hand front side of the driver's license. The bar code information on the back of the licenses also contains additional information that links to a database accessible by border crossing personnel for the license holder. If you don't know if your state is issuing the enhanced license ask first. As I found out for Missouri not all of the licenses in the hands of drivers are enhanced at this time. It will take some time for them to filter into current drivers hands, unless you make a special request like I did.

Jack

[jcl]

We'd love to have you all visit us, but perhaps we could be spared the "here is what is wrong with your country" rhetoric. It is insulting.

Thanks

We cross regularly between the US and Canada, and have never had an issue. On a visit to Ottawa two years ago, we drove south into Michigan, and found when we were in line that our Canadian passports had expired. We were already across the bridge. The US border agent listened to our explanation, smiled, and said we would be fine, then waved us on with expired passports.

[DKB_SATX]

The topic of this thread is crossing over the US-Canada border. There are several valid mentions of regulations regarding firearms but as usually happens it's straying far into divisive political rhetoric rather than focusing on camping and Airstreams and travel across the US-Canada border in Airstreams.

Please track back toward the relevant original topic.

[DavidsonOverlander]

By Post #13 the OP had already made the decision not to travel through Canada!

[HHPJ]

Whatever you do, avoid the second inspection from these two...