Will the new Passport Requirements hurt U.S. Border Towns?
tritium @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:00 pm
Canada's favorite pass time seems to be hockey and cross border shopping.
Do you think the Canadian/US passport requirements will hurt the U.S. border towns that rely on Canadian cross border shoppers for their economy.
U.S. ID requirements will hurt trade
Clogeroo @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:05 pm
Well I just buy things here I never really found it worth wild travelling to the United States to just shop for things. Most likely tourism and trade will be affected but security should come before consumers.
tritium @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:19 pm
Clogeroo Clogeroo:
Well I just buy things here I never really found it worth wild travelling to the United States to just shop for things. Most likely tourism and trade will be affected but security should come before consumers.
I thought you lived in Northern B.C. - That's a very long drive to the border.
I was looking for some land up there. It's nice country for fishing, and I think you guys still get snow.
I am in my short sleeves today on my balcony, my laptop in hand. Sunny Calgary. It's about 40F 5C ( Jan/25th,2007 )
Clogeroo @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:31 pm
$1:
I thought you lived in Northern B.C. - That's a very long drive to the border.
I was looking for some land up there. It's nice country for fishing, and I think you guys still get snow.
I am in my short sleeves today on my balcony, my laptop in hand. Sunny Calgary. It's about 40F 5C ( Jan/25th,2007 )
I was looking for some land up there. It's nice country for fishing, and I think you guys still get snow.
I am in my short sleeves today on my balcony, my laptop in hand. Sunny Calgary. It's about 40F 5C ( Jan/25th,2007 )
I'm in southern British Columbia close to Vancouver.
BartSimpson @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:33 pm
It'll hurt for a while until everyone gets their passports and then things will go back to normal.
The rural areas will be relatively unaffected as a lot of them don't use the legit border crossings anyways. My friends in Custer (just east of Blaine/White Rock) tell me they usually just go to the end of their lane, hop the fence, and they're in Canada. Then they take the bus to Vancouver or Tsawassen or wherever they're going from there. They have their passports and say they'll just bring them along when they hop the fence in the future. To my understanding no one cares that they do this and no one on the US side cares that their Canadian neighbours do the same.
camerontech @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:46 pm
it might hurt for a few months but things will get back to normal. in a few years people will wonder why there was such a fuss about this in the first place....
QBC @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:55 pm
Well, I'm not getting a passport just to go to the states, so I guess I won't be going there ever again.
twister @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:32 pm
okay the facts : I work for the Canadian government. I spend a lot of time in and out of the US. For my job as well as hockey related trips.
1) you need a Passport to ENTER THE US BY AIR ONLY.
2)If you are a Canadian Citizen and you do not have a passport....You can use a birth certificate and government photo ID ( ie your divers license) to enter on foot, by car, by motor coach (bus), rail and even by boat to enter and return from the US. Passports are required only by AIR travel. They may speed up your entry by other sources but are NOT Required.
ONCE again repeat after me... Passports are an AIR TRAVEL requirement.
3) if you are a foriegn visitor to Canada you need the passport of your country of origin and a travel visa. As it has been ALWAYS
This will have No effect on US border towns as it's Still business as usual. I really wish people wouldn't panic and read what the government has been putting out for the past 9 months. These f'ing news reporters who can't get the stories straight.. have no information except what is stuck in that little brain of theirs.. cause and evoke panic.
By 2010 all Canadians and US citizens who travel across the borders will be issued a Smart Indentity card that contains your photo and finger print ID as well as a computer chip that when placed next to a terminal gives them all the information they need about you.
You will have this issued smart card or your passport for travel by air by 2010. It's just to speed up air travel.
camerontech @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:35 pm
twister twister:
2)If you are a Canadian Citizen and you do not have a passport....You can use a birth certificate and government photo ID ( ie your divers license) to enter on foot, by car or even by boat to enter and return from the US. Passports are required only by AIR travel. They may speed up your entry by other sources but are NOT Required.
thanks for the facts...correct me if im wrong but all Canadians will have to carry a passport when flying to the US as of this year and all Canadians driving across the border will need a passport as of next year....?
Regina @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:42 pm
I have a passport which expired in May 2005. I've used it for travel in and out of the states by air allot since then and to my surprise have had no problem. I don't expect that to continue and I'll get an updated passport for my next air travel because when you're trying to board a flight, that's not the time to find out they won't accept it anymore.
I live 25 minutes from the border and have many times taken a quick trip over just for the heck of it. Since you only need a birth certificate and licence to travel across by car, that hasn't been a problem. When the time comes that you need a valid passport to do that it will be a different story.
Since I never have and never will carry my passport on a daily basis, I may not want to go home and get my passport just for a quick trip over. If it's on the way fine, but if I have to go out of my way to get it just for a quick trip over for something to eat........forget it. So the small town on the other side of the border who sells gas, food and have a bar will suffer.
One thing the Canadian government should do is extend the expiry date for adult passports to 10 years like the UK and other countries. The current $87 cash grab every 5 years is extreme considering how much people change facially in adulthood.
twister @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:45 pm
Passports are AIR travel only.. even when the identity cards come on board.. they will be a requirement for AIR Travel only.
Eventually it will probably be placed on rail, boat and Motor coach (bus) travel by 2010. Smart card or Passport requirement.
But the person going over to do shopping or play bingo.. on foot or by car will be drivers licence and birth certificate if you are a canadian citizen born in Canada.
If you are a landed immigrant who has become a canadian citizen.... just get a passport saves a lot of time less paperwork.
twister @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:46 pm
I agree passports should be updated every ten years not 5 as it currently stands.
ridenrain @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:07 pm
I work about 15 minutes from the border and I'd jump over just to get a tank of gas if the line was less than 2 hours long. Not really going to affect me.
canuckns @ Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:13 pm
$1:
Q: The Basics – What is it, whom does it affect and when does it go into effect?
A: The air portion of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will require, with some exceptions, citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda to present a passport to enter (or re-enter) the United States when arriving by air from any part of the Western Hemisphere beginning January 23, 2007.
Q: Who will the travel initiative affect?
A: U.S. citizens will need a passport to enter the United States by air from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, South and Central America, and the Caribbean (known as the Western Hemisphere).
Also under this rule, citizens of Mexico, Canada, and Bermuda will now have to have a passport when entering the United States by air.
While United States citizens are currently required to have passports to enter most countries in Central and South America, this rule makes clear that the passport must be presented upon return to the United States as well.
Q: When will the travel initiative be implemented?
A: The initiative will be implemented in two phases. The timeline is as follows:
Phase 1: Beginning January 23, 2007, U.S. citizens and citizens of Canada, Mexico and Bermuda traveling by air between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport to enter (or re-enter) the U.S.
Phase 2: As early as January 1, 2008, U.S. citizens traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), could be required to present a valid U.S. passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security in a forthcoming separate rule. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain acceptable documents for land/sea entries.
A: The air portion of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will require, with some exceptions, citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda to present a passport to enter (or re-enter) the United States when arriving by air from any part of the Western Hemisphere beginning January 23, 2007.
Q: Who will the travel initiative affect?
A: U.S. citizens will need a passport to enter the United States by air from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, South and Central America, and the Caribbean (known as the Western Hemisphere).
Also under this rule, citizens of Mexico, Canada, and Bermuda will now have to have a passport when entering the United States by air.
While United States citizens are currently required to have passports to enter most countries in Central and South America, this rule makes clear that the passport must be presented upon return to the United States as well.
Q: When will the travel initiative be implemented?
A: The initiative will be implemented in two phases. The timeline is as follows:
Phase 1: Beginning January 23, 2007, U.S. citizens and citizens of Canada, Mexico and Bermuda traveling by air between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport to enter (or re-enter) the U.S.
Phase 2: As early as January 1, 2008, U.S. citizens traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), could be required to present a valid U.S. passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security in a forthcoming separate rule. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain acceptable documents for land/sea entries.
Source - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (DHS)