I need information on crossing the Canadian US border

[TrogL]

A family in Canada wants to go to the States and take the next door neighbour boy with them on vacation (his folks can't afford to go).

What documentation is needed so the neighbour kid can get across the border and travel with them. I'm being told a lot of bullshit.

[TahitiNut]

1. What "documentation" do actual parents have for their children?

I don't know of any. Do you? I suppose a copy of his birth certificate could be carried, but I don't know of anyone who does this.

If it were me, all I'd want is a letter, signed by both parents, indicating their son is in my care and I can act in loco parentis regarding the boy - in case of emergency and all that. But that's what I ask for in any case where I was caring for a child and the parent was traveling (or I was).

[TrogL]

2. I agree, but I need to know the actual law

I can't go into details of the specifics.

[happyslug]

4. Under present law nothing.

Any Canadian Citizen visit the US without passport or Visa (Till January 1, 2008 when Passports will be Required, unless Congress reverses this new law). The child is a Canadian Citizen, thus he can visit the US. The fact he or she is a child is NOT a factor on his or her right to visit the US. The only issue would be your right to have the child with you and verbal permission is all that is needed (Unless Canadian law requires something more if you have a child, not your own with you, something I doubt).

Now for practical concerns. If the child has a passport would be ideal, but not needed. I would also have a notarized statement from the parents saying they gave you permission to have their child with them. Such permission slip is NOT legally required, but it impresses bureaucrats (and the permission slip being notarized makes it look "legal"). Now the written permission slip is NOT needed, nor would I call it a "Legal Document", i.e. It will have NO legal validity. The note is just to show bureaucrats if any question comes up regarding your right to have the child. The note should say how long you are to have the child (i.e. for the next month etc).

Now, given the present hysteria about Security I would have passports for everyone in your group. If you do NOT have a passport (or if anyone in your group do NOT have passports) have birth Certificates for each member of the party (This is addition to any Driver's Licenses anyone in your group has). All of this is to show you are Canadian Citizens as opposed to citizen of some other country (If your children have School IDs I would take them along also.

For moreInformation (US State Department Site):
http://travelwithkids.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=travelwithkids&zu=http%3A%2F%2Ftravel.state.gov%2Ftravel%2Fwarnings_consular.html
U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
Consular Information Sheet

June 14, 2006

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Canada is a highly developed stable democracy. Tourist facilities are widely available except in northern and wilderness areas, where they are less developed and can be vast distances apart. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Canada for additional information.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: All persons entering Canada may be required to present proof of citizenship and identity. U.S. citizens are encouraged to show a U.S. passport. If they do not have a passport, they should be prepared to provide a government-issued photo ID (e.g. Driver’s License) and proof of U.S. citizenship such as a U.S. birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or U.S. passport.

U.S. citizens entering Canada from a third country must have a valid U.S. passport. A visa is not required for U.S. citizens to visit Canada of up to 180 days. Anyone seeking to enter Canada for any purpose besides a visit, (e.g. to work, study or immigrate) should contact the Canadian Embassy or nearest consulate prior to travel. Anyone with a criminal record (including some misdemeanors such as Driving While Impaired (DWI) charges) may be excluded or removed from Canada, and should contact the Canadian Embassy or nearest Canadian consulate well in advance of any planned travel for further processing, which may take some time.

For further information on entry requirements, travelers may contact the Embassy of Canada at 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20001, tel. [phone], or the Canadian consulates in Buffalo, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York or Seattle. The Canadian Embassy’s website is: http://www.canadianembassy.org/.

See Entry and Exit Requirements for more information pertaining to dual nationality and the prevention of international child abduction. Please refer to our Customs Information to learn more about customs regulations.

SAFETY AND SECURITY For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site where the current Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, including the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, can be found.

Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.

[TrogL]

5. That link is US to Canada

I found that already.

I need the information for someone travelling from Canada to the US.

[etherealtruth]

10. My Children cross the border regularly ...

They must have their birth certificates with them ... they DO cross with their father (my former spouse) though.

Soon (?) passports will be required.

[GirlinContempt]

3. First hit on google

http://travelwithkids.about.com/cs/carplanetips/a/crossborders.htm

[notadmblnd]

6. When we were stopped by US customs coming back

from Canada we were told we needed our childs birth certificate and social security card or passports. I only had his birth certificate, but since we all had the same last name, they let him come back with us (makes no sense, it's jsut what they told me). You usually don't get a problem out of the Canadian officials, it's the US people that give you the 3rd degree. I would also make sure you have some kind of written permission from his parents along with contact numbers.

[Missy Vixen]

7. We have a friend who had an extreme problem

crossing back into the United States from British Columbia with her pre-teen daughter two years ago. They no longer cross the border without passports, even with the law that claims one can cross with just a birth certificate.

I would call Customs and Immigration on Monday morning, make notes of the identities and titles of everyone you might talk with, and double-check what's needed.

Julie

[izzie]

8. Seems like a funny question to me who starting going to

Canada in the late 30's and the biggest problem my family ever had was once my father for got his draft card during WW2 and it took a judge he knew to say he was OK. I have not been up to Canada for about 10 years now but I guess I would not know how to get in any more. We seem to be getting like Europe was when as a girl I travel there. Like a police state. Like in Saudi Arabia where you need papers to get on some roads and into next town. Don't you love this fear stuff?

[Hekate]

9. Written permission from the boy's parents for emergency medical care

Bring insurance cards or equivalent information, signed permission from his parents to obtain medical care as needed, and a list of any pertinent medical info such as allergies to penicillin. I would absolutely do this for any child in my care, but especially when crossing borders into a country with a different medical system. That's the kind of thing that's not going to have any bearing on crossing the border, but the adults should have it anyway.

Other posters seem to have covered the rest pretty well. I hope the family has a great time on their vacation.

Hekate

[TrogL]

11. kick for the day crowd

:kick:

[GirlinContempt]

12. The question has been answered.

"When only one birth parent is traveling with a child-- or if a child is traveling with a grandparent or guardian-- the safest course of action is to to carry formal authorization, if borders are crossed."

"Even if you've been assured that you don't need a notarized letter of authorization, bring along:

* your child's birth certificate which specifically lists you as a birth parent. (In Canada, this is called the "long-form" birth certificate.)
* a signed letter from the absent parent.

And if you have any niggling qualms that something might go wrong-- make the extra effort and get a notarized letter from the absent spouse. "

"I would call Customs and Immigration on Monday morning, make notes of the identities and titles of everyone you might talk with, and double-check what's needed."

[Jazz2006]

13. Trog, some of what has been said upthread is wrong.

While it is true that a Canadian citizen can cross the border with a birth certificate and proof of residence, the rules are a bit different if one is travelling across the border with a child who is not their own.

If an underage child is going to travel with non-relatives across the border, the adults are required to have written and notarized permission from the child's parents to take the child across the border. (In addition to the usual identification, of course).

While it is true that usually, the question may not even arise if you're just driving across, the law is that they can (and will) stop you and cause all manner of unpleasantness if you don't have your paperwork in order and you're travelling with an underage child who is not your own child.

There is nothing difficult about obtaining the proper paperwork, but without it, yes, they can be prevented from crossing the border and it's damned inconvenient if they choose to do so.

I know this for a fact not only because I'm Canadian and have taken my daughter and friends of hers with me on international trips, but also because I'm a lawyer and that's the only thing that got my daughter's friend on board a flight from Toronto to Mexico several years ago when I thought, nah, they won't ask me and it won't matter, but yes they did ask and yes it did matter. Fortunately, I was able to notarize a document myself at the airport that was sufficient to get my daughter's friend on the plane with us, but it could have been and almost was a disaster and nearly an aborted vacation. Suffice it to say that ever since then, I've been sure to have the documents all in hand before embarking on vacations with my daughter and another child who isn't my own.

Granted, it's not usually as stringent at the US/Canada border crossing when driving, but there is no point in risking it if they are planning on a vacation because the downside really sucks.

Just have the parents of the travelling child type out an affidavit (it doesn't have to be in any particular format but PM me if you'd like a template of the usual format and I'll send it to you) saying, I, X, of the city of F in the province of G am the mother of Z and I hereby grant permission for my child Z to travel to A with B and C during the period of (insert date range here) and do the same thing for Y, the father of Z, and have the affidavits sworn or affirmed in front of a lawyer or other notary or commissioner for taking oaths. Assuming that the adults will also have the non related child's birth certificate and health card with them, there should be no problems at all at the border.

If they're driving and only going to the U.S., as mentioned above, they may not even be asked too many questions and may never have to produce the paperwork, depending on the age of the kid and the person who they get at the border crossing, but if you want to make sure that there are no problems, and that they aren't going to get turned around at the border, it's best to have all of the paperword properly in order. Odds are that they won't be asked for all of the proof required as set out above but if they are... it's a real drag if they don't have it.

Regards,
Jazz

(pm me if you need further details and I'll be happy to help)

[TrogL]

18. Thanks very much

Finally, a coherent answer.

[Horse with no Name]

14. I would think that some type of legal paperwork needs to established

granting temporary guardianship to the neighbors.
You can't just take someone's minor child across an international border without some type of formality, nor would I want to.
What if the parents were to have a change of heart and you had nothing in writing?

[Jazz2006]

15. No, they need not grant temporary guardianship, but they do need to

grant permission in writing.

[Horse with no Name]

16. Thanks

I just read your post--yours was the only one needed.:thumbsup:

[Jazz2006]

17. You're welcome :) nt