International ID Check

[Don]

Hi, I understand what you need to cross US/CA boarder. My question is this: does Amtrek ACTUALLY check your birth certificate? Or are you just carrying it it with you "incase."

I have a copy of mine, but do not have the original. A family member just died and I need to get into Canada...

So do they actually ask to physically look at the document?

Thanks for your help.

 

[transit54]

Hi, I understand what you need to cross US/CA boarder. My question is this: does Amtrek ACTUALLY check your birth certificate? Or are you just carrying it it with you "incase."
I have a copy of mine, but do not have the original. A family member just died and I need to get into Canada...

So do they actually ask to physically look at the document?

Thanks for your help.

Amtrak won't look at it. But Canadian customs inspectors (and US customs inspectors on the way back) most certantly will. If you don't have it, you absolutely won't be allowed to cross the border and will be removed from the train. There should be a way to get one on short notice - though probably not till Monday, I'd assume.

 

[MrEd]

I just booked trip via amtrak reservations, they required that I provide all information to them. They told me it was requried for the crossing. In my case I have passport, so they took down those numbers and will provide a list to the border agents. As mentioned, a copy of birth certificate will not be accepted. Sorry to hear about your circumstance. My condolences to you and your family.

 

[cassrr]

I just booked trip via amtrak reservations, they required that I provide all information to them. They told me it was requried for the crossing. In my case I have passport, so they took down those numbers and will provide a list to the border agents. As mentioned, a copy of birth certificate will not be accepted. Sorry to hear about your circumstance. My condolences to you and your family.

From Amtrak's web site...."We strongly recommend that US and Canadian citizens carry a passport. Passengers without a passport, must have a certified copy of a birth certificate and current, valid government-issued photo identification."

 

[Guest]

As of summer 2006 I was able to travel from the US to Canada with only a driver's license and an ordinary photocopy of my birth certificate, though it led to some extra questions and scrutiny from the border people. Not sure whether this would still work today, or whether it would have worked going back from Canada to the US. If at all possible you should have someone fedex you your original birth certificate or passport to avoid any chance of trouble.

 

[TARDIS42]

As of summer 2006 I was able to travel from the US to Canada with only a driver's license and an ordinary photocopy of my birth certificate, though it led to some extra questions and scrutiny from the border people. Not sure whether this would still work today, or whether it would have worked going back from Canada to the US. If at all possible you should have someone fedex you your original birth certificate or passport to avoid any chance of trouble.

Lots of things have changed since then - there has been some confusion the last couple of years as Homeland Security has been trying to enforce similar regulations on land/sea border crossings as they do for air travel. (basically, bring your passport, preferably RFID enabled) That's been postponed until June of 2009, so it looks like a state drivers license should be enough. I suspect Amtrak is just being cautious with the passport/birth certificate suggestion.

Re: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

 

[Guest]

Lots of things have changed since then - there has been some confusion the last couple of years as Homeland Security has been trying to enforce similar regulations on land/sea border crossings as they do for air travel. (basically, bring your passport, preferably RFID enabled) That's been postponed until June of 2009, so it looks like a state drivers license should be enough. I suspect Amtrak is just being cautious with the passport/birth certificate suggestion.
Re: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

If you read that page, it notes that even currently, you need "a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, ALONG WITH proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate." So a state drivers license on its own will almost certainly not be enough (since some states given driver's licenses to non-citizens). Something like a birth certificate is necessary, though it's not clear when a copy will do.

 

[wayman]

If you read that page, it notes that even currently, you need "a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, ALONG WITH proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate." So a state drivers license on its own will almost certainly not be enough (since some states given driver's licenses to non-citizens). Something like a birth certificate is necessary, though it's not clear when a copy will do.

I don't think a non-notorized copy of a birth certificate is ever sufficient for anything.

Washington (state) now has a special "drivers license plus" (or something like that) which is an optional upgrade. For a small fee plus giving them (I think) biometric data, you get a shinier drivers license which doubles as a passport to Canada. At least, I think that's the gist of it. It means you can go to Canada and back with just that one piece of plastic. (I don't actually know if it works for any stretch of the US/Canadian border that is beyond Washington.) There were some advertisements for it in King St Station; I think they're just introducing this, and it will only add to everyone's confusion while there are already so many different claims about what documentation is sufficient or acceptable or not.

 

[Anthony]

Plus there's the ~$20 Passport Card which works just like a U.S. Passport, but only for land and sea crossings.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html