I am unclear on the entry requirement into Canada by car from US. Is passport mandatory now? or is a Birth certificate only ok?
We are traveling with my daughter's friend (age 18)& she doesn't have a passport. I am assuming she doesn't need a notarized letter from parent allowing us to 'transport' her as she is over 16 ?...

thanks for your help

No Passport required yet, however you will need the extra documentation for your daughter's friend... I recently picked up my daughters friends from Niagara Falls after they spent the night... the US Customs inspector detained us for 20 minutes of questioning and explained that there is a great concern over both kidnapping and transport of illegals across the border... he explained that his options included holding the girls at the border until their parents came to pick them up...

In the end, he let us pass, however warned us that future trips should include a letter of authorization for our family to transport their children across the border... better safe than sorry....

Make sure she brings photo ID (a driver's license) to go along with her birth certificate. If she doesn't have that, if she has any other photo ID (a school ID, a bus pass, etc) that would be safer than nothing at all.

ok Do I need a letter from her parents - she is 18

Thanks for your responses!!

Here is Citizenship and Immigration Canada's website about arriving at the Canadian border.

When it comes to letters of permission from children's parents, etc., it only mentions children who are under 16.

You can see the web page here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/arriving.asp

Thank you Judy !

I've had a US relative come into Canada with no passport and Canadian friend go into the US with no passport in recent months. At present, one may cross a LAND border with original (raised seal) birth certificate and photo ID. However, if you will be travelling after January 1, 2008, know that the law is supposed to change after that date so as to REQUIRE a passport after this date to enter the US from Canada by land also (or Mexico).

Time will tell whether this law actually goes into effect...

DAN

My comment.

Can you ever be over documented?

The girls in my car from the above post were 19 and 20.... you should get the letter as a safety back-up!!!!

thanks gary That is a good idea !