Passport ?
 

I would like to know if I would need a passport to visit Victoria and VanCouver.

Assuming you're an American citizen you don;t need a passport YET. But you will need both a picture ID (like a drivers lic) and proof of citizenship (like your birth certificate).

gettin into Canada is easy byt the way - it's getting back into the US that can be a problem.

If you don;t have a passport I would get one - but if you prefer both of the above it is still sufficient (but I believe will be changing in the next year or so).

Van Couver? LOL I like your inventive spelling!

Don't mean to cause alarm but, I would get a passport ASAP for your trip to Canada. Not doubting nytraveler's experience, my wife and I had a different experience. We were taking a cruise from Vancouver up the inside passage in Alaska. We didn't even think about passports because we were going from PA to Alaska. Oops, we forgot about Vancouver...CANADA! We had a very hard time getting through. Do yourself a favor and get the passport.

buongiorno -

That's because it's a cruise - and they don;t want to deal with a lot of people who brought one thing and not another - or have only a xerox - rather than official certified copy of their birth certificate - so they insist on passports.

But since they will be needed soon - why not just get one now anyway - it's much simpler.

I had a good feeling that I do need the passport. You are right....I will get one - Thanks for your input.

I agree - get one. We had were given a hard time by the Canadian authorities without one last summer.

According to the US State Dept website (a better ;lace to check on these things than here) you do not need a passport to/from Canada until 2008. But things are so much easier with a passport - then there is no confusion about what documents you need, are they the right form of the right documents, etc. People make the mistake of thinking a driver's license is all you need - it is not - you need a certified copy of birth certificate with raised seal plus govt. issued photo ID.

Get the passport - if you are reading this board, you are likely to want to travel someplace for which you will need it.

Just to be a bit more detailed on the 2008 premise...

A passport for Canada is required as of Dec. 31, 2006 for all air/sea travel to/from Canada. Dec. 31, 2007 for for land crossings which means we in the Detroit area get a bit more time.

There was an article in the local paper saying that they are considering a "day pass", or short trip pass for visiting Canada and vice versa. I guess the border area merchants are fussing about making it more difficult for border city residents to go back and forth.


There wasn't a lot of detail though.