US-Canada Border Crossing Information

Canadian Border Crossing Requirements

NOTICE: As of June 1, 2009, everyone arriving in Canada by air, land and sea from every country must have in their possession a valid passport or equivalent travel document. As of today, August 13, 2012, the acceptable documents include;

• Passport
• Passport Card
• Nexus Card
• Enhanced Washington State Drivers License
  This alternative to the regular drivers license indicates both citizenship and identity. Enhanced Driver’s License are valid documents for entry into Canada by land or sea, although not valid for entry by air. As of August 2010, the only states with these alternative licenses are Washington State, New York and Vermont. See your State Dept of Licensing for more info.

Read the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for more details of the documents, identification, and paperwork that a U.S. citizen need to travel internationally?

Crossing the Border with Children?

Traveling with children under the age of 18 that are unaccompanied by both parents need a certified letter of permission to travel into Canada (from the parent, parents or guardian). The parents’ full name, address and telephone number should be included in the consent letter.  If you are traveling with children, you should have in your possession the child’s identification for each child in your vehicle.

U.S. citizen children under the age of 16 and under arriving by land or sea from a contiguous territory may present an original or copy of his or her birth certificate (issued by the Vital Records Department in the state where he or she was born), a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Naturalization Certificate.  If the child is a newborn and the actual birth certificate has not arrived from the Vital Records Department, we will accept a Hospital issued birth certificate.

When traveling with a group of vehicles, parents or guardians should arrive at the border in the same vehicle as the children.

NOTE: Divorced parents who share custody of their children should carry copies of the legal custody documents. A parent traveling without his/her spouse needs to have a certified letter of permission from the other parent to enter into Canada.

Blaine, Lynden and Sumas Boarder Crossings

Northwestplaces.com offers information on Crossing the Canadian / US Border in Blaine, Lynden, and Sumas Washington State.  They offer travel tips on crossing the border as well as links to useful sites about the borders.  Information includes web cams and wait times at many borders of Washington State and British Columbia.

• US Customs and Border Protection
• Canada Border Services Agency
• WSDOT Border Cams
• British Columbia Web Cams