The meeting was chaired by President Paul Martin.
Mindy Tulsi-Ingram acted as the Sargent-At-Arms and Sam Shorter as Secretary.
On Tuesday April 15, we had Guest Speaker Ellen Kief, U.S. Immigration Lawyer present to the members and guests of the Rotary Club.
The topic was: U.S. Immigration Cross Border Travel
Ellen kindly shared a through summary of her presentation:
Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders and the Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet entry or exit requirements for the United States.
Individual border agents have significant discretion in making determinations. U.S. authorities strictly enforce entry requirements.
Expect scrutiny at ports of entry, including of electronic devices. Comply and be forthcoming in all interactions with border authorities. If you are denied entry, you could be detained while awaiting deportation.
We have obtained the information on this page from the U.S. authorities. It can, however, change at any time.
Passport
You must provide proof of your Canadian citizenship upon entry to the U.S. There are several documents that can satisfy this requirement.
Travel by air
Canadian citizens travelling by air to the United States must present one of the following documents:
- a passport, which must be valid for the duration of their stay
- a valid NEXUS card, used at self-serve kiosks at designated airports
This requirement applies to all Canadian citizens, including children, travelling by air to or even just transiting through the United States.
Useful links
Travel by land or water
As per the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), Canadian citizens aged 16 years and older must present one of the following documents when entering the United States by land or water:
- a valid passport
- a Trusted Traveler Program card
- an enhanced driver’s licence (EDL) or enhanced identification card (EIC) from a province or territory where a U.S. approved EDL/EIC program has been implemented
- a Secure Certificate of Indian Status
The WHTI-compliant document you choose to use must be valid for the duration of your stay.
Canadian citizens aged 15 years and under entering the United States by land or water require one of the following documents:
- a passport
- an original or a copy of a birth certificate
- an original Canadian citizenship certificate
Useful links
Other travel documents
Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest diplomatic mission for your destination.
Useful links
Registration
Canadians and other foreign nationals visiting the United States for periods longer than 30 days must be registered with the United States Government. Failure to comply with the registration requirement could result in penalties, fines, and misdemeanor prosecution. You should consult the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website to determine if you need to register with USCIS and how to do so. You can verify if you have been automatically registered on entry to the U.S. by looking up your I-94 admission form on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website.
Useful Links
- Alien Registration Requirement – U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Canada
- Alien Registration Requirement – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- I-94– Official Website of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) – a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) –
- recently updated the compliance process for registering with the U.S. Government.
Need to Register:
- Canadian citizens who entered the United States visa exempt at land ports of entry and were not issued Form I-94 will need to be registered
- if they intend to stay in the United States for at least 30 days in a single visit.
- These Canadian citizens primarily comprise those admitted as nonimmigrants in B-1/B-2 status (temporary visitors for business or pleasure),
- including those who did not ask to be issued a Form I-94 at a U.S. land port of entry.
Note: Canadian citizens admitted to the United States for purposes of employment or study in other nonimmigrant categories (including F, H-1b and TN)
- normally are issued a Form I-94 at the port of entry. Therefore no additional action should be needed.
- Canadian citizens who were issued a Form I-94 do not need to use the new registration process.
- USCIS has created a web-based registration process to
facilitate compliance. Alien Registration Requirement | USCIS
- https://ca.usembassy.gov/alien-registration-requirement/
Additional information at borders
Customs officials may ask you to provide your address while in the United States (including Puerto Rico). Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers may also ask for:
- evidence of residential, employment or educational ties to Canada
- proof that the trip is for a legitimate purpose and is of a reasonable length
- proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay
Dual citizens
Although U.S. authorities don’t formally require dual nationals to carry both a U.S. and a Canadian passport, carrying both documents as proof of citizenship may facilitate your entry into the United States and your return to Canada.
Useful links
Visas
Canadian visitors can usually stay in the United States for 6 months without a visa. You must declare your intended duration of stay upon entry into the United States.
In most circumstances, Canadian citizens don’t require visitor, business, transit or other visas to enter the United States from Canada but there are some exceptions.
U.S. authorities made changes to some of the instructions on how to fill out visa applications. If you do need a visa, make sure you follow the current instructions carefully when filling out your application.
Useful links
Canadian permanent residents
Canadian permanent residents may need a non-immigrant visa to enter the United States.
You must obtain this visa from the U.S. authorities before entering the country. You must also have a valid passport from your country of citizenship.
