New Passport Laws Begin June 1 for U.S. Northern and Southern Borders
Travelers from United States into Canada or Mexico Will Have New Regulations
This change is eight years in the making. After the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, the 9/11 Commission recommended tightening the security at the United States borders.
Personal Travel Experiences from North Dakota into Canada
As a North Dakota resident, I have crossed the border into Canada several times, especially as a youth taking advantage of the lower drinking age requirements. Every time I traveled into Canada, the only requirement was that every passenger in the vehicle had to show a current ID. Because we were usually traveling with a college friend from Canada who was attending school in the United States, we had to explain our citizenship. When we were asked to state our purpose for entering Canada, a simple "visiting friends" was an acceptable answer.
Coming back into the United States from Canada was just as easy. We had to show current identification, declare any purchases we made, and declare our citizenship.
International Peace Garden Identification Regulations
I have not traveled into Canada since September 11, 2001, except to visit the International Peace Garden. Built in 1932, the International Peace Garden is located right at the North Dakota / Canadian border and is a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
Now some say this "friendship" is marred by the stricter regulations. Where once all one had to do was show a drivers license, as of January 31, 2008, identification regulations at the International Peace Garden have changed to require a passport of some nature.
According to the International Peace Garden website, the International Peace Garden does not require identification for entrance. However, upon leaving the International Peace Garden, travelers are required to report to the port of entry of whichever country they are re-entering, and identification will need to be presented.
The current list of acceptable identification includes a U.S. or Canadian passport, a U.S. passport card, trusted traveler cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST), state- or provincial-issued enhanced drivers license (when available - these secure drivers licenses will denote identity and citizenship), enhanced tribal cards, U.S. military identification with military travel orders, U.S. Merchant Mariner document, Native American tribal photo identification card, Form I-872 American Indian card, or an Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) card.
For United States citizens, if they do not have a passport, they are required to show a drivers license and a birth certificate.
Railroad Personnel Required to Show Passport at Border
My brother-in-law is a conductor with the railroad. He stated that Border Control has been checking passports for all railroad personnel on board for "quite some time now." While he said the new passport regulations were a hassle at first, now he said the process is more streamlined.
He also mentioned it is harder to get back into the United States from Canada than it is to enter Canada from the U.S.
Will the Stricter Passport Regulations Negatively Affect North Dakota's Economy?
With Minot, North Dakota, a mere 65 miles from the Canadian border, many Canadians make that trip perhaps once a month or so to stock up on cheaper bulk goods. While over time it may be worth the money one must shell out for a passport in order to snag some good sales, will most people be inclined to take the time and pay the initial upfront cost in order to do so?
Stronger passport regulations will negatively affect North Dakota's economy, for two reasons.
First, the average person isn't going to apply for a passport simply to go shopping.
Second, the border between the United States and Canada was the longest undefended border in the world, and there will be some people so vehemently opposed to the idea that it must now be defended that they will boycott the process and simply not make those monthly shopping trips to Minot.
That's the last thing North Dakota needs in this economic crisis.
Sources:
"International Peace Garden United States and Canada", PeaceGarden.com
"New ID rules begin June 1 for Mexico, Canada trips", News.Yahoo.com
Published by Heather K. Adams
Heather K. Adams is an award-winning journalist with the North Dakota Newspaper Association. While she can write on many topics, she specializes in personalized national and state news reports, music, and pa... View profile
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9 Comments
Post a CommentI've always needed a passport to travel around North America, as I am British, so the new regulations don't bother me. I think it makes sense for people to have a passport. In Europe, many more people have passports, starting when people are still babies.
Sophie
Good questions to ask...I didn't know about the new passport regulations.
I still need to get a passport, eventually.
It's only a matter of time before we need them state-to-state; meanwhile, what's the government doing about illegals? It seems to be getting MORE lenient.
I got all family members passports after 9/11 I figured that it was a good idea then.
Good information - seems as if email notificatoins are running again.
Oh but the passport process is too expensive and takes too long. Let's face it what good is a passport for my 3 yr old? It's good for 7 yrs and you can be sure that she will have changed a great deal before it expires. Not to mention the trouble and cost you have to go through to get one. We haven't traveled out of the country since the new rules about children several years ago. It bites.
Yay, got an email notification of your latest :) Thanks for the heads up about the new passport regulations.
I don't know, I think people will apply for a passport to shop. I lived in Erie, PA for several years and there was always plenty of chartered buses coming down from Canada, bypassing New York State to enjoy tax free clothing purchases. If the passport process isn't too expensive or much of a hassle, I'd imagine many will warm up to it. Think about it: Many willingly shell out $45 for a BJs, Sam's or Costco membership to shop bulk. In a recession, it may well be worth it to apply since the passport is good for a very long time anyway, so there's a cost-benefit relationship at work there.