Passport Validity Question - US to Canada
March 2, 2017 10:39 PM Subscribe
If my US passport expires in 2019, do I need to renew it before traveling to Canada this summer? I hear that in some cases you need more than 2 years validity. Any other considerations for travel to Canada?
The above immihelp URL is for non-U.S. citizens entering the U.S.
To enter Canada, U.S. citizens do not need a passport or visa, but may need proof of citizenship. Having an up-to-date passport solves this requirement either way: https://travel.gc.ca/returning/travelling-to-canada
posted by lesser weasel at 11:12 PM on March 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
To enter Canada, U.S. citizens do not need a passport or visa, but may need proof of citizenship. Having an up-to-date passport solves this requirement either way: https://travel.gc.ca/returning/travelling-to-canada
posted by lesser weasel at 11:12 PM on March 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
As an aside, an instance I know of which would require a passport to have 2 years' validity would be a non-U.S. citizen on an 18-month J-visa program to the U.S., as that would require a passport valid for at least six months beyond period of stay.
IANYL but in general, as a U.S. citizen and on short-term travel, you wouldn't need your passport to be valid nearly that long regardless of country. Here are the visa requirements for U.S. citizens going to other countries. (With anything on Wiki, I would double-check current information on each country's government website related to visas.)
posted by lesser weasel at 11:46 PM on March 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
IANYL but in general, as a U.S. citizen and on short-term travel, you wouldn't need your passport to be valid nearly that long regardless of country. Here are the visa requirements for U.S. citizens going to other countries. (With anything on Wiki, I would double-check current information on each country's government website related to visas.)
posted by lesser weasel at 11:46 PM on March 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
You don't necessarily need a passport to get *in* to Canada from the US (other documents can suffice) but you will need one to *return* by air.
posted by lakeroon at 4:02 AM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by lakeroon at 4:02 AM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
The short answer is "no," but points made above are all solid.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 4:14 AM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 4:14 AM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
This is recent, but not since January -- I've known people to cross the US/Canada border by land with just slightly expired passports. I would not do that now (or ever, really, not on purpose), but I would absolutely not worry as long as my passport was currently valid for the entire trip. I have often traveled by air with a Canadian passport that has a month of validity left between the US and Canada and no one blinks.
posted by jeather at 5:18 AM on March 3, 2017
posted by jeather at 5:18 AM on March 3, 2017
Official guidance from the U.S. government on all things related to travel to Canada is here.
Per the site, your passport must be valid at the time of entry. Pretty much every other question you could have is answered here, too, down to where you may and may not use a radar detector in your car and the fact you can get fined in some jurisdictions for leaving your car doors unlocked.
posted by whitewall at 6:48 AM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Per the site, your passport must be valid at the time of entry. Pretty much every other question you could have is answered here, too, down to where you may and may not use a radar detector in your car and the fact you can get fined in some jurisdictions for leaving your car doors unlocked.
posted by whitewall at 6:48 AM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
You don't necessarily need a passport to get *in* to Canada from the US (other documents can suffice) but you will need one to *return* by air.
If you're a U.S. citizen, eventually they do, in fact, have to permit your return. It's just not a process anyone in their right minds would subject themselves to.
posted by praemunire at 9:29 AM on March 3, 2017
If you're a U.S. citizen, eventually they do, in fact, have to permit your return. It's just not a process anyone in their right minds would subject themselves to.
posted by praemunire at 9:29 AM on March 3, 2017
A year ago we drove onto the ferry to Canada and spent a week camping. Then we returned home. My passport expired one month later.
posted by AnOrigamiLife at 11:38 PM on March 3, 2017
posted by AnOrigamiLife at 11:38 PM on March 3, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
All results I find online echo the same, e.g. from http://www.immihelp.com/visas/six-months-passport-validity-rule-visitors.html:
"Visitors traveling to the United States are required to be in possession of passports that are valid for six months beyond the period of their intended stay in the United States. Citizens of the countries listed below are exempt the six-month rule and need only have a passport valid for their intended period of stay."
[list of countries following includes Canada]
"
posted by Gomez_in_the_South at 10:51 PM on March 2, 2017 [3 favorites]