Passport Requirements by Bus to Canada

• Crossing the Canadian border requires indentification.o' canada image by Kathryn Palmer from Fotolia.com
  
  When traveling between Canada and the United States by any method, including bus, every person must pass through Customs and Border Protection at the border. Effective June 1, 2009, all travelers by land or sea must show identification in the form of a passport, passport card, enhanced driver license or enhanced ID card if they plan to re-enter the United States after visiting Canada.
  
  

Passports

• Although United States citizens crossing into the country of Canada can do so with just a photo identification and proof of citizenship, they can no longer re-enter the U.S. that easily. Due to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, known as WHTI, travelers entering the United States must have very specific credentials. Although other documents will suffice, a U.S. or Canadian passport is the preferred form of identification. Information on obtaining a U.S. passport can be found on the State Department website. Visitors from countries other than the United Stares or Canada must have a passport, and may also need to obtain a visa. When traveling by bus, passengers will be required to exit the bus and pass through a customs check before re-entering the vehicle to cross the border in either direction.
  
  

Passport Cards

• A U.S. Passport Card is a less expensive option for re-entry into the United States after visiting Canada, as well as Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. It is only issued to citizens of the United States and can only be used at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. Bus passengers may cross the border in either direction between Canada and the United States with this card. Similar to a passport book, the passport card contains a vicinity-read radio frequency identification chip that allows border agents to access photographs and other biographical information.
  
  

Enhanced Driver License or ID Card

• Residents of some states in America are eligible to obtain an enhanced driver license or enhanced ID card for just $15.00 more than a regular driver license, as of 2010. Known as the EDL/ID, this license or card meets the requirements for proof of citizenship to re-enter the U.S. from Canada or Mexico by land or sea only.
  
  

Children

• Children under age 16 are able to enter both Canada and the United States with a proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, without having a photo ID. For children who are traveling without their parents, including school bus trips, they must carry written authorization from their parents and a proof of citizenship in the form of an original or certified copy of their birth certificate, or a passport if they have one. The supervising adult on the bus must carry both proof of identity and citizenship.
  
  

Warning

• Whether you are traveling on a bus or any other form of transportation, individuals with felony convictions may be denied entrance into Canada. Driving while intoxicated is classified as a felony in Canada.