Re: COMMON travel document informal survey

International travel requires more documents than ever. If you fly, you will
need at least 2 id's - one being birth certificate if you are a US citizen,
a passport for everyone else.

Apparently, if you drive, it is a different thing for some people and some
checkpoints. Prior to 9/11, you could drive through a Canadian/US border to
New York easy. Since border security was ~supposed~ to be improved since
then, do not take a chance on any of this.

Remember, you are going OUT of the country. You are LEAVING the US. Do NOT
screw with the INS... er... BCIS.. er... USCIS! Being detained in another
country - no matter how friendly they appear to be (Leo is really a nice
guy) - is not a fun thing.

I was once told I was going to be detained in Canada for 8 months. They had
no basis, but they ARE the authority, so when I did get back to Chicago I
did my research. Then, I met a guy who HAD been. Then, I met a wife whose
husband was just taken off their return honeymoon flight and sent back from
where they honeymooned - for eight months. Sure, these are visa holders, but
I learned that Immigration services are NOT to be screwed with in any way.

Ignorance ("oh yeah, a driver's license will do") is not a defense when it
comes to INTERNATIONAL travel....


P.S. Of course, if you go through NIAGRA, you may have only a four hour
detention. If you go through NiagAra, you may be less ..um... blue?



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Winchester Terry" <terry.winchester@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: COMMON travel document informal survey


> Just an FYI:
>
> I went to Toronto (via Niagra Falls), then onto Montreal and
> back to NY via 81 near Kingston (1000 Island Bridge)last weekend
> (Sat thru Mon).
>
> I had no problems getting into Canada :)  Of course, crossing
> at Niagra Falls is usually fairly easy anyway. We were asked
> (1) our citizenship (2) where we were going and (3) the nature
> of our business in Canada (a mini vacation was my response).
>
> Coming back was a different story.  The requirement as posted
> was "Have a Photo-Id Ready..." but after showing them both NY
> state drivers licenses (mine and my girlfriends) the customs guy
> says "is this all?".  Fortunately, we both had brought birth
> certificates with us.  After passing them over and waiting a
> minute or two for him to verify the licences against the
> certificates he let us pass with a smile.  <grin> At the
> time I was also making a few "colorful" comments on the
> long wait time ;-)
>
> Terry
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Al Barsa
> > Subject: Re: COMMON travel document informal survey
> >
> >
> >
> > You're toast.
> >
> > Al