Traveling into Canada

Will be crossing the border in early June and will be staying in Banff NP for 6 nights.  I found the info here useful and can't wait for our trip.  This will be the longest trip we have ever taken with our RP.  Thanks for all the ideas and info.

As Canadians who travel to the US a lot as our daughter and her family live in North Carolina, we really never have an issue with either boarder service, however, we only travel on our passports.  US customs will not accept anything else from us.  The passport really makes the crossing painless and is easier than a wallet card as you don’t have to fish out your wallet to get it.

Originally posted by Leo B The real ID is what you will need for domestic flights starting in October of 2018.Nothing to do with border crossing.  Those have to be either a passport card,passport or an enhanced drivers license.  He said that numerous states got an extensions and have not yet become compliant so that is probably why there is some differences.

Tell your Border Patrol friend THANKS for the scoop! It confirms what I was thinking. In Indiana, since I was renewing, I COULD have gotten an "old style" (non-compliant) license, if desired this time. However, anything NEW must be the Real ID. However, it wasn't that big of a deal and next time, maybe I can go back to renewing online.

Now, I really need to quit procrastinating and get a passport card. It's overdue for me to drive North and visit our good friends/neighbors/allies in Canada.

Originally posted by Leo B Will give a buddy from Border Patrol a call and get the straight scoop.

Great! If anyone would know, it would be him.

Upon pondering the matter....Glue Guy is in CA. Maybe, given their proximity to Mexico, maybe they are coming out with an EDL????

Originally posted by Leo B My understanding is that the real ID has nothing to do with the border or the ability to cross it. It is just a License with proof that you are a us citizen or real person etc. The enhanced drivers license is in the catergory with the passport which allows you to cross the border to Canada or Mexico only ( by driving). We have passports and no enhanced license. We have the real ID license. My son didn’t want to pay for a passport so he purchased the enhanced license to cross back and forth to Canada.

+1 - that is kind of my understanding. Real ID is an Uncle Sam/Homeland Security/TSA thing to keep them happy and satisfied that I am a real person and citizen. I have not stopped looking but, I have not found anything yet indicating that any foreign government would recognize/accept in lieu of a passport.