Most Americans who wish to travel to Canada often ask the question of whether or not they need a pass port to visit Canada. Yes, you do need to have a US passport to travel there. Let us tell you more about it by reading this article in full.
Why You Need A Passport
First, an introduction. Canada is a part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative or WHTI. The WHTI is a group of countries where Americans can use certain approved documents to enter. Areas covered by the WHTI include the Caribbean, Mexico, Bermuda, and of course, Canada. The documents you can use to travel to WHTI areas include your passport book, passport card, or a NEXUS card.
When Visiting
If you’re going to travel to Canada by land, you can use your passport card. All you need to do is to present this at the US-Canada border as proof of your identity and your citizenship. Getting yourself a US passport card is a lot like your passport book. Simply fulfill the necessary requirements to get one. It’s also convenient to have a passport card as it fits in your wallet compared to the bulky passport book (although the book can also slip easily into your pocket). The passport card is also cheaper, which may be a cost-effective solution if you’re just planning on visiting Canada and other WHTI countries by land or sea.
Requirements
For international air travel, you will need a new passport book. If you don’t have an idea what it is, it is the conventional passport book that’s been used even before the introduction of the passport card in 2008. That said, you’ll need a passport book if you’re taking a plane to Canada.
You can apply for both a US passport book and a card. This provides you with greater flexibility when it comes to your travel needs. When traveling by land to WHTI areas, you can minimize the bulk in your bag by bringing just your passport card.
All in all, you can never lose with any of these passport options. What’s important is that you find out first what kind of traveling you expect yourself to make often. From there, you’ll know what type of passport if best for you.
Ask Yourself
Do you travel to Canada regularly? Then you might want to apply for a NEXUS card as well. This card is designed for those who travel to Canada often and want a hassle-free travel across the border. Having a NEXUS card allows you to use the lane made exclusively for NEXUS cardholders, ensuring there are no delays when you need to go to Canada by land as soon as possible.
Service Recommendations
So if you’re still pondering about the question of, ‘do I need a pasport to Visit Canada,’ then yes you do. However, aside from the regular passport book, you can also use a US passport card as an alternative. There’s also the NEXUS card which helps facilitate your travel to Canada if you travel to this country regularly. You can use other documents that will help prove your identity and citizenship, but consult with the nearest Canadian Embassy or consulate to find out what these documents are.