sbrennan

Hi all,

I currently find myself in a unique situation, with respect to nationality, and border crossings. I am an Canadian born British citizen (by birth / from parents), and I am planning on travelling to the states this weekend (via land border crossing), now my problem is that I have misplaced my Canadian passport, so I am going to use my British one. I have read online that there is some misunderstanding among border guards about using different passports than your primary (birth one), especially when traveling between a country in which you hold a passport (Canada, in my case). Does anyone have any experience in this matter?

In short, I can't use my Canadian passport, and I am wondering wether using my British one will a) work b) be a hassle. I still have time to get a Canadian one rushed through on 'urgent', but would rather not spend the $150 if I can simply pay the 6$ waiver fee.

What do you think? A problem? or simply a formality? Can / should I use my British one? or will it pose a problem at the border, with a Canadian birth place.

Thanks in advance...bit of a messy situation!

dbd33

I think this is no big deal at all. When my Canadian passport is not current, because it expires frequently and I'm lax about renewing it, I use a British one. My children, who were born in Canada, never use Canadian passports out of peversity. In either case, six bucks and it's done.

iaink

You have two issues that I can see

Proving to the US you have ties to canada and will return there. They dont take kindly to people they percieve as likely to overstay


Proving to the Canadians that they should let you back in.


Neither is particularly related to the UK passport, but both would be alleviated by finding your Canadian documentation.

Are you driving or flying by the way? I think you need to do the advance electronic visa thing on a UK passport if flying now, but driving I think is still OK..perhaps someone with recent experience can confirm or deny that.

sbrennan

Hey all,

thanks so much for the speedy / informative responses

i am driving, and i have my Canadian DL and birth certificate, as well as a canadian place of birth on my British passport to prove I am 'tied to Canada', and therefore should be allowed back in....my thinking is just to tell the American border guards I don't have a VALID Canadian passport, so I have to use my British one (as they don't expire for 10 years), and then simply showing the Canadian guards my Passport / birth cert.

next question, when filling out the visa papers, you are asked for a place you are staying...but I am simply making a day trip, would I leave this section blank?

thanks again for your time!

sean

iaink

Dont make trouble for yourself, just show the british passport to the US guy, pay the $6 for the I94W (If they tell you you need it) and IF ASKED get into the Canadian birth cert and ties. If you offer it up front it may get ugly.

Sounds like getting back in wont be a problem.

If its a day trip then just say not applicable as its a day trip.

sbrennan

yeah, i am trying to avoid it 'getting ugly'...but in that case, what would 'ugly' consist of? (that is my main concern...this whole thing becoming a hassle.)

thanks!

Partially discharged

You have a Canadian passport What next......pretending to know about local politics or feigning interest in the NHL playoffs.....

From what I recall a Canadian one is only good for 5 years, but I believe only costs about 1/2 of the British one which last 10...on an annual basis they are about the same.

JonboyE

Rubber gloves and a jar of lube I believe.

sbrennan

oh god, haha....

iaink

They are well less than half the cost, and waaaay less than half the hassle to get There is talk of Canada introducing ten year ones too as more people will need them now you need one to drive to the US.

iaink

Ugly in my mind is time wasted in the office explaining that you are in fact canadian, but got caught between passports and are traveliing on your UK passport as you now need a passport for the US border yadda yadda yadda.

Shouldnt be too bad, and most likely wont come to that anyway. Just remember to take your documents with you

sbrennan

i don't know about that....but being canadian born it seemed quite easy (to get both..) just had to communicate to the high commission a bit, renewing british is much easier, however.

iaink

not since its all gone biometric... that's how it struck me anyway. Still, its probably worth getting a new UK one before the old one has lapsed more than ten years and you have to apply from scratch rather then reapply.

dbd33

Since 1985, when I started working in the US. But with gaps, mainly because the bloody thing needs checking constantly to see if it's run out. It was dead again at Christmas so I was a British traveller then.

dbd33

How so? Pack up a few pieces of documentation, send, back comes passport, they're both awkward to get compared to a Swiss passport but they seem to me to be about an equal bother as each other.