What are the requirements to cross the border into canada

Border Requirements for Entering Canada from United States

There are many requirements that must be met by an American visitor for them to be permitted to cross the border into Canada. They must have proper identification, such as a valid US passport or an enhanced driver's license if going by land, enough funds to adequately support themselves for the duration of their trip, and sufficient ties to the United States to support the narrative that he or she will be visiting impermanently. He or she must also not be inadmissible to Canada due to criminality.

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Border Requirements for Entering Canada from United States
United States DUI Entering Canada
Niagara Falls Border Crossing Information
U.S. citizens visiting Canada will be required to present one of the travel documents listed here:
What is required to cross the border into Canada?
What documents do I need to cross the Canadian border by car?

For Americans that have a criminal record, if the equivalent crime in Canada is potentially an indictable offense (similar to a felony in the United States), the individual may be criminally inadmissible to the country and denied entry when attempting to cross the border. Almost all drunk driving related offenses in the United States, including DUI, DWI, OVI, OWI, DWAI, wet reckless driving, and even Physical Control DWI, can equate to a Canadian hybrid offense which can be prosecuted as indictable. Consequently, many people with a past impaired driving conviction can be ineligible to travel to Canada without special permission.

Even if the offense was considered a traffic violation (civil ticket) not a criminal conviction, such as a New York DWAI or Wisconsin OWI, it can still equate to a full DUI in Canada which is punishable by up to ten years in jail. Some driving offenses that do not involve alcohol, such as dangerous driving, dry reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident (hit & run), can also result in a US citizen being stopped at the Canadian border and sent home. Possession of marijuana under 30 grams does not typically cause issues, but the border requirements for traveling to Canada can exclude visitors who were found in possession of larger quantities of the drug.

Admission permission for Canada can be granted to travelers with a criminal history via a Temporary Resident Permit or Criminal Rehabilitation. If an American has a single misdemeanor impaired driving offense that occurred before Canada strengthened their DUI laws, he or she may be grandfathered in under the old laws and considered "deemed rehabilitated" after ten years and allowed to enter Canada. Intoxicated driving is now a serious criminal offense in Canada, however, and as a result visitors with a single DUI can now be denied entry even after ten years so a Canadian immigration lawyer should always be consulted to determine your admissibility. Other types of criminal offenses, such as domestic violence, possession of a controlled substance, assault or battery, and theft, can also render a person criminally inadmissible to Canada forever.

Have a DUI and worry that the border requirements to enter Canada from USA will result in you being denied entry? Contact us now for a free evaluation.

United States DUI Entering Canada

Many Americans are astonished that a first offense DWI can result in them being denied entry to Canada. Since there is no presumption of innocence when it comes to the Canadian border, even a drinking and driving arrest can make someone instantly inadmissible regardless of the fact that no conviction has yet taken place. Canada's border requirements are designed to keep their society safe by keeping out potentially dangerous foreigners with criminal records for things such as assault and robbery. Because the country treats DUIs as major crimes, however, individuals with alcohol-related driving convictions on their record can also be excluded from traveling north of the border.

Foreign nationals that are criminally inadmissible to Canada can receive a border denial even if they have already flown into the country since you do not clear Canadian customs until you land at an airport in Canada. Even if you do not plan to stay in Canada for long, such as those boarding an Alaskan cruise in Vancouver for example, you must still meet all of Canada's border requirements to avoid the risk of being refused entry.

To avoid problems when crossing the Canadian border, it is always best to follow all the border requirements for entering Canada from the United States. Whether you are visiting for a short vacation or you will be studying at a Canadian university, Canada's border security personnel require foreign nationals to meet all immigration requirements to be granted successful entrance.

Niagara Falls Border Crossing Information

If you plan to visit Canada for a few hours, the day, or even an extended period of time, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, or WHTI, requires U.S. and Canadian travelers to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the U.S.

Travelers are eligible to enter or return to Canada if they qualify as a fully vaccinated traveler. Learn more here.

Guidance for travelers to enter the U.S. at land ports of entry and Ferry terminals. Learn more here.

U.S. citizens visiting Canada will be required to present one of the travel documents listed here:

U.S. Passport
U.S. Passport Card
Enhanced Driver’s License (Issued by New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Vermont and Washington only)
Trusted Traveler Program Cards such as NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST enrollment cards
Special Audiences (Special documents for U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents, U.S. Military, Native Americans, and Boaters; birth certificates for children under the age of 16).

Canadian citizens entering the U.S. will be required to present one of the travel documents listed here:

Canadian Passport
Trusted Traveler Program Cards such as NEXUS or FAST/Express enrollment cards
Enhanced Driver’s License
Special Audiences (special documents for Native Americans and boaters; birth certificates for children under the age of 16).

Foreign nationals should contact their respective governments to obtain passport and VISA information. For specific and accurate information, please refer to the government’s website to visit Canada or visit the USA.

From Niagara Falls USA, visitors can cross the Rainbow Bridge, connecting Downtown Niagara Falls, N.Y. to Niagara Falls, Ontario. Pedestrians are permitted on the pedestrian walkway. From Lewiston, N.Y., tourists can cross the Lewiston Queenston Bridge, connecting Lewiston, N.Y. to the Village of Queenston in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The Whirlpool Bridge is reserved for subscribers to NEXUS only, a program for pre-approved clearance. For up-to-date bridge traffic information and wait times, call 1-800-715-6722 or follow on @NiagaraBridges on Twitter.

Traveling from Canada and enjoying our many shopping destinations in Niagara Falls USA? Plan your day and see how much you can spend without paying duty at the border.

TIME OUT OF THE COUNTRY	EXEMPTION LIMITS
Absence of less than 24 hours (same-day cross-border shopping)	CA $0
Absence of 24 hours or more	CA $200
Absence of 48 hours or more	CA $800
Absence of 7 days or more	CA $800

What is required to cross the border into Canada?

All international travellers must carry acceptable identification and a valid visa (if necessary) when entering Canada. A passport is recommended because it is the only reliable and universally-accepted travel and identification document for the purpose of international travel.

What documents do I need to cross the Canadian border by car?

Entry into Canada: Canadian law requires that all persons entering Canada carry proof of citizenship and identity. A valid U.S. passport, passport card, or NEXUS card satisfies these requirements for U.S. citizens.