Peter Greenberg: Passports and Borders

By: Peter Greenberg | Source: AARP.org | 2008-06-19

I'll be traveling by car to Niagara. I'll be staying at a hotel on the Canadian side. Will I need a passport to get back to the good old U.S.A.?
-Glen, Ashland, Ky.   

As of Jan. 31, 2008, the U.S. Customs and Borders Patrol began forcing U.S. citizens 19 years and older traveling to Canada or Mexico to have with them a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license), as well as proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate) OR simply a passport (which counts as photo ID and proof of citizenship). You will need to present these documents when you enter and leave the United States. These requirements apply whether you’re traveling to Canada or Mexico via air, bus, car, train, or on foot. For more information, visit U.S. Customs and Borders Patrol at www.cbp.gov.