Driving From Canada To USA - Things To Know

---

I love driving and always make it a point to drive to destinations rather than take a flight or bus. The farthest I have been to, from my home in Toronto, has been the Grand Canyon. In this article, I will take you through a list of things that Canadian drivers must know when they cross the border into the United States.

One thing I have heard from friends in the United States is that it is easier for the friends from the south to visit Canada than it is for the Canadians who plan on travelling to the United States. That being said, travelling by road across the border is a breeze mostly; except that the US Border police is much more vigilant and strict than the Canadians.

On our first trip across the border as a family, we drove our Dodge Charger from Toronto. It was four of us, including my wife, elder daughter and our dog, Tiger. We gained quite a bit of experience driving with our pet. One thing to know is that if you are carrying your pet, you should have sufficient documents to prove that the vaccinations are up to date. The American authorities are extremely picky about rabies and so make sure you have the documents to prove this. Besides, also make sure you have documents to prove the identity of each one of the passengers. Back in the day, you could cross the border with just a driver’s license in hand.

But when we did this trip, the authorities insisted on having proper identification documents for each of the passengers. I would recommend the passport. It’s better if you have a Nexus card since that gives you the right to travel across North America, but is not always required.

The authorities do question you at length on the purpose of your visit, goods you are carrying and sometimes your travel history as well. Since we were not meeting anybody in the US, we didn't get any gifts or presents. However, if you do intend to leave something behind in the United States, make sure you declare them right while you cross. You would be quizzed extensively on anything you try to cover up. So try to be as open as possible. While we were not subjected to any drug tests, I did learn that this is a random, yet frequent occurrence at the border. Overall, it took us less than 15 minutes to complete all the formalities and drive through the highways of USA.

The return is a lot more relaxed since it is the Canadian officials. Again, you will need your identification cards and will need to declare all your purchases. Besides that, the procedures are a lot easier. Some things to remember : Do not get pet food unless you have your pet with you. Also, do not carry any firewood since they will be confiscated and destroyed. I am told the reason is because firewood are local to a region and carrying it across the border could bring foreign insects into the country and this is not allowed.



The advice here is strictly for Canadian citizens. If you are a foreign national who is a Permanent Resident in Canada, you may need to get visa in advance. I am not an expert on the procedures here and would recommend you to follow the instructions on the US Immigration website for details.

---