visiting America-which passport? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**expatben** · 07-11-2010, 06:41 AM

As I am back in Canada my roomate and I will probably down the line visit America as he has never been and I have some friends/places I wanna see however there is a potential complication. Apparently nowadays if you do not have a biometric passport you need a visa to visit the USA regardless of where you are from now, I have 2 passports a Canadian which is what I would normally use when going to America and a British. My British is chiped my Canadian is not.
My question is do Canadians going to America to visit still need a visa (as we do enjoy an open border agreement) or would I actually be better off using a British passport as it does have the biometric chip?

**juliagulia** · 07-11-2010, 08:50 AM

If it were me, i'd probably just bring both. But have you checked the American embassy/Department of State website?

**expatben** · 07-11-2010, 09:40 AM

I've not by my roomate has and according to him, its either a biochip or a visa.

**juliagulia** · 07-11-2010, 11:13 AM

I'm thinking that Canada is probably an exception to the rule considering that electronic passports have only been recently issued in Canada (within the past year I believe?) and that these two websites don't mention anything about the chip:

Border Countries: Canada, Mexico and Bermuda
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

In fact, it seems as though you might only need a passport for air travel and proof of Canadian citizenship for land travel:

The Embassy of the United States of America - Canada

Quote:

As of January 31, 2008, oral declarations will no longer be accepted. All U.S. and Canadian citizens will be required to present a valid passport or other documents for proof of citizenship. Persons over the age of 19 years must provide a government issued photo identification such as a drivers license, and proof of citizenship such as a birth or naturalization certificate. Persons 18 years of age and less must provide proof of citizenship. Nexus and FAST cards are also acceptable for proof of citizenship and identity.
Persons traveling by air to the United States have been required to present a valid passport as of January 23, 2007.

Sooo, I would just use your Canadian passport. If you use your British passport, you would have to fill out the ESTA and that's not required for Canadians, either.

**expatben** · 07-11-2010, 12:12 PM

Thanks for the great advice Jules! I will bring both just to be on the safe side and will contact the Embassy before traveling because rules can change but for now I will use my Canadian.

**maracle** · 07-11-2010, 03:52 PM

I thought it would be helpful to quote the exact rules for the Visa Waiver Program:

Quote:

What do I need to know about VWP machine-readable passport (MRP) and e-Passport requirements?

All VWP travelers, regardless of age or type of passport used, must present a machine-readable passport. In addition, depending on when VWP travelers’ passports were issued, other passport requirements apply:

Nationals of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Republic of Korea, and the Slovak Republic require passports with an integrated chip containing the information from the data page (e-Passport).

Nationals of other VWP countries:

* Machine-readable passports issued or renewed/extended on or after 10/26/06: passports must have integrated chips with information from the data page.
* Machine-readable passports issued or renewed/extended between 10/26/05 and 10/25/06: passports must have digital photographs printed on the data page or integrated chips with information from the data page.
* Machine-readable passports issued or renewed/extended before 10/26/05: no further requirements.

Notice: Effective July 1, 2009 all Visa Waiver Program (VWP) emergency or temporary passports must be electronic passports (e-Passports) to be eligible for travel to the United States without a visa under the VWP.

Basically every passport is machine readable, this does NOT mean it has a chip but rather that it has that 3 line thing on the bio page like "P<<<<<USA<<<ALLEN<<<<BRETT<<<<<<<" The thing with all the <<< symbols, which they then swipe through a reader almost like it was a magnetic stripe on a credit card. Almost every country has been using this type of readable foramt for ages

You then will need a chip in your passport if it was issued or renewed after 10/25/2005.

Also, and here's the important part for you...Canada is NOT part of the Visa waiver program, they're under a separate and even more permissive agreement. The bottom line, I think, is that either one of your passports will work without a hitch. Note that if you enter with your UK passport you'd need to have to preregister on a website to enter with that passport (all visa waiver program countries now need to register in advance rather than just showing up...kind of the way Australia does it)

**expatben** · 07-11-2010, 05:42 PM

thanks Maracle!