Crossing from the US to Canada

For some reason, before our trip, I was very nervous to cross the border. I mean, I’ve visited other countries before. But I’ve never travelled there by car. I’ve always arrived via plane or boat and they each have their own process. So I did my research. I looked up tips on crossing the border from the US into Canada. Most of them seemed super paranoid to me. Make sure your car is spotless, don’t make conversation with the border patrol, have proof that you’re planning to return to the US, etc.

I feel like I came pretty prepared. I took one of the folders from my office and put all of the pertinent information in it. Then, we were on our way to the border. I put my passports, a paper signed by my husband and notarized saying that I could take my son out of the country, our hotel confirmation in Toronto, and our hotel confirmation in Massachusetts.

When we arrived, there was a line that probably took us about an hour to get through. We pulled up to the booth and I rolled down both my window and the one in the backseat so that she could see my son. I handed the woman both of our passports. She then asked me where we were headed and how long we were going to be in the country. I answered her and she told us about a festival that was happening in Toronto. She was very pleasant. And we had no reason to be nervous! We were at her booth for less than 3 minutes. It didn’t take long at all.

So here are my tips:
1. Have everything available and ready that you may need. That includes everyone’s passport, information about where you’re going and when you’re coming back, and anything else you think you may need. You can find out more on the border patrol website.
2. Don’t try to bring in anything illegal like meat, firearms, fireworks, and excessive amount of alcohol. You also find this list on the border patrol website.
3. Be courteous. They want you to get through this line just as much as you want to get through it. But they won’t hesitate to make it harder for you if you’re a jerk.
4. Don’t be nervous. The woman we dealt with was very nice and we had nothing to worry about. As long as you have nothing to hide, you’ll be fine!

Hopefully, my tips will help you on your journey. Enjoy your time in Canada!