CanSecWest Dilemma

[foxgrrl]

I want to go to CanSecWest/Core06, and my company will pay for everything, but, my problem is that I will need to cross the Canadian boarder, and I don't have a current passport. My old passport is also in my old name, as is my birth certificate. All of my other forms of identification are in my current name. I don't have any court papers stating that I changed my name — that these two different names are the same person.

Back in 2002, the last time I entered Canada, I only needed my CA driver's license. According to stuff like...
http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/regional/regional_1170.html
http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/documentary_req.xml
http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1082.html
http://www.international.gc.ca/can-am/san_francisco/menu-en.asp
http://www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/travel_tips/customs_and_excise

A driver's license, voter's registration card or Social Security card is NOT valid proof of citizenship.

At the present time, Canadian and American citizens only need a birth certificate and a photo ID (such as a driver's license) to cross into the USA. There is a new U.S. law saying that passports will be required by everyone who crosses a land border by Dec. 31/2007. The same law says passports will be required by anyone entering the USA by plane or sea by Dec. 31, 2006.

U.S. citizens [...] Are exempt from passport requirements. However, it is highly recommended that a U.S. Citizen be prepared to present documentation such as valid or expired U.S. passport, U.S. birth certificate, or Naturalization certificate to avoid delays.

I was going to call the Canadian Consulate, earlier today, to confirm all of this, but I was too busy with other stuff.

For anyone in the Seattle/Vancouver area, who crosses the border frequently, I have the following forms of ID; Is there any combination that will allow me to pass through customs?

Birth Certificate	No Photo	Old Name
Expired Passport	Photo	Old Name (Photo of me when I was considerably younger, for when I was in Ireland in 1982)
Social Security Card	No Photo	Old Name
Social Security Card	No Photo	New Name
CA Driver's License	Photo	New Name
CA Driver's License (Photocopy)	Photo	Old Name (I can't find this now, I think it's in a box in Idaho.)
School ID	Photo	New Name
School ID (Photocopy)	Photo	Old Name
Doctor's Letter (Photocopy)	No Photo	Old and New Names.

And then all the other stuff like Voter Registration Cards, Selective Service Registration, Car Title, College and High School Diplomas, Tax Forms, etc. etc.

I think that with my two Social Security cards (same number, old/new names), and maybe the Student IDs, I can establish that the person on my Birth Certificate and Passport, is the same person on my Driver's License. (The letter from my shrink probably helps too, even though it's not that form letter, it was from my shrink to my medical doctor. Oh that reminds me... I have my complete medical file (don't ask how I got the original), and it contains both of my names as well.)

I also think that I should try to cross the boarder by land, rather than air. Since airport customs is probably much more picky about stuff than customs at Blaine(?). So, my plan is to fly into Seattle, and then drive/bus/etc. to Vancouver. (Or drive all the way there in my shinny new car.)

And I have to get all of this figured out within, about the next 48 hours.

Comments

[glitterychaos.livejournal.com]

Last time I crossed the canada-USA border by air, I would have needed a birth certificate and a photo ID with matching names had I been a citizen. Course, I was canadien then, so I had a passport and greencard and that got me through. Your old drivers license with old name and the birth certificate should work, but getting a birth certificate or some other proof of citizenship like a court order with your real name on it would be really good to have.

When I finish changing my name, I`ll have a signed court order with the old and new name on it, which is very handy to have... Canada doesn`t care so much, but the US is a pain in the butt to get back in to, and its only getting worse.

[glitterychaos.livejournal.com]

Oh.... and I meant to apologize for passing out and not hearing the phone when we were supposed to go see Esh. I don`t remember anything past 630pm of that night, and didn`t get up and be conscious again until after sunrise... :/ I didn`t mean to just not answer, I expected that my phone on LOUD woulda woken me up anyways.