Have you always had to have a passport to go to Canada?

Many people think they can enter and leave Canada with a driver's license. After all, before 2009, American citizens only needed this document to secure their entry and exit. However, times have changed, and you now need a WHTI-compliant document to enter Canada.



No, U.S. citizens did not always need a passport to enter Canada; for decades, a simple driver's license or birth certificate was sufficient for land and sea crossings. This changed significantly following the 9/11 attacks, leading to the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). The first phase required passports for air travel in 2007, and the final phase, implemented on June 1, 2009, mandated that all travelers (including U.S. and Canadian citizens) present a passport, passport card, or enhanced driver's license for land and sea entry. This shift marked the end of the "open border" era for casual travel, though exceptions still exist in 2026 for children under 16 using birth certificates at land crossings.

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With two exceptions, U.S. citizens were not required to have a passport for travel abroad until 1941. Passports were required for a short time during the Civil War (August 19, 1861–March 17, 1862) and during World War I (May 22, 1918–1921). After World War II began, passports became mandatory for all U.S. travelers.

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For U.S. citizens, a passport or visa is not required. Instead, a birth certificate and one photo identification card may be used; however, a photo identification card by itself is not enough. For permanent residents of the United States, “Green Cards” may be used in lieu of their passports.

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Generally, it is necessary to have a valid passport if you want to travel abroad. Depending on the country and your citizenship, you may also need to show proof of a valid eVisa, online visa, or visa.

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Updating passports is a routine process that aligns with the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO's) best practices and standards. We announced the new Canadian passport on May 10, 2023(opens in a new tab) .

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All drivers in Canada are required to have a valid licence. While the precise requirements vary from province to province, foreigners in Canada on tourist or business visas are generally allowed to drive with their foreign licence for the duration of their stay provided their licence is in English or French.

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