Canada Passport Requirements

First, an introduction. Canada is a part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative or WHTI. The WHTI is a group of countries where Americans can use certain approved documents to enter. Areas covered by the WHTI include the Caribbean, Mexico, Bermuda, and of course, Canada. The documents you can use to travel to WHTI areas include your passport book, passport card, or a NEXUS card.

Passport Card To Travel By Land
Using a US passport card is recommended for Americans who plan to travel to Canada by land. When you reach the US-Canada border, simply present your US passport card to be allowed to pass. Applying for this type of card is easy, as this goes through the same process as applying for a US passport book. It is also convenient to use as the card is wallet sized, which is small compared to the passport book which is bulky. It is also significantly cheaper than a passport book, so if you're planning only of traveling to WHTI countries over land or sea, then the passport card would suffice.

Passport Book To Go By Air
For international air travel, you will need a U.S. passport book. If you don't have an idea what it is, it is the conventional passport book that's been used even before the introduction of the passport card in 2008. That said, you'll need a passport book if you're taking a plane to Canada.

Get Them Both And Save
However, if you wish to combine the benefits of having both cards, then you can do that as well. Simply apply for both cards and use them depending on the type of travel you're going to make. If you're going to travel to WHTI countries by land or sea, then use the passport card.

All in all, you can never lose with any of these passport options. What's important is that you find out first what kind of traveling you expect yourself to make often. From there, you'll know what type of passport if best for you.

NEXUS Card
Now, if you regularly travel to Canada, then you have the option of applying for a NEXUS card. Having this card has several privileges. Among these privileges is that having a NEXUS card makes it faster for you to cross borders on land, as there are dedicated NEXUS lanes that cut your travel time significantly. It's also best to check with the Canadian Embassy for any other travel documents that might be required for you to travel to Canada.

Stay Warm, Eh?
The paragraphs we've written above have shown you whether you need a us passport to visit Canada, as well as the options you have when traveling there. To sum it up, you can choose from either having a passport card, passport book or a NEXUS card. What type of passport or card you need will depend on how often you'll travel to Canada and what mode of transport you'll often use.