Personal Documentation and Identification Required

(Information supplied on this topic is from experience only, and in no way reflects policies, regulations, or laws from either Canada, USA, Manitoba, or Minnesota.)

General:
One item when speaking to other Winnipegers and Canadians that have moved to the USA that is overlooked is personal documentation or "ID". Unlike when you are living in Canada, there are many instances in the USA that you need to prove both your identification and citizenship. Do not take this lightly.

Passports:
Both my wife and I elected to get our passports in Winnipeg well before we decided to move to the USA. We would strongly suggest getting them. The Canadian Government actually has a good WEB site with information on obtaining a passport, office locations, and what to do if your passport is stolen. Start the passport process once you have decided that you are moving. They take about 5 business days. Life will be a lot easier if you have your passport before trying to get your work visa.

The Manitoba office is located at:
Suite 910
200 Graham Avenue
WINNIPEG, Manitoba
Office hours: 08:00 - 16:30
Phone: 1-800-567-6868

Just having your birth certificate and driver's license is NOT good enough. In most cases, one would think that having a birth certificate would prove citizenship, and a photo driver's license would re-enforce such identity. We have used our passports for the following (to date!):

I have heard arguments from Canadians living in the USA that a passport is not necessary. This is probably true. But I have also heard from people who did NOT obtain their passports, and when presenting either birth certificates or Canadian citizenship cards, they were either not accepted or were highly scrutinized. For the most part, I think it is just because these secondary documents are not recognized due to unfamiliarity.

Reason # 39 for having a passport - Backup identification is case you loose your other identification. Most of us, myself included, keep their driver's license, birth certificate, etc in their wallets. Hopefully, one would keep their passport at home (or in a safe-deposit box). I know of one (Canadian) individual who lost his wallet while living in the states. You can not simply "write home" and get new Canadian documentation, such as a birth certificate, etc. You need to drive back to Canada, and somehow, prove who you are. They then are most likely to mail you your replacements. Now, picture your trip back, approaching the USA border with no identification. This is not a pretty situation. If you loose your passport, however, you CAN in fact get a new (replacement) one while living in the USA

Reason # 40 for having a passport - Now that you are living in the USA, and most likely earning a whole pile of money, you may decide you want to travel. You will avoid all sorts of complications at the airport by being able to present your passport when going to Mexico or Europe.

Update 12/6/98: When travelling to certain countries (such as some countries in Europe or Asia), and returning, you may be required to surrender your Canadian passport to customs officials or the airline itself. It has been noted that if your I-94 visa has been stapled or attached to your passport, it may be mistakenly removed by such officials permanently. If you are travelling abroad to countries other than Canada, be sure to photocopy your I-94 entry visa, and have it notarized BEFORE making such a trip. This way, if the visa is mistakenly removed, you still have a copy.When traveling to certain countries (such as some countries in Europe or Asia), and returning, you may be required to surrender your Canadian passport to customs officials or the airline itself. It has been noted that if your I-94 visa has been stapled or attached to your passport, it may be mistakenly removed by such officials permanently. If you are traveling abroad to countries other than Canada, be sure to photocopy your I-94 entry visa, and have it notarized BEFORE making such a trip. This way, if the visa is mistakenly removed, you still have a copy.

Consulate General:
If you run into trouble with your passport, there is a Canadian Consulate General located in Minneapolis.

Their phone number is 612-332-7486 ext 3420.
Their address is:
Canadian Consulate General
701 4th Avenue South, Suite 900
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Stolen Identity: (contributed by Phil Isaak)
I came across this article at work that gives some very useful information (and phone numbers) if you ever have your wallet, credit cards, or identification lost/stolen.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU LOSE YOUR PURSE OR WALLET

We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed us in your name, address, SS#, credit, etc. Unfortunately I (the author of this piece who happens to be an attorney) have firsthand knowledge, because my wallet was stolen last month and within a week the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more. But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know. As everyone always advises, cancel your credit cards immediately, but the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them easily. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

But here's what is perhaps most important: (I never ever thought to do this) - Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and SS#. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me and application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this, almost 2 weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done.

There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them in their tracks.