Eaton Peabody

Effective January 31, 2008, adult Canadian and U.S. citizens seeking to enter the U.S. from Canada will need to produce proof of citizenship and identification in order to enter the U.S. at land Ports-of-Entry. See http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/archives/2007_news_releases/122007/12032007_4.xml.  Children age 18 and under will only need to produce evidence of citizenship. In the past, border officials accepted oral declarations for purposes of allowing admission to the U.S. Many people from Maine have come to expect this more streamlined admission process, which is now going away.

This requirement will likely lead to additional wait times at the border. Current wait times may be found at: http://apps.cbp.gov/bwt/. Although the requirement to produce a passport for land-based entries to the U.S. has been delayed, it probably makes sense to apply for a passport now in light of this change in policy. 

Please contact Matthew S. Raynes, mraynes@eatonpeabody.com, for further information.