Niagara Falls - expiring passport question

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Chayalle

Fri, Jun 22 2018, 10:54 am

Hi all.

I'm planning a trip to Niagara Falls with my family this summer. DD's passport will expire in December - and I've heard that one can have trouble with a soon-to-expire passport (like within 6 months)? Do we need to renew her passport before our trip?

My 10 year old does not have a passport, but it seems to me that she can use her birth certificate (we are not flying).

TIA!

doctorima

Fri, Jun 22 2018, 11:15 am

I've also heard of the 6-month rule, but I think it's one of those rules that's not hard and fast and up to the discretion of the border officer you get. When flying to a foreign country, I certainly wouldn't test it out, but driving across the Canada border for a short visit to a touristy destination like Niagara when it's still good for several months, I would think is probably safe (though knowing me, I'd likely renew it anyway just because I'm risk-averse like that).

The other thing I might do is call the border crossing and speak to somebody there to ask if this will be an issue. You are correct that under age 16 doesn't need a passport to drive into Canada, and a birth certificate (original only) will be fine.

Chayalle

Fri, Jun 22 2018, 11:20 am

Thank you!

esther36

Fri, Jun 22 2018, 5:45 pm

We went this past summer. All my kids had birth certificate only And it was totally fine.the guy said it's easier if they have passports but totally allowed. My passport was within six months of expiring and no one said anything. Have a great time! It was the best trip ever!! Kids had a ball!

amother

Ruby

Fri, Jun 22 2018, 5:49 pm

It really depends on the officer you're gonna have. One may decide not to make an issue out of it, and another may be hard on you & give you a hard time.

amother

Indigo

Fri, Jun 22 2018, 6:07 pm

We went last year and dh had an expired passport. We had no issues. Wad expired by a few months...

Orchid

Fri, Jun 22 2018, 8:01 pm

amother wrote:

We went last year and dh had an expired passport. We had no issues. Wad expired by a few months...

And I know someone who wasn't allowed to fly (and had to miss her flight) FROM Israel to America on a perfectly valid passport that was due to expire within 6 months. So you really never know! The story that happened to this friend is exceedingly illogical, since the 6 month rule is to prevent US citizens from having an expired passport in another country. But here, they were flying TO THE US so they should have been allowed to use their unexpired passport. Anyway, a slight tangent to show you never which crazy unreasonable person you will get.

Chayalle, you can indeed use birth certificates to cross the US/Canada border for those under 16 - have done it many times.

amother

Pearl

Fri, Jun 22 2018, 8:05 pm

There's enough time to get a new passport.

mommy3b2c

Sat, Jun 23 2018, 11:09 pm

Three summers ago my husband went with a recently expired passport and we had no issues. They just told us to renew it.

amother

Rose

Sat, Jun 23 2018, 11:16 pm

mommy3b2c wrote:

Three summers ago my husband went with a recently expired passport and we had no issues. They just told us to renew it.

Which side? Canada doesn't care if the US passport is expired (travel by ground), except for fears that the US won't let you back in.

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