Crossing the border into U.S. w/Birth Cert instead of Passport
(deactivated member)
on 10/8/09 2:48 am
on 10/8/09 2:48 am
HI OH Fam! There is a small possibility that I will not have my passport before my surgery rolls around. I have HEARD that as long as you have DL, BC and the receipt that you applied for the passport they will let you into the U.S. Anyone have any first hand experience lately??? Help I am so nervous. Please share so i can relieve myself of extra stress. Thanks!!!
I think you prolly should call either the State Dept or Homeland Security. You can also go to the State Dept's website for more info on passports. You will not be able to cross into the States without a passport or passport card as far as I know. Did you expedite your application to get it back sooner? If you have your travel documents (ticket/itinerary/etc) you can have it expedited. If you have a few weeks to leave it may come in before then. Good luck.
ThaFatChick 
From what I have gathered, it depends on the customs agent at the time. If they are being meticulous that day, no - I don't think you're coming back in w/o a hassle. If they're busy or not being observant that day, they'll let you through without a question.
I applied for my passport on Sept 4 and received it in the mail on Sept 26. Three weeks/1 day. I did not expedite it. I had expected it from 4 to 6 weeks.
You can go on the passport website and track it.
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html
They will email you to tell you when they put it in the mail. Their website will have a passport processing number - write that on your receipt. Better yet - print out that page on the website and put it with your papers if it is time to travel and you haven't received the actual passport. Their website also gives a number to call if you are traveling within 2 weeks.
I applied for my passport on Sept 4 and received it in the mail on Sept 26. Three weeks/1 day. I did not expedite it. I had expected it from 4 to 6 weeks.
You can go on the passport website and track it.
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html
They will email you to tell you when they put it in the mail. Their website will have a passport processing number - write that on your receipt. Better yet - print out that page on the website and put it with your papers if it is time to travel and you haven't received the actual passport. Their website also gives a number to call if you are traveling within 2 weeks.
On October 8, 2009 at 9:48 AM Pacific Time, cherrybaby wrote:
HI OH Fam! There is a small possibility that I will not have my passport before my surgery rolls around. I have HEARD that as long as you have DL, BC and the receipt that you applied for the passport they will let you into the U.S. Anyone have any first hand experience lately??? Help I am so nervous. Please share so i can relieve myself of extra stress. Thanks!!!Technically they cannot refuse to allow a US citizen into their own country but that does not mean they will not make you miserable. They can detain you, question you, search your stuff, etc. I'd try to get it expedited if I were you.
If your MD office is taking you across the border and you are detained, others riding with you could miss their flights.
Well, "Technically", they CAN refuse to allow you into the country if you do not have proper identification, and I have seen it happen coming through JFK on a trans-Atlantic flight. Guy had his DL, his SSN, but couldn't find his passport. I don't know what happened in the end, but I can tell you right now that that poor soul wasn't going ANYWHERE.
You have to have proof of citizenship if you want to be sure of getting back into the states hassle free. It may be true that some agents may not be very vigilant one day or another, or you might run across one who will take pity on you...but do you want to chance it?
The claim that you cannot be refused entry is spurious and misleading at best. It is poor advice.
If you really need to speed it along, there are a couple of places that you can go, actual passport offices, that can get you your passport that very day...but if you don't live near to one of them, then it's another flight you'll need to pay for.
I've been travelling overseas and across borders multiple times a year for the last few years...I would do whatever it took, postponing surgery for a couple of weeks, going on an extra trip to get it that day, or paying extra to expedite the process...but I would NEVER leave the US without my passport....
I also suggest carrying at least a copy of the photo page of your passport in a piece of luggage.
I hope all goes well for you!!
You have to have proof of citizenship if you want to be sure of getting back into the states hassle free. It may be true that some agents may not be very vigilant one day or another, or you might run across one who will take pity on you...but do you want to chance it?
The claim that you cannot be refused entry is spurious and misleading at best. It is poor advice.
If you really need to speed it along, there are a couple of places that you can go, actual passport offices, that can get you your passport that very day...but if you don't live near to one of them, then it's another flight you'll need to pay for.
I've been travelling overseas and across borders multiple times a year for the last few years...I would do whatever it took, postponing surgery for a couple of weeks, going on an extra trip to get it that day, or paying extra to expedite the process...but I would NEVER leave the US without my passport....
I also suggest carrying at least a copy of the photo page of your passport in a piece of luggage.
I hope all goes well for you!!
On October 12, 2009 at 6:51 PM Pacific Time, retrophrenologist wrote:
Well, "Technically", they CAN refuse to allow you into the country if you do not have proper identification, and I have seen it happen coming through JFK on a trans-Atlantic flight. Guy had his DL, his SSN, but couldn't find his passport. I don't know what happened in the end, but I can tell you right now that that poor soul wasn't going ANYWHERE.You have to have proof of citizenship if you want to be sure of getting back into the states hassle free. It may be true that some agents may not be very vigilant one day or another, or you might run across one who will take pity on you...but do you want to chance it?
The claim that you cannot be refused entry is spurious and misleading at best. It is poor advice.
If you really need to speed it along, there are a couple of places that you can go, actual passport offices, that can get you your passport that very day...but if you don't live near to one of them, then it's another flight you'll need to pay for.
I've been travelling overseas and across borders multiple times a year for the last few years...I would do whatever it took, postponing surgery for a couple of weeks, going on an extra trip to get it that day, or paying extra to expedite the process...but I would NEVER leave the US without my passport....
I also suggest carrying at least a copy of the photo page of your passport in a piece of luggage.
I hope all goes well for you!!
~~ The claim that you cannot be refused entry is spurious and misleading at best. It is poor advice.~~
Take it up with border patrol, they are the folks that gave me the info.
Do note, I was not encouraging the OP to travel without a passport, I merely passed on the info I was given from the source.
No need. The requirements are listed plain as day on their website, www.cbp.gov which I suggest the OP refer to.
That being said, it really depends on where and HOW you are travelling across the border...
And please note that although you never specifically encouraged anyone to travel without a passport, your response implied that it was possible, even probable that it wasn't really necessary. Disingenuous semantics and double-talk.
I would suggest ANYONE get their info from the proper agency, rather than rely on a nebulous message board "source"
That being said, it really depends on where and HOW you are travelling across the border...
And please note that although you never specifically encouraged anyone to travel without a passport, your response implied that it was possible, even probable that it wasn't really necessary. Disingenuous semantics and double-talk.
I would suggest ANYONE get their info from the proper agency, rather than rely on a nebulous message board "source"
On October 12, 2009 at 7:41 PM Pacific Time, retrophrenologist wrote:
No need. The requirements are listed plain as day on their website, www.cbp.gov which I suggest the OP refer to.That being said, it really depends on where and HOW you are travelling across the border...
And please note that although you never specifically encouraged anyone to travel without a passport, your response implied that it was possible, even probable that it wasn't really necessary. Disingenuous semantics and double-talk.
I would suggest ANYONE get their info from the proper agency, rather than rely on a nebulous message board "source"
No. It depends on the border patrol agent.
Call them, people need to find out for themselves. Call and say that you are trapped in MX without a passport. Ask what their advice is. I agree, do not take ANY advice from a message board, call the source.
Retrophrenologist... that should take care of this pesky problem.
BTW... can you provide evidence of a US citizen that has been denied access to the US because they have no passport?
BTW... can you provide evidence of a US citizen that has been denied access to the US because they have no passport?
Nope, never said or even implied that I could. It was A-N-E-C-D-O-T-A-L, as evidenced by my saying "I have seen it happen", and "I don't know what happened in the end". I thought I was clearly defining it as such.
And in any case, what exactly would that prove? That I am correct? No, because according to your "source" citizens can't be refused entry. Would it prove you are correct? No, because according to you, it all depends on the agent.
Why would you even ask that? It has absolutely no bearing on this discussion.
Regardless, we can agree that folks should go to the source to get their questions answered rather than relying on message board super-posters.
Nope, never said or even implied that I could. It was A-N-E-C-D-O-T-A-L, as evidenced by my saying "I have seen it happen", and "I don't know what happened in the end". I thought I was clearly defining it as such.
And in any case, what exactly would that prove? That I am correct? No, because according to your "source" citizens can't be refused entry. Would it prove you are correct? No, because according to you, it all depends on the agent.
Why would you even ask that? It has absolutely no bearing on this discussion.
Regardless, we can agree that folks should go to the source to get their questions answered rather than relying on message board super-posters.
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