Categories: Living in Canada

Can Canadians Travel To The US Without A Passport?

It is definitely possible for Canadians to Travel to the US from Canada without a passport however instead of a passport you are going to need a document that confirms your citizenship.

Currently there are two documents that are accepted by the US Customs and Border Protection that can be used in substitute of your passport. You can either use your NEXUS Card or an Enhanced Driver’s License (if your province issued you one).

I actually tried it out myself by driving to the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge! All I had to do was show my NEXUS Card to the border agent, was just asked where I was headed and I was free to enter the United States! I wasn’t asked my passport and it was a complete hassle-free experience.

Entering New York from Ontario

I have only tried this at the US- Canada Land Border, and haven’t tried just using my Nexus Card instead of my passport yet for flights from Canada To the United States. If you are planning to just use your Nexus Card, you should check with the airlines if that is okay as some airlines can have different rules.

If you have a Nexus Card but don’t have Canadian Citizenship, you might still be required to provide the border agent your passport.

Tom Mehra

Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.