US Citizen visiting Canada with a pending passport [duplicate]

I'm visiting Canada in 2 weeks with my family and have yet to order my passport. So, there is no guarantee that I will have my passport in time for the trip even if I did pay for the expedited process. When it is time to reenter the US from my trip, will they accept that I have my passport pending and just check with my birth certificate and social security card? Or will I be trapped in Canada?

Extra info: We are traveling by car. I live in North Carolina so I can't get an enhanced driver's license or a NEXUS pass.

Best Answer

A birth certificate and social security card is not sufficient according to the rules. From WHTI Program Background:

U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry are required to present a WHTI-compliant document such as a valid passport, U.S. passport card, Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry or FAST), or an Enhanced Driver’s License.

The only exception to this is for travelers under age 16:

U.S. and Canadian citizens under age 16 may present only proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or Naturalization Certificate.

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Can you travel with a pending passport?

Answer: As an American citizen, you are now required to leave and return to the United States with a valid U.S. passport. You cannot travel while your U.S. passport application is still in pending or in process. The only way you can get a passport issued sooner is by applying in person at a regional agency.

Can you travel on old passport while waiting for new one?

Use your old passport and you will be able to travel anywhere as long as there is 6 months validity remaining. Might be different for each country. In the US they take your old passport while processing the new one. They send both to you, but the old one has holes punched in it to invalidate it.

Can you travel with a copy of your passport?

Can you use a photocopy of a passport to travel? No, a photocopy is not the same as a passport, and therefore is not a valid travel document. You will not be allowed to travel using a photocopy to anywhere that requires a valid U.S. passport.

Can I travel while waiting for Canadian passport?

Yes. You can leave Canada after we receive your application.

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Images: Ethan Wilkinson, Ketut Subiyanto, Javon Swaby, Ketut Subiyanto