Border Credential Requirements Changing For All Travel From Canada
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is continuing to change its procedures for recreational Lake Erie boaters coming back into the U.S. after having been on foreign soil in Canada.
OARS sites are located at 12 locations along the south shore of Lake Erie:
| Put-in-Bay |
Bass Island, OH |
| Cedar Point Marina |
Cedar Point, OH |
| Brand’s Marina |
Port Clinton, OH |
| East 55th Street |
Cleveland, OH |
| Lagoons Marina |
Mentor, OH |
| Chagrin Yacht Club |
Eastlake, OH |
| Grand River Marina |
Fairport, OH |
| Ashtabula Public Dock |
Ashtabula, OH |
| Presque Isle |
Erie, PA |
| Dobbins Landing |
Erie, PA |
| Perry’s Landing |
Erie, PA |
| Lampe Marina |
Erie, PA |
OARS reporting may be made 24 hours a day 7 days/week. A CBP Officer will provide further instructions regarding reporting and entry processing.
As always, crew and passengers are to report to a designated local CBP office via telephone (1-888-523-2628) or use the OARS (Outlying Area Reporting Station) videophones.
Those boaters not enrolled in I-68 or NEXUS who choose to report via telephone may be required to appear for an inspection (the offices are only located in Erie, Ashtabula, Sandusky, Toledo, Ashtabula, and at Cleveland Hopkins Airport). Reporting via OARS allows credentials and faces to be viewed by the CBP Officers, thus an in-person inspection may not be required.
The part of these procedures that is changing is what type of identification is required. All crew and passengers should be carrying the appropriate credentials:
- Beginning January 31, 2008, U.S. citizens 19 years and older who enter Ohio from Canada will need to present a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license as proof of identity, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate, or a passport. Children age 18 and under will need to present a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or a passport.
- At a later date (to be determined) those requirements will get tougher. The proposed rules require having a U.S. passport; a U.S. passport card; a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS or I-68; a valid Merchant Mariner Document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or a valid U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders.
I-68 and NEXUS programs allow frequent travelers to pre-apply for expedited reporting for travel to Canada. The problem with these programs is that you must apply in advanced in person at a CBP port designed for that program. Since NEXUS is use mostly for land travel, there are no ports for the NEXUS program in Ohio. Detroit is the nearest place to apply.
I-68 is meant to be used for travel by boat, so CBP does have offices in Ohio where you can apply for that program. Applications for I-68 permits may be made in person at the following ports of entry between 8 A.M.-4:30 P.M. Appointments must be made in advance.
- Erie, PA; 814-833-1355
- Cleveland, OH; 216-267-3600
- Sandusky, OH; 419-625-0022
- Toledo, OH; 419-259-6424
These and future changes are all part of the Department of Homeland Security's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which addresses travel to and from the United States and Mexico, Canada, the Bahamas and some other U.S.-held islands. All of these changes are as a result of security issues spawning from the attacks of September 11, 2001. |