Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ihu1n.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!ihnp4!ihu1n!johnnyr
From: johnnyr@ihu1n.UUCP (John R. Rosenberg)
Newsgroups: net.travel
Subject: Difference between Visa and Passport
Message-ID: <327@ihu1n.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Feb-86 09:18:36 EST
Article-I.D.: ihu1n.327
Posted: Wed Feb 12 09:18:36 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Feb-86 01:16:40 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 24

The recent discussion about going from the US into Canada
and the resulting confusion over what documentation is needed
spurred me to put fingers to keyboard to drop in my 2 cents.

First, a US citizen travelling to Canada must carry
proof of US citizenship in order to enter Canada. This should be
either a birth certificate, voter's registration, or passport.
A driver's license is not sufficient since you do not need
to be a US citizen to get one.

Second, a visa is a document issued by the country you wish
to visit giving you permission to enter that country. A passport
is issued by your home country which pretty much says that the
person who holds the passport (and who matches the description
and photograph inside) is a citizen of whatever country and that
that country will let him or her back in. In other words, I may
need a visa to go to Canada, which says that Canada will let me
in to visit, but I also need a passport from the US which tells
the folks at the Canadian border that they won't be stuck with me
since the US admits I belong in the US. Also, the passport tells
the folks at the US border to let me back in.

John Rosenberg @ AT&T-NS
ihnp4!ihu1n!johnnyr