should I(non-Canadian) carry my passport when I travel within Canada by air?

[cometkim]

Hello,

I'm in Ontario and will be visiting BC soon. I was wondering if I(non Caaidan) should carry my passport when I travel. For Canadians, driver's license will be enough since it's domestic, but I'm not so sure if it's the same for me. I rather just carry my driver's license but I also don't want to be in trouble.
Please let me know.
Thanks!!

 

[draxz1289]

Hello,

I'm in Ontario and will be visiting BC soon. I was wondering if I(non Caaidan) should carry my passport when I travel. For Canadians, driver's license will be enough since it's domestic, but I'm not so sure if it's the same for me. I rather just carry my driver's license but I also don't want to be in trouble.
Please let me know.
Thanks!!

Your driving license will be fine

This is the official requirements:

Identification for domestic flights
For a boarding pass to be issued by an air carrier, passengers on domestic flights within Canada who appear to be 18 years of age or older must present either of the following types of identification:

A piece of valid, government-issued identification that includes a photograph and the passenger’s name, date of birth and gender, or
Two pieces of valid, government-issued identification without photographs showing the passenger’s name, date of birth and gender.
https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/fly-smart#toc-tm-1-5

 

[SchnookoLoly]

Play it safe and bring your passport. Why would you risk it?

 

[automaton82]

Play it safe and bring your passport. Why would you risk it?

If you bring it, you risk losing it.

For domestic flights I agree that your driver's license should be enough. You don't go through immigration within Canada, the ID is just to prove you are the same person on the ticket.

 

[Christoph100]

If you bring it, you risk losing it.

For domestic flights I agree that your driver's license should be enough. You don't go through immigration within Canada, the ID is just to prove you are the same person on the ticket.

You might risk losing it sure, however one always has to think ahead of any possibility. What would happen if on your domestic flight it is diverted to the U.S for some unknown reason? I think when traveling by air it is always best to carry your passport with you. If you happen to need it you will have it. Just one persons opinion.

Chris.

 

[Ponga]

You might risk losing it sure, however one always has to think ahead of any possibility. What would happen if on your domestic flight it is diverted to the U.S for some unknown reason? I think when traveling by air it is always best to carry your passport with you. If you happen to need it you will have it. Just one persons opinion.

Chris.

Excellent point. All it takes is an in-flight emergency while flying close to the border and the closest airport being in the states.

+1

 

[automaton82]

You might risk losing it sure, however one always has to think ahead of any possibility. What would happen if on your domestic flight it is diverted to the U.S for some unknown reason? I think when traveling by air it is always best to carry your passport with you. If you happen to need it you will have it. Just one persons opinion.

Chris.

If you're diverted to the US you don't need to go through US customs, you'd just be stuck in "Canadian space" until that same (or a different but equally Canadian) airplane took you back. But with your passport, you could leave the airport. You're never 'forced' to have your passport, and as a Canadian you are legally allowed to always come into Canada no matter what, even without ID (they'd just hold you for awhile).

You're right in that it would be good for situations like you stated to make life a little easier, but I guess I'm more afraid of losing it then those rare situations arising .

 

[Ponga]

If you're diverted to the US you don't need to go through US customs, you'd just be stuck in "Canadian space" until that same (or a different but equally Canadian) airplane took you back. But with your passport, you could leave the airport. You're never 'forced' to have your passport, and as a Canadian you are legally allowed to always come into Canada no matter what, even without ID (they'd just hold you for awhile).

You're right in that it would be good for situations like you stated to make life a little easier, but I guess I'm more afraid of losing it then those rare situations arising .

But the OP is not a Canadian.

(Oh...and congratulations on your landing appointment)!

 

[Christoph100]

If you're diverted to the US you don't need to go through US customs, you'd just be stuck in "Canadian space" until that same (or a different but equally Canadian) airplane took you back.
You're right in that it would be good for situations like you stated to make life a little easier, but I guess I'm more afraid of losing it then those rare situations arising .

Being Canadian there probably is really no problem however imagine the PR's reading this that are not visa entry exempt for the U.S. What would happen? Emergency diversion to the U.S, they have to leave the plane now what? Those who have passports will be filed into immigration and issued temp entry with out too much difficulty those traveling with only a drivers lic. I could see lots of problems from that.
Just to touch on travel as an example... Ottawa to Vancouver...guess what air space the flight was using.. We flew through the U.S. Unforseen circumstances and forced to land I wouldn't want to be a PR with only a drivers lic for id.

Chris.

 

[Sa3Sa3]

I travel within Canada using my driving license. Never faced an issue. Sometimes I carry my PR too.

 

[automaton82]

But the OP is not a Canadian.

(Oh...and congratulations on your landing appointment)!

Thanks!!

 

[chakrab]

Being Canadian there probably is really no problem however imagine the PR's reading this that are not visa entry exempt for the U.S. What would happen? Emergency diversion to the U.S, they have to leave the plane now what? Those who have passports will be filed into immigration and issued temp entry with out too much difficulty those traveling with only a drivers lic. I could see lots of problems from that.
Just to touch on travel as an example... Ottawa to Vancouver...guess what air space the flight was using.. We flew through the U.S. Unforseen circumstances and forced to land I wouldn't want to be a PR with only a drivers lic for id.

Chris.

even canadians who aren't carrying a passport face the same problem. the driver's license doesn't specify the citizenship unless it's an EDL. i wouldn't worry too much about flights going to US. there are plenty of visitors, students or workers who travel within Canada and don't have a US visa. As long as you have an ID to match your ticket, you are fine.

 

[Christoph100]

i wouldn't worry too much about flights going to US. there are plenty of visitors, students or workers who travel within Canada and don't have a US visa. As long as you have an ID to match your ticket, you are fine.

Normally I would not worry either and not concerned about people having or not having a U.S visa. But carrying your passport on a domestic flight in case of emergency entry into the states will give those who have a passport an easier entry procedure as temp entry visas could be issued if they were needed. Just because the flight is a Canadian domestic flight does not mean it will stay with in Canadian airspace in a diversion scenario. Your passport is the only accepted ID for Intl travel ...be safe, be prepared, carry it on domestic as well as you never know when you could need it.

Chris.