If you’re planning a quick trip across the border or a night out in Montreal, be aware of new regulations from the Department of Homeland Security.
As of Feb. 1, you must present either a passport or a valid driver’s license as well as proof of citizenship – the most common of which is a birth certificate – when returning from Canada.
Officials say that at this point travelers will not be refused re-entry if they do not meet the new requirements, but they decline to say for how long the grace period will be in effect.
Vermont’s congressional delegation has opposed the new requirements as detrimental to the economy of Vermont. “We all know the economic health of many small towns along the border depends upon their access to neighboring Canadian towns. We need border controls that are sensible and appropriate, not reflexively stifling and needlessly bureaucratic,” said Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy.