A friend and I are fishing Rainy River in April, I have a passport and from what I understand I can get a RABC card and a Canadian fishing license at customs. My friend does not have a passport is there any way he can get what he needs in time for our trip to fish Canadian waters without a passport?
If your friend is from MN he can now just go to the DMV and get the new “Enhanced Drivers License”. Also cheaper than a passport.
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/Pages/drivers-license-information.aspx#EDL
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A friend and I are fishing Rainy River in April, I have a passport and from what I understand I can get a RABC card and a Canadian fishing license at customs. My friend does not have a passport is there any way he can get what he needs in time for our trip to fish Canadian waters without a passport?
If you need a RABC you don’t need a passport, the intent of a RABC is to monitor those who cross the border remotely without the use of customs. It is most commonly used by those who go into Quetico from the Boundry waters. If that is your intent you can get a Canadien fishing licsence on line and possibly the RABC. Or you can fill out your RABC ahead of time and never bother with customs at all. If so you should start the paperwork ASAP. Either way, getting your stuff on line/ ahead of time will save you much time and hassle. More time for fishing and relaxing 
Even if those two before are wrong(just for arguments sake), they have a federal building downtown MPLS where you can go and pay to have an expedited passport/card show up at your door in about a week like I did couple years back. So either way you guys are going to be good to go!!
You can get your remote pass at the customs,you can’t get your fishing license there,you have to go to the Bait shop one the east side of Fort Fr.The passport is needed to get back into the USA,if you have applied for one and show that paperwork you will probably be all right ,the best thing to do,would be to get the enhanced driver lic. for the short term,There are other places in the Fort to get fishing license i just can’t think of them .
They are correct, you don’t need a passport to get a RABC permit. My dad just got one without a passport. I do have a passport and just got mine as well. I mailed in the form with a check and had my permit in 2 weeks. You can also buy non-resident Canadian fishing licenses online, so you wouldn’t need to go into Canada to get it.
You can not get a fishing license at Canada Customs !
A passport is not required by Canada !
A passport is required by US customs to get back to your own country
I just applied for my annual RABC permit. You ca use a passport or two other forms of ID; Drivers License, Birth certificate, SS card. Here is the web site-
http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/canpass/rabc-pfre/menu-eng.html
One can also get your license in advance online through the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. First timers will also need an Outdoors card. All pretty easy to do in advance of your trip. 
Remember to be well versed on the Ontario bait regulations. I don’t believe you can have minnows with you.
Mwal
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I just applied for my annual RABC permit. You ca use a passport or two other forms of ID; Drivers License, Birth certificate, SS card. Here is the web site-
http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/canpass/rabc-pfre/menu-eng.html
One can also get your license in advance online through the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. First timers will also need an Outdoors card. All pretty easy to do in advance of your trip.
The main thing I am concerned about is if we apply on line for the border pass or RABC card and fishing license will we get them on time as we leave on April 6th.
If you do cross over the border to get this just watch what is in you vehicle. Last time I was across getting back into the US was a little tough. Got busted with a banana in my lunch box and had to wait around to explain myself to the agriculture officer.
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If you do cross over the border to get this just watch what is in you vehicle. Last time I was across getting back into the US was a little tough. Got busted with a banana in my lunch box and had to wait around to explain myself to the agriculture officer.
Yea smoking those banana peels gets you a good Buzz 
We quit going to Canada years ago because of the hassle and restrictions. We would rather keep our money here and be able to keep some fish.
We have been making our annual trips to South and North Dakota, much cheap and a whole lot less hassle.
I see a lot of misinformed opinions here as well as correct answers. So from a professional point of view for clarity sake, you have to have a passport or passport card (enhanced DL). While you don’t need it to apply for RABC, you have to have one to return to the USA. The RABC does nothing for legal crossing into the US it only allows you to cross INTO Canada at a remote location (the RABC allows you to bypass Canadian Customs) such as the Rainy, LOTW and the Quetico. If you will be driving into Canada you have to go through customs and do not need an RABC. Furthermore, the RABC does not exclude you from checking into US Customs, so don’t forget to check back in upon return to the States!
Also you can get a Canadian fishing license online here http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/OC/2ColumnSubPage/STDPROD_091032.html
North and South Dakota are nice but they are not NW Ontario! Nothing in the world for fishing like Ontario. The only hassle I’ve had in 40 yrs is coming back into the U.S. from my own country. I’ve never had a problem with the Canadian side of customs.
We will be staying on the US side at Thunderbird lodge, the main reason we would like to get the RABC cards and fishing license is for peace of mind so we do not have to worry about being over the line and have more water to fish.
That’s the smart way to do it! I would get the expedited rabc’s from customs while you’re there, and the fishing licenses online, since you can print them off and save time. I would also have your buddy go down to the dmv and get the I’d card so you don’t run into any US issues coming back into US waters either, if you want to play it safe.
You will also need proper boat registration for you to fish the Canadian side of the river.
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I see a lot of misinformed opinions here as well as correct answers. So from a professional point of view for clarity sake, you have to have a passport or passport card (enhanced DL). While you don’t need it to apply for RABC, you have to have one to return to the USA. The RABC does nothing for legal crossing into the US it only allows you to cross INTO Canada at a remote location (the RABC allows you to bypass Canadian Customs) such as the Rainy, LOTW and the Quetico. If you will be driving into Canada you have to go through customs and do not need an RABC. Furthermore, the RABC does not exclude you from checking into US Customs, so don’t forget to check back in upon return to the States!
This is the correct answer.
Also, I thought it was the case that you can only get an enhanced driver’s license if you already have a passport? I could be wrong about this, but I would assume that the state would NOT hand out what amounts to a US Passport without being sure that you actually have a passport. You can have a drivers license without being a citizen, but passports are ONLY available to US Citizens.
I’d say just get a passport. Go in person, pay the extra $50 for rush processing and you’ll have it in 2 weeks. A passport is something you’re going to need sooner or later these days, so just get one and be done with it.
Grouse
Thanks for all the info Ben you have been a big help! 
if you or your buddy have a criminal charge of any sorts
in the last 10 years don’t bother to apply. I got dui 5 years ago , and got rabc pass last year, applied this year and got denied, they said someone screwed up and I shouldn’t of got one last year. We crossed at fort frances to get license and we had no problems crossing back with birth certificate and drivers license, maybe we got lucky.
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if you or your buddy have a criminal charge of any sorts in the last 10 years don’t bother to apply.
That is one thing we do not have to worry about thank goodness but thanks for the reply, good to know.
Looks like I have to buy an Outdoor Card before I can buy a fishing license, I am having issues buying the Outdoor Card keep getting an error on the page, looks like I will have to call them on Monday. How long is and Outdoor Card good for?
Anyone know what the limits are for walleye on the Rainy River in April? I assume the limits are different for the US side and the Canadian side????
For the Canadian fishing license I am trying to figure out if I should go with the 8 day conservation license for $29.97 or the sport fishing license for $52.41
Ok after doing a little more research I see the walleye limit on the MN side is 2 under 19.5″ so I decided to go with the 8 day conservation license online, also got my 3 year conservation card.
So the last thing I need to be clear on is that I still need an RABC card???
The outdoor card and the RABC card are not the same thing???
If I am understanding this correctly I need the RABC card to cross the border on the water without going though customs??
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If I am understanding this correctly I need the RABC card to cross the border on the water without going though customs??
That is correct. It gets you into Canada. Technically you are supposed to call the US when you return.
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If I am understanding this correctly I need the RABC card to cross the border on the water without going though customs??
That is correct. It gets you into Canada. Technically you are supposed to call the US when you return.
If you have a Nexus card, you can call the US when you return, if you don’t you have to physically stop in to the nearest open US customs office. We had a cooperator meeting with BP&C a few years ago and they told us fines for not checking back in to US customs increased, and they warned that over the next few years enforcement will be increasing as well.
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