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a little background about the question, born and raised in the USA, i own a house that keeps me in the states and a full time job in the states. I am a triple citizen: USA, Hungary, and Canada. For reasons that might be obvious to some of you I do not have a Canadian passport. My USA passport is in for renewal and a buddy of mine in Vancouver BC wants me to assist in chauffeuring some mutual friends of ours who are coming in from Sweden up to Vancouver B.C. from Seattle for the weekend. I only have my Hungarian passport to help with this request. what are some issues i might encounter? do you think this is a good idea? As a well traveled person I understand how this looks to the border guard. it looks fishy. what say you all?

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Hungarian citizens do not need a visa for Canada. You could therefore choose to enter Canada as a Hungarian and ignore your US citizenship. It is not necessary to mention it to the border guards unless they ask. You will need an eTA if you are arriving by air after March of next year.

US citizens do not always need a passport to travel to Canada. A birth certificate or certificate of citizenship or naturalization will work instead.

A much more interesting question is getting back to the US. While it will get you into Canada, a US birth certificate will not technically get you back into the US. If you have an Enhanced Drivers License (which IS acceptable) then present that on your return. However, as other questions have shown on this site, if you can prove you are a US citizen, (which a birth certificate should do) border patrol cannot exclude you from the US. The worst they can do is to give you a talking to about how you should really carry a passport. It is not permitted to use your Hungarian passport to enter the US (though again, if you can prove you are a US citizen I don't believe they can keep you out)

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  • If you have some proof that you are in the process of renewing your passport, you might bring that as well.
    – Willeke ♦
    Commented Sep 2, 2015 at 18:09
  • by the way, eTA is not enforced until March
    – user102008
    Commented Sep 2, 2015 at 19:22
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Based on Department Of State website,

Most U.S. nationals, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U.S. nationality. Most countries permit a person to renounce or otherwise lose nationality.

A passport-cardmight be an option, if you have it and you are crossing the border over land.

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    While it is not obvious from the page, I believe the wording of that link means "Must not use a passport of a foreign country to enter the US". Other forms of ID are acceptable for US citizens to enter the US (such as Nexus cards), and I don't believe there is any rule preventing dual citizens from using them.
    – DJClayworth
    Commented Sep 2, 2015 at 21:16
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    @DJClayworth: That law says a US citizen must enter and leave with a US passport, except for exceptions allowed by the President. Those other forms of documents are in the exceptions allowed by the President. Whether you have a foreign passport is irrelevant.
    – user102008
    Commented Sep 3, 2015 at 9:33

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