Flying to Seattle on a Canadian Visa?
Mar 8th, 2012, 03:15 AM
#1
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Flying to Seattle on a Canadian Visa?
Hi,
I wonder if anyone can help me figure this out. In September we will be moving to Vancouver (from the UK) for a year with my husbands study abroad program from his University. We will be given student visas to allow us to reside in Canada for a year.
However, the flights to Seattle are way cheaper than Vancouver so we would like to fly to Seattle and then drive/train it up to Vancouver.
My question is do you think we would be able to land at a US airport with our Canadian Visas? Obviously we would get one of those ESTA visas which say you can be in America for up to 90 days (we would only be staying in seattle one day and then travelling up to Canada) but because our return ticket would be for the following year do you think this would cause a problem with the border authorities at Seattle airport?
I've tried googling this, but haven't found much info so any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated!!
Thank you!
I wonder if anyone can help me figure this out. In September we will be moving to Vancouver (from the UK) for a year with my husbands study abroad program from his University. We will be given student visas to allow us to reside in Canada for a year.
However, the flights to Seattle are way cheaper than Vancouver so we would like to fly to Seattle and then drive/train it up to Vancouver.
My question is do you think we would be able to land at a US airport with our Canadian Visas? Obviously we would get one of those ESTA visas which say you can be in America for up to 90 days (we would only be staying in seattle one day and then travelling up to Canada) but because our return ticket would be for the following year do you think this would cause a problem with the border authorities at Seattle airport?
I've tried googling this, but haven't found much info so any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated!!
Thank you!
Mar 8th, 2012, 04:36 AM
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You will not be able to drive back to Seattle one year later without a valid visa to enter US, so I don't think it's a good idea unless you get another ESTA visa before you return.
I believe there would be no issues with you coming in, just going out.
I believe there would be no issues with you coming in, just going out.
Mar 8th, 2012, 05:25 AM
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ESTA is not a visa. It is the name of the form you complete when you enter the US under the Visa Waiver Program.
To be eligible to enter under VWP, you also need to have an onward ticket that departs from north America WITHIN 90 days.
That will be your problem. Your return ticket to the UK is outside the 90 day limit.
You really should get a B1/2 visa to use if you intend to visit the US or return through another US airport. Technicallly, the Visa Waiver Program that allows 90 days entry also includes any time spent in Canada, so that your entry to the US would expire after 90 days and would not be valid for a trip a year later.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wi...hout_1990.html
To be eligible to enter under VWP, you also need to have an onward ticket that departs from north America WITHIN 90 days.
That will be your problem. Your return ticket to the UK is outside the 90 day limit.
You really should get a B1/2 visa to use if you intend to visit the US or return through another US airport. Technicallly, the Visa Waiver Program that allows 90 days entry also includes any time spent in Canada, so that your entry to the US would expire after 90 days and would not be valid for a trip a year later.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wi...hout_1990.html
Mar 8th, 2012, 07:31 AM
#7
Read carefully- http://www.immigrationdirect.com/vis...urist-visa.jsp
Since you are not attending classes in the US the B2 should work for you.
Make friends with someone who lives in Seattle for your return.
Make sure to visit the Space Needle.
Since you are not attending classes in the US the B2 should work for you.
Make friends with someone who lives in Seattle for your return.
Make sure to visit the Space Needle.
