Hello, I have a few Qs on montreal for you all.

For those coming from overseas (US), typically how long is customs?
Is there a recommended day of week or time to avoid long lines.

We would be departing from Atlanta. For going to Montreal from Hartsfield, we can't just get boarding passes and go to the gate, right?

Planning on coming with mother and it has been years since I've travelled overseas!

Also, any recommendations on places to stay preferably in Old Montreal near churches and any grocery stores?

We are vegetarians (dairy allowed).

Is the Embassy suites decent?

Do you see rainy weather in September?

Thanks for any suggestions.

You will probably get more info on the Canada board.

Customs is not an issue - it's typically Immigration that takes longer - and sometimes waiting for your luggage. And I hope you all have your passports - now required for Canada.

You will not make two stops; one for customs and the other for immigration.

Just one stop.

Unless things have recently changed, you will arrive at Dorval Airport. When returning home, you will go thru US customs in Montreal as well.

The US maintains customes/immigration counters at most major Canadian cities so that the arrival in the US city is treated as a domestic flight.

When leaving from the US source, the only difference is that they'll check your passport as they are responsible for getting you back should you fail entry.

Aside from the extra passport check in the US city, the customs/immigration stop at the Canadian entry destination and the stop at US customs in Montreal on the way back, everything will go like a domestic US flight.

Of course, once in Montreal it will sound more like Paris than New York. But that's part of the trip.

The length of the customs stops will very much depend upon the number of flights that arrive at about the same time. They do open or close counters based on the volume of people.

I've never really waited more than 10-20 minutes.

I haven't lived there for 15 years so someone else will have to give you hotel recommendations.

Depending upon the length of your visit, I might stay more in the downtown area than Old Montreal. They're not far apart but you probably won't spend more than a day in Old Montreal.

Thanks for the replies.

Now, in Atlanta airport once I get the boarding pass (we have no luggage to check in),should we proceed to the gate directly ?

Where is the passport check done on US side?

Thanks much!

If you are a US citizen, there is no passport check to leave the US. As the prior post says, when you check-in, the airline personnel will ask to see your passport only to ensure you have the necessary documentation to enter Canada. They will issue your boarding passes and you will go to your gate like any other flight.

For your return, the US and Canada have an agreement where travelers are processed through US customs and immigration before they board the plane. Because everyone has already "entered" the US before they boarded the plane, it can land at any US airport as a domestic flight.

The airline will want to see your passport when you check in, before they give you the boarding pass.

You will need the boarding pass and some sort of ID (like, say, a passport) to go through security.

After security, proceed to the gate. You won't need your passport again until you go through immigration in Canada.

Thanks. Now in our case, one of us is a US citizen, the other is a US resident (greencard holder).

So we must stand in the lines to check-in even if we have no luggage?

let me know. THanks!

Permanent residents are treated the same as citizens.

corsica, we really enjoyed the Hotel Gault in Old Montreal--very spacious rooms, helpful staff, b'fast included. There's a cafe/restaurant in the lobby, which was handy. The location was within easy walking distance of downtown and a metro stop, plus, of course, all the attractions of the old quarter. I can't help you with a grocery store, though... we found quickie marts here and there for snacks and sundries.
www.hotelgault.com

corsica,

The permanent resident is a citizen of which country.

I moved from Canada to the US. For a while I was a citizen of Canada and a permanent resident of the US.

For a while, when entering Canada I used my Canadian passport as I figured there'd be less questions.

However, they still asked where I live and that took care of that idea.

Citylights,

Are you the same person on the Canon board who lives in Las Vegas?

If so, small world.

Hello,

The permanent US resident is a citizen of India.

Just let me know where we are supposed to present passports on US side. We would have no luggage to check-in.

Thanks.

You have to check in even if you don't have luggage, to get your boarding pass.

If the airline has quicky check-in machines(or allows checking from home via Internet) you can use them, but the human will still need to look at your passport and type something into the computer (probably they will call your name after you type in your info). Some of those machines can scan passports, in which case no human would be needed, I guess. You can ask the roving airline employee (there usually is one nowadays at the back of the line) about the procedure.

Airline wants to see your passport before they issue you the boarding pass to an international flight. (For a domestic flight you just need a photo id.) You need to show your boarding pass and photo ID to get through security.

Hey guys. I have a question. From Montreal, what's the nearest and biggest american airport/city?

New York City or Boston, neither of which is very close. There are cities closer with smaller airports, like Albany, NY .