Simple visa question - crossing from the US as a tourist | Canada - Lonely Planet Forum

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Sat, 11 Jul 2015 10:12:50 +0000

Hi, this is quite a dumb question, but i'm finding it hard to find a clear cut answer. Basically if I enter Canada from the US after my 90 days are up there, without the intention of returning to the States immediately (I want to spend a month or two in Canada then probably fly from there to S. America), is this all ok or will my trip to Canada be seen as an extension of my 90 days in the states?

From what I understand as a UK citizen I don't need a Visa for Canada and can spend 6 months there as a tourist, but if i'm travelling from the US i'm not sure if the terms are different and i'd be suspected of just going there in order to quickly return to the US for another 90 days.

Hope that makes sense!

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Sat, 11 Jul 2015 12:38:20 +0000

If you enter the US on the Visa Waiver Program you get 90 days in the US. Any trips to Canada (also Mexico and most of the Caribbean) BETWEEN the first entry to the US and the last departure from the US do count as part of your 90 days; however any trips to Canada etc. BEFORE the the first entry to the US or AFTER the last departure from the US do NOT count as part of your 90 days. After your visit to Canada you are going to fly to South America so the big question is by non-stop flight (no problem) or via the US (potential problem as the US does NOT do transit areas, you enter the US even to change planes)?

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Sat, 11 Jul 2015 12:51:27 +0000

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Fri, 17 Jul 2015 20:05:27 +0000

Just make sure your flight out of Canada is on Avianca or some other airline that does NOT transit through a US airport.

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Sun, 19 Jul 2015 15:15:46 +0000

good luck though finding a flight from Canada to South America that doesn't stop somewhere in the US to refuel...

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Sun, 19 Jul 2015 19:13:51 +0000

Not a problem as Avianca has a flight everyday YYZ-SAL nonstop in SAL where you can connect to many SA destinations.

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Mon, 20 Jul 2015 11:17:17 +0000

#4 Air Canada has a number of non-stops to South America, for example Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Santiago, they do not stop in the US to refuel.

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Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:59:14 +0000

In response to #6

#4 Air Canada has a number of non-stops to South America, for example Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Santiago, they do not stop in the US to refuel.

True but no one in their right mind fly's on Air Crappy!

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Sat, 25 Jul 2015 02:32:09 +0000

If you enter the US on the Visa Waiver Program you get 90 days in the US. Any trips to Canada (also Mexico and most of the Caribbean) BETWEEN the first entry to the US and the last departure from the US do count as part of your 90 days; however any trips to Canada etc. BEFORE the the first entry to the US or AFTER the last departure from the US do NOT count as part of your 90 days.

This is correct but bear in mind that for the US to allow your VWP entry, they will wish to see an onward or return ticket from Canada to somewhere that is not still within North America - so you need to have one from the UK.

Your tickets can't show your terminating in North America in other words, unless you're a resident of Canada, Mexico, etc. Nor can you state that you "plan to buy a ticket to South America when you're ready to leave Canada", or similar.

And if your (pre-purchased) onward ticket date is beyond 90 days from your initial US entry, then the comments above apply ... your ticket will need to show a route that doesn't stop at any US ports on the way out of North America.

If you will depart the United States for Canada or Mexico by private transport, you will require a visa.

That is from another thread, and is a quote from the US Embassy ... so it will also depend on how you plan to travel from the US to Canada ... air / train / bus / ferry seem okay.

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Tue, 26 Jul 2016 01:00:40 +0000

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