Hi i know this question has been asked a million times in different ways before and i've looked at the faq and searched through previous posts and can't really find what i want.
Basicly i'm going to canada for a working holiday in about 3 weeks for roughly a 5 month stay. The problem is i have a 1.5 hour transit in honolulu. Now i'm pretty sure from what i've read recently i need a US transit visa because i am travelling to a country bordering the US and staying there for more than 90 days, so i won't be eligible for the visa waiver program. I don't think that now i will have time to apply for the visa and sit the interview at the US consulate before i leave.
I know these are the facts, i simply want to know other people experiences in this situation. If i just don't worry about the visa is this something they will pick when i arrive in honolulu and will they send me back to australia? Do you actually pass through US immigration when you arrive even though you are only there for a short transit? Is this something the airline you fly with police's themsleves (so you won't even get on the plane in australia without the visa)? Because it is only a short transit will they simply give you a VWP visa and not question where you are travelling onto? If they ask can i play dumb and say i thought i was eligible for the VWP as my stay in the US itself was for less than 90 days?
My only other real option is to change my return airfare now so that it appears that i will spend less than 90 days total in the US/canada then change it back when i get to canada, but i suspect this might cost a bit.
Thanks,
Drew.
Cross posted on the US branch.
Thanks terry, didn't really give the 1.5 transit time much consideration in terms of making the next flight, but both flights are with air canada, surely they wouldn't sell you a connecting flight that you couldn't make?
Drew.
If it's just a refuelling stop then you're safe because everyone will be in the same predicament.
If you're actually changing aircraft, then no, I wouldn't trust Air Canada not to leave you there and bump you to a later flight.
Most important: Did you buy the flights directly from the Air Canada website, or did you go through a Travel Agent?
Cheers,
Terry
The flights were purchased from an australian travel agent. I've just checked my itinerary and both the flight from australia to honolulu and from honolulu to canada have the same flight number, so i'm guessing it's just a refuelling stop.
Drew.
Purchasing through a TA can be a problem because you have no negotiating power with the airline. The rep can simply say your itinerary was too tight to be workable so of course you missed the flight. It's not their problem.
Since the flight number is the same though, that bodes well for you, and it shouldn't be a problem. If US Immigration/Customs is slow then it'll be affecting a pile of your fellow passengers too.
Good luck with the visa crap... that's a tricky one...
Cheers,
Terry
Your travel agent should be answering your questions. They booked the flights and have an obligation to make sure you have adequate transfer time as well as informing you of the visa requirements, whehter it is only a refuelling stop etc.
"... Your travel agent should be answering your questions..."
That would be nice, but in reality Travel Agents are sometimes the last people you can trust with this sort of stuff. Many are incompetent and a constant source of misinformation. The small print on their purchase contracts states that you (the traveler) are wholly responsible for proper documentation.
You are much further ahead to research directly on the embassy sites as the OP has obviously done, and on places like this forum. (Although Internet forums obviously have to be taken with a grain of salt as well.)
Cheers,
Terry
My travel agent has always been a reliable source of information on visas, was the first to inform me of which visas I would need and took care of the processing much more efficiently than on my own.
The travel agent should give the specifics of de-planing and why only 1 1/2 hr was allotted. Drew, has your travel agent told you?
"... My travel agent has always been a reliable source of information on visas..."
Then you are very fortunate.
Cheers,
Terry
It's the same plane. You get off, go through immigration and get on again. Not sure if your baggage gets unloaded, cleared through customs and reloaded - as the plane is bound for Canada probably not.
According to the rules you need a visa as you will not be leaving North America within 90 days and are not a legal permanent resident of Canada. I've no idea how strictly this is enforced and whether you can get away with a visa waiver. The primary check will be the airline at check in - if you get as far as Honolulu I doubt if you'll get asked too much about your plans.
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