I am planning a trip to Canada to live and work for nine months via the USA. My ticket will be an Australia to Los Angeles return ticket that is a total of 9 months. A waived Visa is valid for up to three months. What would i have to do to prove to the US port of entry that i will only be in the country at most a total of two weeks. One week to get to Canada and one week to return and maybe visits in between. I will be travelling by car.
Is there much hassle in going via the USA to get to Canada via land or is it the same method as going by air? Is it possible to get two waived visas in the space of nine months?
I am planning a trip to Canada to live and work for nine months via the USA. My ticket will be an Australia to Los Angeles return ticket that is a total of 9 months. A waived Visa is valid for up to three months. What would i have to do to prove to the US port of entry that i will only be in the country at most a total of two weeks. One week to get to Canada and one week to return and maybe visits in between. I will be travelling by car.
Is there much hassle in going via the USA to get to Canada via land or is it the same method as going by air? Is it possible to get two waived visas in the space of nine months?
Reply to this Our experience suggests US imigration will stamp your visa/passport on arrival in LA (remember, they might need to know where you will be staying whilst in the USA - the first nights hotel or a friends' address will suffice) and again on entering Canada. It's the same procedure when you exit Canada for the USA after your nine month stay. Providing you have your flight tickets home to show them I see no reason why they should not stamp your visa for a further 3 months at the Canadian point of re-entry nine months later.
We had a six month visa for the USA and stayed three months before entering Canada. When we left Canada three months on, they stamped our visa again giving us another 6 months! A couple of months later we flew to Costa Rica for a short break and they gave us (somewhat reluctantly, with the suggestion we were abusing the system), yet another 6 months when we returned! The issue may well get confused if you keep popping backwards and forewards. Talk to them politely; don't get cross, and you should have no problems!
(Take a look at our blog on Costa Rica for vivid details. just google, 'grey-haired-nomads') Good luck, David
Reply to this Thanks for the reply there David. That's all i needed to hear. Just a little reassurance.
I will definitely check out your blog.
Cheers.
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