Canadian airports that are pre-clearance for U.S. Immigration?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Don't rule out Toronto, I went through there on March 30 and it was pretty simple. Just make sure he leaves lots of extra time for all the line ups, I think I gave myself 3 hours.

Everyone is much more friendly when you're moving to get married, they actually smile

But the PFI is designed in a very confoozling manner--so the G&M rating of Pearson stays well-earned!

[neiks 19]

"bebop, it would be much better to go to W'peg than Pearson for the PFI--Pearson is Canada's "gate of hell" airport as a whole (as rated by Globe and Mail magazine for the last 17 years running"

I agree. I have pre-cleared at both Winnipeg and Toronto. Toronto is a nightmare. Winnipeg being a smaller airport is much much easier. Both airports will take you to Minneapolis. Winnipeg you can catch a Northwest or Air Canada flight. You could even just drive from Thunder Bay to Winnipeg and save your self the connection. Like always just give yourself ample time to clear customs.

[jen&darcy 0]

Just a side note.....I always take NWA when I fly to Canada. Minneapolis is one of their hubs. There are connecting flights from either Winnipeg or Calgary. I have taken both of them. My fiance doesn't have his visa yet so I don't have info on that for the airports. I would have to agree as a whole that Calgary is by far my favorite airport.

[cmartyn 0]

Confusing?

I can see that. First you need to know which terminal 1, 2, 3 or whatever they are up to now.

Then you need to know arival or departure deck.

Then you need to know your carrier.

Then walking up to the desk.. one foot in front of the other now.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Confusing?

I can see that. First you need to know which terminal 1, 2, 3 or whatever they are up to now.

Then you need to know arival or departure deck.

Then you need to know your carrier.

Then walking up to the desk.. one foot in front of the other now.

Actually, the confusion is due to the fact that (at YYZ) you clear through PFI, then go through security--and then go downstairs and take a bus to some other point--an absolute chopf#ck design!

At all other PFI-equipped airports, you just go past the PFI, then through security, then straight to the gate.

(and yes, I have had ONE recent--in November 2000--experience at the PFI at YYZ; as I also had to take some other domestic flights in that same week through there, it confirmed that YYZ is a "hell's gate" airport as a whole!)

Edited August 17, 2006 by CherryXS

[Fuzzness 2]

Go with Winterpeg or Calgary. As someone said, Halifax does not have pre clearance.... yet.

Also, consider Detroit (DTW) as a POE, customs is usually very good there.

[meauxna 15]

MSP was an awesome immigrant POE for us (15 mins in and out)---you might find that they welcome new immigrants more better than regular grubby tourists?

I can't feature flying to Calgary to go around MSP.

[cmartyn 0]

The bus is there to take you to gates that are far away. Just like any other significant airport with multiple terminals. I dunno. I normally walk cause I know the way. If you fly on a carrier out of the same terminal you normally dont have to take a bus. Sometimes from Gate F though, you have to take the tram thing.. Whatever.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

MSP was an awesome immigrant POE for us (15 mins in and out)---you might find that they welcome new immigrants more better than regular grubby tourists?

I can't feature flying to Calgary to go around MSP.

Now, how did bypassing MSP become an issue? I thought it was bypassing Pearson.

I have no problem making ONE change at MSP or DFW to avoid YYZ (admittedly, I'm usually TRYING to get to YYC in the first place). But, in general, I don't like going through another airport in the country I'm entering if my destination airport has customs/immigration (eg. when visiting India, I generally avoid flights going to Mumbai or Delhi as I normally want to enter at Chennai in the first place).

[Flames9_RN 358]

I hated Toronto when I was flying to DC monthly. When my father was down working in the USA yrs back, he loved flying through MSP and ensured the comapny flew him out of their from Saskatoon, vice going to Vancouver. They seemed th handle the work visas much better.

[Reba 2]

Actually, the confusion is due to the fact that (at YYZ) you clear through PFI, then go through security--and then go downstairs and take a bus to some other point--an absolute chopf#ck design!

At all other PFI-equipped airports, you just go past the PFI, then through security, then straight to the gate.

(and yes, I have had ONE recent--in November 2000--experience at the PFI at YYZ; as I also had to take some other domestic flights in that same week through there, it confirmed that YYZ is a "hell's gate" airport as a whole!)

that just really depends on where in the US you're going tho doesn't it? when I fly from TO to Charlotte, yeah, I have to go to Gate E, and take the bus from the terminal, because gate E to Charlotte and other non-major centres short jaunts is a satelite terminal. Whenever I flew to say Denver, or Chicago, the flight was right there at the main terminal.

And both of those US airports are far bigger and confusing than Toronto. Both require extremely long walks and/or train rides before you get to either your departure gate, or to luggage pick-up. Toronto is a breeze by comparisson IMO. And no secret societies living in the basement

[The_dip_sticks 0]

When I went to visit hubby in UK I had a pre clearance in Toronto on the way back to states.

[Canuck Carrie 1]

that just really depends on where in the US you're going tho doesn't it? when I fly from TO to Charlotte, yeah, I have to go to Gate E, and take the bus from the terminal, because gate E to Charlotte and other non-major centres short jaunts is a satelite terminal. Whenever I flew to say Denver, or Chicago, the flight was right there at the main terminal.

ditto

Had to take the little bus for flights to Newark, but not for flights to DFW or O'Hare.

[The_dip_sticks 0]

When I went to visit hubby in UK I had a pre clearance in Toronto on the way back to the states. I thought it was funny that I had to clear Canadian customs and then US immigration in Canadian soil. I thought I would clear immigration in Houston but that was not the case. Canadian was a cinch but the US officials tried to rough me up and I’m a USC! I almost thought I would miss my connecting flight because they flagged me when they asked where I had traveled to, and I said I was on holiday in Portugal Spain and UK( this was evident as they were looking at the stamps on my passport) then and they though it was weird that I was not declaring nothing of value because I had gone on holiday and not brought nothing back. I honestly had nothing to declare but my old clothes. They searched all my baggage and were sad to find nothing as I had told them. They asked me again after looking, your not bringing back nothing new that you did not take ba with you and I said well just 3 shot glasses and a Kamasutra book my hubby gave me as gift LOL. When the IO saw that he closed my suite case and said ok you’re good to go LOL. After all that drama just barely made my connection but thank God that I did.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

When I went to visit hubby in UK I had a pre clearance in Toronto on the way back to the states. I thought it was funny that I had to clear Canadian customs and then US immigration in Canadian soil. I thought I would clear immigration in Houston but that was not the case. Canadian was a cinch but the US officials tried to rough me up and I’m a USC! I almost thought I would miss my connecting flight because they flagged me when they asked where I had traveled to, and I said I was on holiday in Portugal Spain and UK( this was evident as they were looking at the stamps on my passport) then and they though it was weird that I was not declaring nothing of value because I had gone on holiday and not brought nothing back. I honestly had nothing to declare but my old clothes. They searched all my baggage and were sad to find nothing as I had told them. They asked me again after looking, your not bringing back nothing new that you did not take ba with you and I said well just 3 shot glasses and a Kamasutra book my hubby gave me as gift LOL. When the IO saw that he closed my suite case and said ok you’re good to go LOL. After all that drama just barely made my connection but thank God that I did.

Basically, neither Canada nor USA is geared for transit passengers--though the US has had thousands go through (mostly JFK from Atlantic route, but some SFO or LAX from Pacific route) enroute to Canada between 1970 and 1980. The addition of more flights to Canadian airports (YVR, YEG and YYC) to service London and Frankfurt (both servicing through Atlantic route only, despite of Vancouver's location on Pacific coast) has greatly reduced (but not zeroed) this traffic.

The use of Canadian airports as transit went up a bit after the Free Trade Pact/NAFTA, as pact-specific-visa (originally TC, now TN-1 and attendant dependent TD) holders oft used this approach to ensure that NAFTA-cognisant officers will examine them for their return trips--at the costs of having to clear Canadian customs AND usually a higher airfare. Generally, the only ones for whom this approach was good were:

• those planning a combined trip (where these would no longer be issues)
  
• those whose Canadian home was in Toronto or Vancouver (the two most common connecting airports to outside North America--Vancouver being the only connexion point for Pacific routes).
  

For the one trip I made outside North America as a TN-1 (Mar 1999, to London), neither of the above applied--and going through Pearson would also have put me at the risk of being stranded (remember that the immigration officers can refuse non-USC's); so, I took the straight-shot (ATL-LGW) approach, and was asked by the examining officer (who obviously was NOT NAFTA-cognisant; and this was even after six years the pact had been in effect) "where's the visa?".