Travel....to canada and back......

[~Jess~ 0]

hey everyone. i have an upcoming trip back to the usa from lebanon. well my friends husband wants us to fly into Toronto because he got a canada visit visa and then from Toronto Lester Pearson airport my parents will meet me there (us citizens) and we will drive back into new york...................are we going to have any problems? my moms birth cert is orig orig from birth and it got ripped and is taped with black tape but is still legible.................am i going to have any problems entering toronto myself by airplane? i have my us passport with me of course.............will my family have any problems entering? and will we have any problems exiting just 3-5hrs after we entered? please any info?..........help a sista out lol

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Several problems:

1. You have to clear customs and immigration of a nation you're only visiting in transit (unfortunately, neither US nor Canada is set up for international transit)--and THEN face US customs and immigrationg
   
2. Did you say DRIVE to NYC from Pigtown? From Canadian airports other than Pearson, flying back would appear a better option if available (as you could then be done in shorter time through the PFI).
   
3. Now we get to why I said "other than Pearson" (it does have a PFI as well)--it's been rated for the past 17 years running as the WORST airport in Canada by Globe And Mail Magazine (an insert of a Pigtown-based paper--in other words a "horse's mouth" rating).
   

(Toronto is known as "Hogtown" in the rest of Canada--last I checked, "hog" and "pig" are quite interchangeable terms)

[Kathryn41 3,205]

While it is always at the discretion of the Immigration border officials whether or not to allow someone into Canada, I don't foresee you or your parents having any difficulties. As US citizens you are allowed to enter Canada without a visa. The US government regulation requiring all US citizens to present passports when re-entering the US does not come into play at the land border crossings until sometime between January 2008 and June 2009 so your Mom 'should' be ok. The condition of her birth certificate may be an issue so if she is able to obtain a new official copy before they cross she may wish to do so. No, you shouldn't have any difficulties leaving Canada after just a few hours. Your parents should, in fact, explain to the border guards that they are going to pick up their daughter at the Toronto airport and will be returning directly to the US afterwards. Have a good flight!

Oh, yes, you will have to go thrugh customs at both locations but just make a honest declaration and you shouldn't have problems.

And Cherry, she said New York state - not New York City - New York state is adjacent to Ontario and an easy drive from Toronto through the Niagara peninsula, crossing at Lewiston or Buffalo - no problems.

Edited November 27, 2006 by Kathryn41

[~Jess~ 0]

Several problems:

1. You have to clear customs and immigration of a nation you're only visiting in transit (unfortunately, neither US nor Canada is set up for international transit)--and THEN face US customs and immigrationg
   
2. Did you say DRIVE to NYC from Pigtown? From Canadian airports other than Pearson, flying back would appear a better option if available (as you could then be done in shorter time through the PFI).
   
3. Now we get to why I said "other than Pearson" (it does have a PFI as well)--it's been rated for the past 17 years running as the WORST airport in Canada by Globe And Mail Magazine (an insert of a Pigtown-based paper--in other words a "horse's mouth" rating).
   

(Toronto is known as "Hogtown" in the rest of Canada--last I checked, "hog" and "pig" are quite interchangeable terms)

no im not going to NYC...i live just south east of buffalo like 2hrs..........it is only 260miles from my hometown to the airport.......Lester Pearson is the intl airport that my friends have to fly into because they are going to Windsor.........the rates were fairly good so i dont wanna change where and all that and i dont want to get on another plane after i get to canada, it would be pointless since it would take me down to NYC and its still a 4hr drive from there home.............i was just wondering getting in and out. i dont see a big problem with me getting in because i am a us citizen, i have no criminal record....................as far as my parents i am having them tell the officer they are coming to get me and we are returning back to ny right after i land. thankfully i get in on a Tuesday afternoon instead of the middle of the night................

[Fandango 1,440]

Are you the only one going into New York or are your friends coming too?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Are you the only one going into New York or are your friends coming too?

Her friends are going to Windsor, a domestic Canadian flight--and one only accessible from Pearson ().

[~Jess~ 0]

Are you the only one going into New York or are your friends coming too?

Her friends are going to Windsor, a domestic Canadian flight--and one only accessible from Pearson ().

my friends are going to Windsor and they are DRIVING from toronto.......if we were to fly into anywhere else in Canada the drive for them would be longer, hence the reason we are going to toronto so we are both about the same distance from our destination. my friends husband is not american, which is another reason we are flying into canada, he has a visit visa to canada...she and her kids and i are american....but no i am the only one traveling to NY, my parents will pick me up in Toronto

[Saddle Bronc 124]

no im not going to NYC...i live just south east of buffalo like 2hrs..........it is only 260miles from my hometown to the airport.......Lester Pearson is the intl airport that my friends have to fly into because they are going to Windsor.........the rates were fairly good so i dont wanna change where and all that and i dont want to get on another plane after i get to canada, it would be pointless since it would take me down to NYC and its still a 4hr drive from there home.............i was just wondering getting in and out. i dont see a big problem with me getting in because i am a us citizen, i have no criminal record....................as far as my parents i am having them tell the officer they are coming to get me and we are returning back to ny right after i land. thankfully i get in on a Tuesday afternoon instead of the middle of the night................

That would be up to the Canuck (Ontarian) immigration official--it would be like myself (prior to 1994 when I started working in US on TN-1) landing in Seattle and then having a friend drive me back to Abbotsford.

So can't give you a blanket-promise of no hassles (especially since official's MOOD will be a factor in the decision).

[Fandango 1,440]

Are you the only one going into New York or are your friends coming too?

Her friends are going to Windsor, a domestic Canadian flight--and one only accessible from Pearson ().

my friends are going to Windsor and they are DRIVING from toronto.......if we were to fly into anywhere else in Canada the drive for them would be longer, hence the reason we are going to toronto so we are both about the same distance from our destination. my friends husband is not american, which is another reason we are flying into canada, he has a visit visa to canada...she and her kids and i are american....but no i am the only one traveling to NY, my parents will pick me up in Toronto

Well I meant out of your originating party from Lebanon....cos obviously if your friend's husband was trying to visit America without a proper visa, then obviously you'd have some probbos at the POE....but being that you're American as are your parents, I don't see any reason why you'd have issues crossing the border.

Good luck!

[~Jess~ 0]

Are you the only one going into New York or are your friends coming too?

Her friends are going to Windsor, a domestic Canadian flight--and one only accessible from Pearson ().

my friends are going to Windsor and they are DRIVING from toronto.......if we were to fly into anywhere else in Canada the drive for them would be longer, hence the reason we are going to toronto so we are both about the same distance from our destination. my friends husband is not american, which is another reason we are flying into canada, he has a visit visa to canada...she and her kids and i are american....but no i am the only one traveling to NY, my parents will pick me up in Toronto

Well I meant out of your originating party from Lebanon....cos obviously if your friend's husband was trying to visit America without a proper visa, then obviously you'd have some probbos at the POE....but being that you're American as are your parents, I don't see any reason why you'd have issues crossing the border.

Good luck!

thanks...yep im the only on from the starting party going to NY, they are driving together to Windsor to meet some of her family and her husband will stay in canada and she will then head into detroit with her kids to spend the holidays

[sophyie 0]

My husband frequently flew into Vancouver to travel down to Seattle while living in Europe, simply because the flights tend to be a lot cheaper and I have done it once before, too.

At the Canadian immigration I simply told the IO what my plans were and all was good.

They even have a number of non-stop bus services connecting the Seattle to the Vancouver Airport multiple times a day, so at least with Vancouver/Seattle it seems to be quite common to fly into Canada to travel to the US (or fly into Seattle to travel to Canada).

[~Jess~ 0]

thanks everyone