K-1 Travel Question

[fcchief 1]

Got a question and have not seen an answer for this. My Fiance has her interview scheduled.  Now assuming she gets approved when I make her flight reservation from Japan (she is Filipina), I found it would be several hundred dollars cheaper to have her go from Narita Airport in Japan with Stopover in Vancouver CA for 1 hr and then continue flight to Seattle, WA. Does anyone know if she will be able to do this considering she is on a US Visa not a Canadian one?? Thanks

[ColoradoBeauty 79]

She will need to apply for a transit visa. 

[tanderson64 201]

Yes you can do this.  US Customs and Border Protection has a pre-clearance station at the Vancouver BC airport.  

 

She will go through US border control at the airport, and if everything is good, she can board the plane to the US.

 

Here is the website with information: https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/ports-entry/operations/preclearance

 

I recommend you call the office in Vancouver BC to confirm, but there should be no problem with visa to US.

 

As long as she stays in the airport, she will not need a transit visa.

 

The only issue I see is a 1 hour lay-over might not be long enough to go through the US border and make the flight.  Last time I went through Toronto from overseas, it took about 2 hours.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2017 by tanderson64

[bakphx1 789]

I saw a Youtube clip of a girl who came on a CR1 visa through Canada.  She was surprised she had to do the paperwork there and panicked when they opened her "secret" envelope in Canada.  But otherwise it was okay...tanderson64 is correct. 

[tanderson64 201]

1 minute ago, bakphx1@aol.com said:

I saw a Youtube clip of a girl who came on a CR1 visa through Canada.  She was surprised she had to do the paperwork there and panicked when they opened her "secret" envelope in Canada.  But otherwise it was okay...tanderson64 is correct. 

Yes.  The US has border stations at all major Canadian airports.

[fcchief 1]

Ok Thank You all for your input. I found the info on whether she needed anything after Googling Transit Visa. Appreciate all the responses!!  Enjoy!

[broppy 204]

6 minutes ago, fcchief said:

Ok Thank You all for your input. I found the info on whether she needed anything after Googling Transit Visa. Appreciate all the responses!!  Enjoy!

I assume you found the information from CIC at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/twov/travellers.asp - travelling on a Philippines passport with US visa does not require a transit visa at Vancouver if she's flying with a participating airline (i.e. one of Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Air China, WestJet, Cathay Pacific, China Southern, Philippines Airlines, Jazz Air, Sky Regional Airlines Inc., Air Georgian, Hainan Airlines).

[NikLR 13,227]

I agree that 1 hour will not be enough of a layover to clear CBP. 

[JFH 12,190]

An hour to change planes in Vancouver is ambitious at the best of times. For a new immigrant it's as good as impossible. I spent 2.5 hours in secondary when I immigrated last December. 

[usmsbow 801]

While a one-hour layover is definitely too short to go through two immigration checkpoints (Canada then CBP), I'd get the ticket anyway if it will save you several hundred bucks. She won't make the originally booked flight, but they should be able to put her on the next available flight (assuming it isn't the holiday season).

 

 

[caliliving 606]

4 hours ago, usmsbow said:

While a one-hour layover is definitely too short to go through two immigration checkpoints (Canada then CBP), I'd get the ticket anyway if it will save you several hundred bucks. She won't make the originally booked flight, but they should be able to put her on the next available flight (assuming it isn't the holiday season).

 

 

yes agree! if it is cheap, get her that flight! as long as she makes the original flight, if she misses the second portion they will rebook her on a flight free of charge!  she may have to wait a bit, but if it is cheaper that is your best option.  if you do find a flight for the same price with a 3 hour layover, it is best to book that. 

[JFH 12,190]

3 hours ago, caliliving said:

yes agree! if it is cheap, get her that flight! as long as she makes the original flight, if she misses the second portion they will rebook her on a flight free of charge!  she may have to wait a bit, but if it is cheaper that is your best option.  if you do find a flight for the same price with a 3 hour layover, it is best to book that. 

Whilst this is true to a certain extent, (I work for an airline), you are making a few assumptions...

 

- that there is another flight operating to her destination that same calendar day

- if there is a flight to her destination, that there are seats available 

 

I once missed a connection in Newark because the flight I was on from Europe had to make an emergency landing in Canada due to a passenger having a medical emergency onboard. Whilst all passengers who missed connections as a result of this were rebooked (the correct term is "re-protected"), and we are talking about 50 passengers here going to vatious points, in my case the next flight was the following day. One passenger hoping to get to Orlando had to be flown to Miami instead because every Orlando flight was full. Overnighting in Canada without a visa might not be possible for her....

[NikLR 13,227]

20 hours ago, usmsbow said:

While a one-hour layover is definitely too short to go through two immigration checkpoints (Canada then CBP), I'd get the ticket anyway if it will save you several hundred bucks. She won't make the originally booked flight, but they should be able to put her on the next available flight (assuming it isn't the holiday season).

 

 

I wouldn't try that.  She may be stuck at the airport for hours or overnight.  If it was something she could have avoided (like it was too short of a layover booked) she may not get rebooked without cost. 

[usmsbow 801]

2 hours ago, NikLR said:

I wouldn't try that.  She may be stuck at the airport for hours or overnight.  If it was something she could have avoided (like it was too short of a layover booked) she may not get rebooked without cost. 

 

If the airline offers and sells the ticket with that quick layover, they have to put her on another flight free of charge if she missed the connection. And it sounds like she's flying from Vancouver to Seattle, which has frequent flights. 

Edited November 19, 2017 by usmsbow

[NikLR 13,227]

2 hours ago, usmsbow said:

 

If the airline offers and sells the ticket with that quick layover, they have to put her on another flight free of charge if she missed the connection. And it sounds like she's flying from Vancouver to Seattle, which has frequent flights. 

depends if it's the same airline all the way through or not.  If she lands with one airline and leaves on another, the 2nd airline has zero obligation.    The first airline may also have zero obligation because passengers have to clear CBSA and CBP before boarding and it's not their fault if you don't give yourself enough time.  They also may not fly in the direction the person is going so can't really do anything to help them continue. 

 

I have had a similar issue but the arriving (1st) airline did help me out since the fault was not mine (their arriving flight prior to mine was late plus extended time to de-ice the plane.)  They put me on the first flight in the morning, however I had to find a hotel for myself or sleep overnight at the airport. 

 

 All things considered I doubt this is a single airline. 

Edited November 19, 2017 by NikLR