Transit through Canada

[omar tiflati 0]

Hello all,

So my wife will get her U.S. immigration visa really soon. I have made travel arrangements,  and she will have to go through Canada.

My question is: will she need a transit visa? Or just an eta since her immigration visa acts as a temporary green card and has an alien registration number?

 

Thank you all

P.s.: she holds a Moroccan passport.

Edited January 17, 2018 by omar tiflati

[EandH0904 1,184]

Toronto and Montreal have an American port of entry side to them. If she has a brief layover (less than 10-12 hours) there she will not need a transit visa. She can't go into the main airport or outside, but there is a small section for people to the US. 

 

If her layover is over 24 hours for some reason she may need a transit visa. 

[omar tiflati 0]

6 hours ago, EandH0904 said:

Toronto and Montreal have an American port of entry side to them. If she has a brief layover (less than 10-12 hours) there she will not need a transit visa. She can't go into the main airport or outside, but there is a small section for people to the US. 

 

If her layover is over 24 hours for some reason she may need a transit visa. 

Thanks for the reply.

I don't think Moroccan authorities will let her board a canadian flight without proper paperwork.

On their website they said u.s. green card holders only need an eTA (electronic travel authorization). Since her immigrant visa acts as a temporary green card and has an alien registration number. I think that what she should get . Im not sure what to do.

I have spent all day trying to find a way to contact immigration offices in canada or any consulate. No luck! ... why is it so hard 

[EandH0904 1,184]

1 minute ago, omar tiflati said:

Thanks for the reply.

I don't think Moroccan authorities will let her board a canadian flight without proper paperwork.

On their website they said u.s. green card holders only need an eTA (electronic travel authorization). Since her immigrant visa acts as a temporary green card and has an alien registration number. I think that what she should get . Im not sure what to do.

I have spent all day trying to find a way to contact immigration offices in canada or any consulate. No luck! ... why is it so hard 

If that is your concern, just apply for an eTA - it's only $7. I hadn't thought about what Morocco may let her do or not - I know other Moroccans who've attempted to travel to visa free countries and weren't allowed to board either for this reason or that reason. That may be a question for the airline you book through, it may not be Canada's policy. 

 

[Ontarkie 14,369]

6 hours ago, omar tiflati said:

Thanks for the reply.

I don't think Moroccan authorities will let her board a canadian flight without proper paperwork.

On their website they said u.s. green card holders only need an eTA (electronic travel authorization). Since her immigrant visa acts as a temporary green card and has an alien registration number. I think that what she should get . Im not sure what to do.

I have spent all day trying to find a way to contact immigration offices in canada or any consulate. No luck! ... why is it so hard 

She is not a green card holder until her visa is endorsed and that is at her POE. 

[Lemonslice 4,945]

19 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

She is not a green card holder until her visa is endorsed and that is at her POE. 

Exactly, Canadian visa will be required.  Apply online here:  canada.ca/visit

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

UK allows transit with an immigrant visa package but I think that’s fairly unusual, in most cases if you don’t have an actual green card or proof of existing permanent residence - and as stated above, just the immigrant visa is none of those things - you’ll need a visa. 

[MrSaid 0]

Hi why not book with Lufthansa airline, no visa transit needed and its in the same price or even cheaper

[omar tiflati 0]

I want to thank everybody for replying.

you guys are correct, she needs a visa to transit through Canada. i have spent so many hours to find that out.

I called AirCanada they recommended that I call a Canadian consulate, i have tried but they said they only deal with Canadian citizens. i called the Moroccan consulate in Canada with no luck. they advised me to call "Ministere de l'immigration". so i called and they told me to call Canadian border services, again, no luck. Than i had an Idea to call U.S customs in Montreal. they were the ones that gave me the definitive answer, in the agent's words "CR1 doesn't mean anything in Canada".

so I had t cancel my flight with AirCanada with penalty of 233 U.S $ per person.

 

Again big thanks to everybody

[omar tiflati 0]

1 hour ago, MrSaid said:

Hi why not book with Lufthansa airline, no visa transit needed and its in the same price or even cheaper

i live in wichita kansas, Lufthansa flight are the same as delta and american airline. so it's the same

[Nicolaszz 10]

On 1/18/2018 at 8:47 AM, SusieQQQ said:

UK allows transit with an immigrant visa package but I think that’s fairly unusual, in most cases if you don’t have an actual green card or proof of existing permanent residence - and as stated above, just the immigrant visa is none of those things - you’ll need a visa. 

Hey, I'm going to arrive to London at 18:30 May 22, and leave at 11:15 May 23 to Boston. I have an F4 immigrant visa. Will I be able to go to landside and connect flights overnight?

[Just Paul 4,595]

12 minutes ago, Nicolaszz said:

Hey, I'm going to arrive to London at 18:30 May 22, and leave at 11:15 May 23 to Boston. I have an F4 immigrant visa. Will I be able to go to landside and connect flights overnight?

You'll need a transit visa to do that.

https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa

[Nicolaszz 10]

Just now, Paul & Mary said:

You'll need a transit visa to do that.

https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa

The question was whether I will be eligible for Transit Without Visa.

[Just Paul 4,595]

4 minutes ago, Nicolaszz said:

The question was whether I will be eligible for Transit Without Visa.

Did you click on the site to find out?  If you want  / need to exit the terminal you will need a visa.   From the site:

You should apply for a Visitor in Transit visa if you arrive on a flight and will pass through immigration control before you leave the UK.

 

 

Edited May 20, 2020 by Paul & Mary

[Nicolaszz 10]

2 minutes ago, Paul & Mary said:

Did you click on the site to find out?  If you want  / need to exit the terminal you will need a visa.

You should apply for a Visitor in Transit visa if you arrive on a flight and will pass through immigration control before you leave the UK.

 

 

I did, and it means nothing. 

 

https://sterling-law.co.uk/en/uk-visa-enter-transit-uk/

UK GOV website also has the same list, but you have to go through a checklist there. The website you linked me recommends applying for a Transit Visa, but it isn't necessary. 

I was checking to see if anyone has a similar situation as mine and if he was able to go through.

Edited May 20, 2020 by Nicolaszz