Crossing Canada - US Border

carcuscrae

Hi

I am looking for some info about crossing the Canadian / US Border and i'm having problems finding a definite answer, so hopefully someone out there can help me out.

Anyway I am flying into Vancouver later this year and then a couple of days later travelling down by Amtrak train to Seattle, returning via the same train to Vancouver about 10 days later for my flight home.

Can anyone please tell me what documents I will need to cross the Canadian - US border? I have only ever flown directly to the USA before and I have had to get an ESTA but they only apply to air or sea landings in the USA, so I don't believe I need one as I am making a land crossing. Is this correct? I believe all I need to do is fill in an I-94 form, which I do when boarding the train in Vancouver, as i can travel under the Visa Waiver Program. On my return journey to Canada I don't think I have any forms to fill in.

Can anyone advise if the above is correct? Has anyone out there experience of crossing the border that can help?

Any info would be greatly appreciated

Many Thanks

scottishperson2

carcuscrae wrote: »

Hi

I am looking for some info about crossing the Canadian / US Border and i'm having problems finding a definite answer, so hopefully someone out there can help me out.

Anyway I am flying into Vancouver later this year and then a couple of days later travelling down by Amtrak train to Seattle, returning via the same train to Vancouver about 10 days later for my flight home.

Can anyone please tell me what documents I will need to cross the Canadian - US border? I have only ever flown directly to the USA before and I have had to get an ESTA but they only apply to air or sea landings in the USA, so I don't believe I need one as I am making a land crossing. Is this correct? I believe all I need to do is fill in an I-94 form, which I do when boarding the train in Vancouver, as i can travel under the Visa Waiver Program. On my return journey to Canada I don't think I have any forms to fill in.

Can anyone advise if the above is correct? Has anyone out there experience of crossing the border that can help?

Any info would be greatly appreciated

Many Thanks

I-94(W). Remember to hand this form back when you return to Canada.

Meadows

Not sure how this works on a train but I would assume that immigration may be done as you leave the train (unless they are done prior to boarding in Canada).
You may have to fill in forms if you do these should be available on the train, but UK citizens now use ESTA.

Make sure you use the official ESTA site and not that of some company wanting to charge you to fill in the form (loads of them out there).
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html?_flowExecutionKey=_c59774067-B0C9-11AC-880C-CD62765654E0_kF58CDAF7-02AA-5937-FD96-95148ABCDE26


If in doubt use a contact form on the US immigration site.
https://help.cbp.gov/app/home

janey183

Years ago I worked in the US on a J1 Visa, I then travelled to Canada and needed to get back to NY to catch a plane home.
I didnt realise by leaving the US you are effectivly leaving the country, even if it is only Canada.
I got haulled in by a very scarey customs official at the boarder who grilled me for a few hours, when they discovered I was not actually trying to do anything illegal, they let me go (but I missed my plane!) all in all very scarey....doesnt help you with your question but I thought I would share my "close encounter with the US law"!!!!!

carcuscrae

Meadows wrote: »

Not sure how this works on a train but I would assume that immigration may be done as you leave the train (unless they are done prior to boarding in Canada).
You may have to fill in forms if you do these should be available on the train, but UK citizens now use ESTA.

Make sure you use the official ESTA site and not that of some company wanting to charge you to fill in the form (loads of them out there).
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html?_flowExecutionKey=_c59774067-B0C9-11AC-880C-CD62765654E0_kF58CDAF7-02AA-5937-FD96-95148ABCDE26


If in doubt use a contact form on the US immigration site.
https://help.cbp.gov/app/home

This is on this site https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1094/~/do-i-need-to-apply-for-esta

I am a citizen of a VWP country and am visiting the U.S. from Canada or Mexico?

If you are coming by land, you do not need to have ESTA authorization, however, you should return your green I-94W card upon departure. If you are arriving by air or sea, you do need to apply for ESTA. You should return your green I-94W to the airline representative prior to boarding your flight.

So that kind of answers my question about arriving in the USA by train. Now I just need to know about going back to Canada.

scottishperson2

carcuscrae wrote: »

So that kind of answers my question about arriving in the USA by train. Now I just need to know about going back to Canada.

A passport, and remember to hand back the I-94W

Meadows wrote: »

but UK citizens now use ESTA.

Not for land crossings they don't.

Meadows

carcuscrae wrote: »

This is on this site
I am a citizen of a VWP country and am visiting the U.S. from Canada or Mexico?
If you are coming by land, you do not need to have ESTA authorization.

scottishperson2 wrote: »

Not for land crossings they don't.

Yes we can see that from carcuscrae reply above ↑

gem75

Have just done a very similar trip, travelling by the Victoria Clipper from Vancouver Island to Seattle. We were unsure if we needed an ESTA so got one just in case but as far as I can tell it was not necessary.
We had to go through US immigration on the Canadian side and fill in the I-94W, when we got off the boat in Seattle we just had to pass through US customs who just checked our passports and might of asked a couple of questions. (Note - customs and immigration are two separate things).
I suspect it will be similar on the train and that US immigration will be done at the train station in Vancouver.
We flew home from San Francisco and made sure we handed in the other part of the form stapled to the passport. I went up to the desk at the gate. Luckily having been to the States several times before we knew that we had to hand that in because nobody asked for it nor were will told to hand it in before we left.

newfoundglory

Yeah, you will clear US immigration BEFORE you leave Canada and to do that you will complete the (green) I-94W - you will probably be charged for this (I have driven across the Canada/US border and was charged something like $15 for the I94W)

On the return, you MAY find yourself surrendering the I94W to a Canadian official and not a US one (which happens on the return journey if you drive) - you must remember to do this as its the only way your departure from the US will be recorded with CBP.

dzug1

On the train US immigration is done before boarding in Vancouver - you get and fill in the I94W there. $6 US a head IIRC.

Customs is done at the border - customs officials join the train and carry out their duties on the move while travelling to the next stop. (If they are short staffed they may hold the train at the border until they are done)

dickydonkin

dzug1 wrote: »

On the train US immigration is done before boarding in Vancouver - you get and fill in the I94W there. $6 US a head IIRC.

Customs is done at the border - customs officials join the train and carry out their duties on the move while travelling to the next stop. (If they are short staffed they may hold the train at the border until they are done)

Having just done the train trip from Vancouver to Seattle - it seems the procedures have now changed.

The full picture is that I flew into Vancouver from the UK and my itinerary was to travel to Seattle by Amtrak, fly down to Los Angeles (where I am now) and return to the UK from LAX.

We checked in at Pacific Central station in Vancouver for the trip to Seattle and our passport was processed with a US entry stamp - however, we did not fill in a I94W form - but still had to pay 6 USD PP.

I questioned this with the charmless Customs Officer and he stated we do not have to complete a I94 form. I expressed my concern to him that when we departed the US from LAX - would that not cause problems?? Apparently not - as long as our passports were stamped.

When we reached the Canada/US border, I again asked one of the officials who was checking documentation on the train, if we needed to fill in a I94W form and he confirmed that we do not have to.

I still feel a little uneasy - but we will see when we leave the US next week.