Hi there,

Quick question, I am over here on a twp via the SINP nomination, but I plan on going over to Minot North Dakota to take a flight to Las Vegas. What documents will I need to carry with me?

I was planning to cross Via North Portal.

I was planning on taking the following.

Passport with Temp Work Permit attached.
Copy of my SINP Nomination Letter
Saskatchewan Driving Licence
Auto Insuance

I believe I will have to pay a fee to cross and obtain a temp visitor visa for America, I just wondered what other documents you think I should carry?

Thanks

$6 US.

Passport, proof you live in Canada (the TWP will do that), proof of non-immigrant intent but I would have thought CBP will be convinced by the TWP on that score.

If you're doing it to take a flight, I'd leave plenty of time in case the US-VISIT system starts playing up, they can be pretty slow at land borders.

Ah yes I have that ready.

Another question, the vehicle does not belong to me, its a company vehicle, is that going to be a problem?

No.

Thanks for the info guys, much appreciated.

Doubtful, I have had CBSA on the way back though quiz me about my car, "And what is the licence plate number of the car you're currently driving?"

It's to stop people smuggling stolen cars over the border.

Jeez, I'm not sure I could remember that on a single car I've ever driven. Is the answer "hold on whilst I go look" allowed!!

And not that anyone has suggested you do, but you do not need to complete ESTA to cross into the US by land and take a US domestic flight. Also I'd suggest having the $6US in bills/notes since when I crossed they didn't like it that I had coins - although I'm pretty sure Visa/Mastercard would work too.

You don't need to do ESTA but apparently it can speed things up based on the comments I've read on here, not entirely clear on why, I assume they can then match what you've put on the I-94W with what is in ESTA.

Frankly you don't need to do ESTA to enter the US by air, they just make you fill in an I-94W, but the airline is not supposed to let you board if you don't. One of my sisters was coming back from the Caribbean and her ESTA had expired but the airline let her board (I assume because usually the plane is full of Americans). So they sent her to secondary inspection and she had to fill in an I-94W.

If you're not Canadian and you enter the US a lot, it's simpler just to get a B-1/2 visa imo, they swipe the visa at the POE and it automatically generates the I-94, they just print it off and staple it in your passport. You never have to worry about ESTA or I-94s again. Apparently in Europe and elsewhere the embassies are stingy about letting people who qualify for the VWP get visas, but I got one here.

Thanks for the infomation and yes Ill have the money in Bills ready. Also as I meant to be playing golf over the border a week or so before I am meant to be flying from Minot, would me already having the Visa speed the process up, as I believe the visa is valid for 3months?

Yes, definately.

We cross to shop in Minot or Bottineau from MB fortnightly on average. It can take 40 minutes or so to get the I-94. When you have it the longest it has taken us to cross is 2 minutes.

We are in San Francisco at the moment having flown from Minot. Nice little airport but it can be a bugger to get parked. Parking is $35 for the week.

Enjoy

The border guards at North Portal are hit and miss, if you get a shitty one you could be there some time.

We crossed on our TWP in our passport many times without any issues.

With regard to the ESTA when my mother died two years ago I did not have time to fill out the ESTA, I flew from Regina to Minneapolis then going on to Cardiff via Amsterdam. They asked me for my ESTA I explained the death and they advised me to completed on when I got home. few weeks later returning home to Canada with all the family in tow and I gets questioned in Minneapolis about my ESTA - explained with the guy had told me and that I had a busy few weeks but would definitely complete one only when I got home. I was told that the UK was my home because that was were my passport was issued and promptly marched into immigration to be give a formal written warning about non compliance. They only left me off without a fine because of the bereavement. But I was told in no uncertain terms that they could put me on a plane to the UK despite my permanent residence in Canada.

I don't want to be a naysayer but just be aware that these things can happen.

Have a wonderful time in Vegas. and welcome to Saskatchewan