embracetheworld

I'm moving to Toronto next week and have been invited to my cousins wedding in New York a week later. We would like to drive there (cross over from the Niagara border) Do I need a visa? I have a British passport. I've applied for ESTA (visa waiver program) and have been approved. Are there any other steps I should take? Will they have my application number in their records at the border?
Confused...

Thanks!

fledermaus

If you are driving then you don't use ESTA. You stop at the US immigration and complete a visa waiver form, pay $6 US, get fingerprinted and photographed, tell the IO where you are going etc and that's it.

Not sure what you will need to get back into canada as it would be the PR card once you get it, if PR,otherwise if Work permit or whatever will be stapled in your passport. Ask them when you arrive in Canada next week.

embracetheworld

Thank you for the info...
My husband is Canadian.. he moved back to Toronto 6 months ago. He's still in the process of sponsoring me as his spouse so won't have a visa for Canada.

JAJ

So what is your status in Canada right now?

embracetheworld

My husband is submitting my forms for spousal sponsorship sometime this week. I would like to stay with him in Toronto while they process my application. We've chosen the outside of Canada route as it's faster...
I've read online that it's acceptable to live with your spouse in Canada while you wait for your visa.

bobthedog

They may want you to have a Visitor Visa in your passport, but they will issue it at the border. It used to be $75 for that if you got it at point of entry or as an addition, but they may simply allow you entry with a stamp which is valid for 6 months anyway.
If you have a return flight booked out of Canada to the UK then they will stamp you up and let you go.

admissiblebrit

I've never been charged for a vistors visa at the POE for the initial one, never had my passport just stamped either they've always put a visa in there

RodseyUK

On the day of travel to the US, when you get to the border crossing you will be required to visit the US immigration office where they will ask you to fill in a form, question you about where you are going, the purpose of your visit, how long you intend to be in the US for etc. If you satisfy the Interviewing Officer you will then be fingerprinted and have your photograph taken and then be required to pay $6 (in US funds only!!) and you will get an I-94W (Visa Waiver form) stapled in your passport.

On your way back into Canada all you need is your passport with the I-94W stapled in it. Because you are not a PR of Canada you may be questioned about the length of your proposed stay in Canada.

quietgiroth

It is very different from flying into the USA
You don't need the ESTA if you are driving down, it does say that somewhere on the website.

Remember to be very nice to the boarder people.
They'll take your passport away from you when you drive up (probably take everyone in the car's passport), and you'll have to park and go into the office. My Canadian wife found this shocking the first time we went to the USA together.
They will tell you where to go, and give you a bit of paper (sometimes they stick it on your windshield).
When you park 90% of the time someone will come to your car and ask for the paper. Twice I was surrounded buy guys with M-16's, no idea why. Could have just been for training.
Then they'll tell you to go to the office.
If you are lucky you'll only sit and wait for 30-40 mins (you could bring a drink from the car, although I have been yelled at for doing so in the past). I have sat there for 4 hours before...again no idea why.
They will then probably ask you more questions, you'll have to fill out the green form (I-94). There is a charge, so make sure you have your credit card or $6 USD handy.
Do know where you are staying (the address).
It is best to go across with a ticket proving that you are leaving Canada or the USA (even if it is just a fully refundable ticket).
I have had this cause and issue before while I was at University in Canada, and went down to visit my parents.
Remember on the way back into Canada to get them to take the green visa waiver for the USA. They don't always take it, and this can cause issues.

It all depends on the mood of the person at the boarder.

Last time I went down, it was 30mins total. I'm in the same boat as you, in the process of getting a PR visa. Currently on a visitor visa, and had no issues.

They have gotten a lot better since 9/11 (although right after 9/11 was a pain). Now they are more consistent in the way they treat you, and seem to know their jobs better.
Before 9/11 several times I had to tell them they needed to give me the I-94, and stamp my passport. Often they tried to wave me through. Which in one way would have been great, however could have caused all sorts of problems.

Good luck!

Steve_

I wouldn't say it's very different, it's the same really, you have to fill in an I-94W and submit to US-VISIT, but yes there is no ESTA requirement for land entry.

A departure from the US to Canada is not considered "leaving" the US for purposes of the VWP therefore you may get quizzed on your legal status in Canada, because you must have "left" the US before you can re-enter. I was told once point-blank at YYC my entry would be denied if I hadn't had my Canadian LPR card on me, but I've only had that happen once at the airport and I had been in the US recently so that probably had a bearing on it.

The objective is to stop people from "flagpoling" into the US. Frankly I got so sick of the whole supposed convenience of the VWP that I got a B-1/2 visa instead. The most idiotic moment for me was once at Sweet Grass when the CBP inspector asked me where I was staying in the US and I was returning the same day. Major confusion followed, eventually I had to put the address of a supermarket in Great Falls on the I-94W. If you have a visa, it's all automatic, they just swipe it and the inspector asks you the questions on the form via their terminal and they can leave them blank if they have to.

I never have much luck with US-VISIT either because my fingerprints are in AFIS (due to having an FBI-CJIS check done for CIC) and if they get a positive hit they have to wait for approval from HQ, which can take hours sometimes. What fun that was.

Anyway, before I coughed all that up the point I was going to make is that your US entry isn't really the problem, because let's face it if you get denied worst-case scenario you go home, it's getting back into Canada where the issue is because you clearly don't have non-immigrant intent because you have a spousal sponsorship visa in process. CBSA are nowhere near as tough on this as CBP are (if you have an AOS in process in the US and leave, you're basically screwed) but rather than listen to us all waffle on I would strongly advise you to contact CBSA at: 1-800-461-9999 and get it from the horse's mouth.