smeg

My parents are coming over to visit in a few days, and this time they plan on renting a car, driving from Boston to Niagra, then up to Toronto, then back down to Boston over a week.

It never occured to me they would have border issues, but they called in a panick today, apparantly they are being told (by the guys in the pub ... you know the sort) they will need a visa to come back into the States.

I'm fairly certain that with a valid UK Passport, and their Visa Waiver papers, they will be fine, maybe they need to redo the visa waiver?

Has anyone already done this?

Big D

They dont need a visa - they will probably have to redo the VWP forms but no problem, and as long as you tell the car rental place you are going over they will have no problem either.

smeg

Thats what I figured. Thanks for the confirmation!

Jerseygirl

My sister came over a couple of months ago and we took her to see our daughter in Toronto, via Niagara. Going into Canada most times the immigration officer does not even look at the passports. Coming back into the US, immigration asked to see her visa waiver as well as the passport. The visa was not stapled into her passport, but luckily she had it with her.

Jerseygirl

My sister did not have to renew her visa when crossing back into the US from Canada, the visa given to her at Newark airport sufficed. Might be a good idea for them to carry their return air tickets home, so that they can show intent to leave the US.

Manc

make sure the rental car will be insured in Canada.

rew1000

I've haven't, but it's no problem.

From the US Customs web site http://tinyurl.com/oyla6

If you are from a visa waiver country, and you are coming for tourism or business (but not for employment or as a working member of the media) you may be in the U.S. (including Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) for up to 90 days. If you wish to visit the U.S. for a longer period of time, you will need to obtain a visa. If visiting the U.S. under the visa waiver program you may not apply for an extension of stay. While in the U.S., you may go to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean and re-enter the U.S. using the I-94W you were issued when you first arrived in the U.S., although the time you spend there is included in the 90 days allotted for your visit.

Bob

They won't even need to redo that if the stay away from the US isn't longer than the max stay allowed in the VWP.

Only problems might be if the passports aren't valid for six months past lenght of stay, or if folks have any naughty criminal history back in the day

smeg

Nothing they've told me about, and that would be quite an amusing way to discover this!

Thanks for the information everyone! They will tell Enterprise the car is going to Canada, and carry passports, tickets and VWP docs with them.

Jerseygirl

Hope they enjoy their trip.

celine_uk

Just make sure they keep their visa waiver when entering canada and they can use the same one to enter the US on there way back from canada

aznewsh

What are VWP documents?

I have visited here before I got my green card and don't recall any documents.

My Dad and sister have visited in the past and just used their British passport to qualify for the VWP

The reason I ask is my Dad is coming in a few weeks and I want him to have as smooth a passage as possible.

Are we referring to the thing you fill out on the plane or something that is issued at customs?

Jerseygirl

Its the form they give you on the plane along with the customs form. When going through US immigration, part of the VWP is stapled inside your UK passport and removed when you leave the US. When crossing into Canada by road you do not stop at the US side so the VWP is not removed.

Elvira

I think it's called an I-94...

Very important document. Never lose it whilst in the US, ALWAYS hand it in when leaving... (except when going to Canada for less than 30 days, I believe).

TouristTrap

Usual one is white, but the Visa Waiver is green if I am not mistaken.