US Waiver for Canadians

The government is preparing to introduce legislation that will extend preclearance locations to land border crossings. Already in place at eight airports, air preclearance is currently being introduced at Quebec City (YQB) and downtown Toronto (YTZ). The new rules will also govern the rights and responsibilities for US customs agents working on Canadian soil. Continue reading:  Liberals set to introduce bill on the Canada-U.S. border

Here's an updated list of preclearance locations across Canada. Calgary Preclearance Calgary International Airport P.O. Box 155 2000 Airport Road, Northeast Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2E 6W5 Port Director Phone: (403) 221-1634 Edmonton Preclearance Edmonton International Airport 2345, 1000 Airport Rd Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T9E0V3 Port Director Phone: (780) 890-4515 Halifax Preclearance Halifax Robert L. Stanfield International Airport Level 2 1 Bell Boulevard Enfield, Nova Scotia, Canada B2T 1K2 Port Director Phone: (902) 873-7780 Montreal Preclearance Montreal Trudeau International Airport 975 Romeo Vachon Boulevard, North Room TT 2.400 Dorval, Quebec, Canada H4Y 1H1 Port Director Phone: (514) 636-3875 Ottawa Preclearance Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier International Airport 1000 Airport Road, Private Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1V 9B4 Port Director Phone: (613) 523-8120 Toronto Preclearance Lester B. Pearson International Airport P.O. Box 11...

get Widget! 2006 saw a resurgence in the number of I-94 admissions to the US at almost 34 million - a level not seen since 2000. There was an obvious dip after 2000 associated to the economy and 9/11. Some say that 2007 is poised to break the records with an increase of I-94 admissions by CBP because of tighter scrutiny and a more streamlined process. Certainly the scrutiny is much tighter than ever before but I would question that the process has been streamlined very much (if at all). Welcome to the bureaucracy of secondary screening: you'll sit idle in a room for on average 60 minutes with other I-194 waiver holders; immigration seekers; refugee claimants; and the odd other visa applicant. Sometimes you'll sit until radically close to your departure time. Other times you'll actually miss your flight. For what? For a CBP officer to take a 30 second secondary look at your waiver. A stamp. Sometimes a smile and you're free to go. I recognize that travel to the US is no...

This afternoon I entered the US for the first time in over a year. The border process was quite simple. The airport where I fly out of has US Customs pre-screening. I approached the Officer handed her my passport, declaration and explained that I have a waiver to travel. She reviewed the waiver and asked me to complete a another form (I-94). Turns out that you will need to complete the I-94 every time you enter the US. It is an arrival and departure record. The Officer will give you an end date (when you need to be out of the US). When returning to Canada there is a section of the form that you will drop off with Canada Customs. You can read about it here . After completing the form, she processed me and sent me on to my gate. Strangely, she never asked me what my intentions were to be on this visit (I was heading down to visit a friend).