This is a Text Only version of a webpage on the U.S. Consulate Quebec, Canada Website. Please Visit http://quebec.usconsulate.gov/content/index.asp for a full version.

The U.S. Consulate in Quebec - Canadian Citizens

Canadian Citizens

Travel Documents
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative WHTI
Travellers with Criminal Records
Visa Exemptions: Canadian Citizens
NAFTA
See also Border Help

Travel Documents

Canadian citizens do not usually require a visa to apply for admission to the USA. However, each Canadian traveler, regardless of age, must have appropriate travel documents.

Beginning Tuesday, January 23rd 2007, all travelers entering or transiting the United States by air must have a valid passport. This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect United States and Canadian citizens. U.S. and Canadian citizens will not be required to present a valid passport if they have a valid Air NEUS card and are departing from an airport with a NEXUS kiosk.

The passport requirement will go into effect for all travelers entering the USA by land or sea after January 2008. If you are a Canadian traveling to the USA by land or sea, you are not yet required to have a passport, but a passport is the best travel document. If you wish to travel to the U.S. without a passport, you must be able to demonstrate your citizenship and your identity. Citizenship documents would be an original Canadian birth certificate or your Citizenship Card. Photo Identification would be a Drivers License or a Health Card.

Children under age 18 who are not traveling with both parents should have a signed and preferably notarized statement written in English from the non-traveling parent(s) indicating that the child is permitted to leave Canada. A useful discussion of travel documents for minors and a sample letter can be found on the Canadian government website Information and Assistance for Canadians Abroad.

Canadian citizens are required to present a valid passport when entering the United States from outside of the Western Hemisphere.

Visitors may also be asked to show commitments in Canada, such as proof of employment or proof of residence. Business travelers should be prepared to explain and document the nature of their business activities in the United States. In addition, applicants for entry into the US must have evidence that they have sufficient funds to support themselves during their stay in the U.S. and that they intend to return to Canada at the end of such stay. Determination of eligibility to be admitted into the U.S. is made by the Department of Homeland Security inspectors at the port of entry.

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

Travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada must have a current passport, or other secure, accepted document to enter, re-enter, or transit the United States by air. This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect United States and Canadian citizens. These new requirements will go into effect for individuals traveling to the U.S. by land, sea, or ferry as early as January 1, 2008.

Travellers with Criminal Records

Under U.S. Immigration law, individuals with a criminal record may be found ineligible to enter the U.S.

If your criminal record consists solely of a single drunk driving offense which resulted in no bodily injury, you do not need a special permission (called a "waiver") to enter the U.S. But you should be prepared to show the border inspectors a copy of the court judgment, with an English translation of that judgment.

For other offenses, you can be refused entry, regardless of the type of crime, and regardless of when the offense was committed. A Canadian pardon is not taken into consideration. If this is your situation, you need to contact the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to see if you can be admitted to the U.S., or whether you will need a "waiver."

Obtain a copy of the court judgment on which is indicated the criminal code and the offense committed. Get an English translation. Bring these documents with you to present to the DHS inspector when you apply for entry to the U.S. You may be able to get an advance opinion by taking your documents to one of the border posts, or by contacting the U.S. Immigration Information Office at Trudeau (Dorval) Airport in Montreal. That office is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, tel: 514-631-2097. You should anticipate that immigration officials will use English only. Should it be determined that you need a waiver, the Dorval office has recorded information on the required documents, tel: 514-631-2097.

Visa Exemptions: Canadian Citizens

Canadian citizens do not require visas to enter the U.S., except when coming as immigrants (permanent residents), or in the following non-immigrant categories: Diplomatic ("A" and "G" visas), Treaty Trader/ Treaty Investor ("E" visas), Fiancé(e) of U.S. citizens ("K1/K2" visas), or spouse of a U.S. citizen (K3/K4 visas).

Canadian citizens do not require visas to study in the United States. If you plan to study, you should go directly to the border or the airport with proof of Canadian citizenship, the I-20 form issued by the school which has accepted you for admission (or Form DS-2019 in the case of a person going as an exchange visitor), and evidence of means of support. The educational institution in the U.S. should be able to answer all questions related to entering the U.S. For further details, please contact the International Student Office of the school you wish to attend. As with all non-immigrant visitors to the United States, foreign students must be able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector at the time of entry that their stay in the United States is not permanent in nature, and that they intend to return to a residence outside of the United States upon completion of their education.

Canadian citizens who have been approved for temporary employment in the H, L, O, P, Q, or R nonimmigrant categories, should proceed to Customs and Border Protection at a port of entry with a Notice of Approval Form I-797.

For more information on visa requirements for Canadians or to make an appointment for a non-immigrant visa interview (if a visa is needed), dial 1.900.451.2778 from Canada or 1.900.443.3131 from the United States (both numbers charge a fee).

Note: Many office phones and all pay phones and cell phones are set to block calls to 900 numbers. To charge fees to your credit card, please call 1.888.840.0032 from Canada or the U.S.

It is also possible to make an appointment online by visiting the Visa Appointment Reservation System website. A fee will be charged to your credit card for use of this system.

NAFTA

Canadians who wish to work in the U.S. under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) should call the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at either the Champlain, NY, port of entry (518.298.3221) or at Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau Airport (514.631.2097). More information is also available from the Department of State.