Crazy isn't it, they wouldn't know what to do, and neither would IOriginally Posted by rastraikis
I would love to see the face of the cashier at the supermarket if you tried that!
Thank you for all of the replies. I didn't realize traveller's cheques had become so outdated, so I'll definitely be looking at a debit card or credit card.
As far as I know, Canada is not part of the visa waiver program (which is what limits some countries to 90 days), and Canadians can stay up to 180 days in the USA without a visa (though I believe border guards can limit or prohibit your stay for no reason).
Neither would I, my point of sale system does not have a currency calculator nor a scale.Crazy isn't it, they wouldn't know what to do, and neither would I
HSBC and RBC are both present in the United States. I've heard that you can, if you have an account in Canada, talk to someone at the branch for a way to access your money in US$ with your debit card without many fees at all.
Six Months is the Limit then go back to Canada step on the ground and return for another 6 months if needed. Its the same for US citizen in Canada. I'd also look into Health Insurance (Blue Cross).
"Life's Journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, smoldering and totally worn out, shouting...Holy S*#t...what a ride"
I wish I was Canadian.
Standard - no visa required - entry for Australians is a 3 month limit. I think the same for most western countries.
With application through consul beforehand 6 months can be got fairly easily but not generally given for more than 6 months.
I hope I don't have any great delays....
OzJacko, don't worry if you overstay your visa. You can just join the millions of illegal imm--oh wait, it would be political to finish that comment.
heres how i got my money together.i worked extra work on the weekends two week ends a month so i could pull money without taking away from the normal flow of income from my family obligation.i discovered that in reality im a minimalist and didnt need things in my life cluttering it up so everything i had that i didnt use i sold and put in an account in my name only, dont boo ladies.being a minimalist married to a mini mallist has its challenges.buy gear as you go one piece at a time .buy last years models and used gear to save money.think things through as you buy dont buy something and then decide you know i need a lighter version and spend money twice.when i leave im going to take my truck to where im starting and sell it .get a debit card in america you can get cash as you go and if it is lost you can cancel it without your money being gone too.i wouldnt carry gold or coins for that matter dont like the weight or something digging into my leg when hiking,debit cards take exact amount no change.Become a cronic tight azz.watch every purchace every pennie you spend now pushes you one step back on the trail later.good day hoser and good luck.
Australia is one of the hardest for us to get into also. It's the only country that ever turned me down for a visa.
Said I had to know someone there. I put an address down next time and was then approved.
Yeah, even my wife only gets 6 months at a time in the US.
Don't overstay any visas in America. Just google the Dutch lady who was put in shackles and chains for 3 days because of a slight overstay a few years back.
Don't let your fears stand in the way of your dreams
I'm afraid I must not overstay. Unlike your "illegals" I don't want to stay permanently but I do want to visit again. Overstay and I don't think they let me back in.
Re being "political", I have not seen that any evidence an illegal immigrant cares who is in power and while some parties espouse "stronger" action the real problem is the factors driving illegal immigrants, not the differences in "willingness" to accept them that one political party has over the other.
This is not a specific statement on the USA, but a generic one for every western country who are all suffering this problem. In the US you obviously have a lot more problem than we do as we have no land borders, but our relatively small numbers are cause for just as much political point scoring as you have.
Many of the suggested policies parties not in power suggest they will look at will never be adopted once they are in power because they contravene all sorts of human rights legislation.
My opinion - sorry but I think it's a problem that there is no easy fix for. Long term issue that needs long term answers which is hard too find when we elect governments for short terms. In "The Republic" over two thousand years ago, Plato observed that one of the drawbacks of democracy is that governments get elected on the popularity of their policies not their "rightness". Who am I to argue with that.
As others have said, open a bank account in the US and get a debit card. If that doesn't work, Paypal has a pre-loadable card. Also Citibank offers a number of credit cards that have no foreign transaction fees and no annual fee. American Excess also offers Blue Sky card which also has no annual/foreign transaction fees. These may be good options for you.
Not a good plan - especially for a Canadian to do. All our provinces have mandatory residency requirements or else you can lose your provincial health insurance coverage. BC is 'must be present and accounted for for 6 months and a day of every 12 months', Ontario is a little looser, I have an extra few weeks to play with.
There's a reason all of our snowbirds don't go past their six month mark of staying in the US.
And yes, definitely look at 'out of country' health coverage before you travel to the US. What each provincial health insurance plan pays for hospital/emergency care varies but it won't begin to cover what hospitals/ER's etc charge for services. Ontario pays something like (don't make me look it up again...sigh) $400.00 a day for any bed including ICU, which is peanuts compared to the charge.
Shop around, I found a wide variance in coverage and cost, depending not only on age but where and how long you were going to be out of country.
Yes...also edible in a pinch!
"To make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from." - T.S. Eliot
There are lots of exceptions to the basic rules, just ask any Canadian who has worked overseas or out of province, which I have done, for an extended period (longer than 6 months). You are correct in the 6 month residence rule when it comes to holiday/visiting time periods.
In regards to medical, If an individual has a pre-existing medical condition the Province or Insurance company will not cover the cost of any medical treatments that arise from the condition in the U.S. . As Canadians are very fortunate to have the medical system we have, and we should be thankful for it, but it doesn’t cover everything especially in the U.S. . At 18 years old you may be able to purchase a "Rider" on your parents medical insurance which would be cheaper than an individual policy. Enjoy your hike...
"Life's Journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, smoldering and totally worn out, shouting...Holy S*#t...what a ride"
Just put the gold coins in your dehydrator.
carry two debit cards if one is having trouble you have a back up
At 18 its tough to get a traditional credit card, especially with the world economy now and without a job (ie. generating income). Your best bet is to get a prepaid visa card and take some extra cash out when you make purchases with it at the bigger stores in town. You can also get a prepaid debit card that can be used at ATM's to obtain cash....this combination with a few hundred dollars is probably the best way to go. I think you are limited to a 6 month stay, which is enough to finish the trail..and if you think about it if you did need more time if you hiked northbound (like most thrus) you would be closer to Canada and take a bus to say Niagara Falls or such and it resets your clock when you come back to the US. However, you probably will not need to do it as 6 months is usually more than enough time to finish the trail.
What's the best way for a foreigner to pay for a thru hike?
Clueless- talk to your bank and see if you can get a "cash passport". We got one thru our local bank back home in australia. It is a MasterCard so is accepted (although doesn't always work online) you load x amount of whatever currency you want. You can reload if you need. Protected by pin and is not linked to your normal account - so if it is lost/stolen it has no risk to your account.
Oz Jacko you can stay here for three months then fly to Canada/Mexico etc for a bit then re-enter for another three months. Likewise, you can apply to the US embassy for B1/B2 visa which allows for a six month visit, and multiple visits for 5 years on an oz passport, or 10 years if you hold an NZ passport. Not hard to get, just need to show proof of assets that you need to return to after your visit to the US.
What's the best way for a foreigner to pay for a thru hike?
Ps - don't forget travellers insurance!!!
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote