View Full Version : Canadian Thru-hikers - Do you need a Tourist Visa?
AmyJanette
01-15-2008, 13:22
Hi, I'm a Canadian who is tentatively planning a thru-hike in '08, NOBO, from April 1 (my mom thinks I'm an April Fool...lol) and hopefully ending by October 1. I am hoping to only take the six months to finish, but I'm not in the best of shape, so I may be a little longer than that.
I am wondering if any other Canadian thru-hikers can give me any advice for getting permits/tourist visas or if I need them, and I am wondering if any thru-hikers can give me any other advice that is applicable to Canadian thru-hikers.
Any advice would be appreciated, as I've never been in the States for more than a week! Thanks!
Lone Wolf
01-15-2008, 13:30
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=308000
You will pretty much need a passport to travel across the border any more. I suggest if you don't have one, that you start applying for one now, as it could take a while to get. I don't know of anything else you would actually need permit wise. A Canadian passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel and identification document for the purpose of international travel. It proves your admissibility to enter Canada.
There is a registration you can fill out according to the website L Wolf sent you but it doesn’t appear to be a mandatory thing. The site appears to have all the latest and best information you will find on it.
There is also the idea that you can’t be out of the country for more than six months at a time.
“A maximum admission period of six months is expected to be the norm for Canadian retirees seeking to winter in warmer climates. Those who wish to stay longer may apply for an extension with the nearest office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=1ade96981298d010VgnVCM10000048f3d6a1RCR D&vgnextchannel=48819c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1 RCRD) once they are in the United States, but before their authorized stay expires. They may be asked to demonstrate that they are only remaining temporarily in the U.S.”
Happy Trails!
AmyJanette
01-17-2008, 01:43
Thank you both for your quick replies! I did find another website (someone paid google answers to find out for me...how nice was that?) that answers this question, too, and apparently you not only do not need a visa or anything, but you can stay longer than 6 months without applying for extra time as long as you can satisfy the border guard that you intend to return home to Canada when you are finished being a tourist.
Here is the site, in case anyone else is interested:
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=731462
Again, thanks for your replies! They did help, and I will especially heed your advice, Maple, about getting my passport right away. I already printed out the application!
:)
AmyJanette
Once across the border you can pretty much do as Americans do, go where you want, other then vote and carry handguns.
fiddlehead
01-17-2008, 02:05
Careful of an overstay!
Have you seen this: http://www.sott.net/articles/show/145536-A-young-blonde-Icelandic-woman-s-recent-experience-visiting-the-US
Careful of an overstay!
Have you seen this: http://www.sott.net/articles/show/145536-A-young-blonde-Icelandic-woman-s-recent-experience-visiting-the-US
Unbelievable. :rolleyes:
The Weasel
01-17-2008, 03:43
Hi, I'm a Canadian who is tentatively planning a thru-hike in '08, NOBO, from April 1 (my mom thinks I'm an April Fool...lol) and hopefully ending by October 1. I am hoping to only take the six months to finish, but I'm not in the best of shape, so I may be a little longer than that.
I am wondering if any other Canadian thru-hikers can give me any advice for getting permits/tourist visas or if I need them, and I am wondering if any thru-hikers can give me any other advice that is applicable to Canadian thru-hikers.
Any advice would be appreciated, as I've never been in the States for more than a week! Thanks!
Amy, please see my article "Law for Backpackers 101" in the "approved" articles section. You will probably need a visa due to the length of time it takes to do a thru hike. The article has a number of things applicable to non-citizens.
Best wishes on your hike!
TW
AmyJanette
01-17-2008, 13:12
Just to clarify: I noticed in my first post that I accidentally said I was tentatively planning for '08, but I'm actually planning to hike in '09. How poor of a plan would that be if I was only tentatively planning a 2000 mile hike for three months away? Hopefully by January of '09 I will be fully prepared!
Fiddlehead, that is outrageous! I feel sorry for that poor woman, and I hope her experience is not a common one. I will be careful not to overstay my welcome, though, just in case!
I have visited the US a few times mostly to camp over a weekend with a friend of mine from Minnesota, and I have never had a problem at the border, either going to the US or returning, despite apparently looking a little shifty...lol... The first time I went to the US, I was 19 and by myself and going to Wyalusing State park for a ten day camping tripwent for a ten day camping trip, and I took with me everything you'd expect a first time camper to take - including a hatchet, a Swiss Army knife, and other pointy objects - and I will never forget the look on the guard's face when he asked if I had anything sharp or pointy and I said "I have a hatchet and some knives..." LOL...he asked me to wait in the building, took my keys, and inspected my camping stuff, and then when he returned, he told me to have fun camping. No problems.
Of course, this is a little longer trip. ;) I won't br bringing anything like that with me; not only will it be too heavy to carry for the most part, but I will likely have little use for a hatchet on the AT with my camp stove.
Bob S: I know, but my concern is less of what I'll be doing when I get across the border, and more of getting across the border without being denied entry or having problems the next time I would like to visit. I love traveling the US - it has so many beautiful places to visit! I would hate to be denied entry because I didn't get the proper permits to come there when I have plenty of time to do so before my planned hike.
The Weasel: Thank you so much for that article! It was very interesting...and long...:p I did visit the website you suggested about the aliens entering the USA and their Visa requirements, and through clicking on various links, went to the US Embassy homepage, Border Security homepage, and other useful sites, but they all seem to give conflicitng information. But, I also got an email address for the US Ambassador to Canada, and sent him an email asking for clarification. The basic thing they all said, though, is that for a Canadian citizen, as long as your stay is six months or less, you can enter without a Visa. I'm going to wait for the US Ambassador to reply (or one of his minions...;)) and then decide from there what to do.
Again, thanks for all your replies. You guys (and gals!) are awesome! :sun
fiddlehead
01-17-2008, 22:32
Fiddlehead, that is outrageous! I feel sorry for that poor woman, and I hope her experience is not a common one. I will be careful not to overstay my welcome, though, just in case!
Yeah, overstays can be big problems in some countries anymore.
I once overstayed in Australia and was so worried about it after hearing horror stories (although nothing as bad as that Icelandic woman in my link)
(turned out they didn't even notice although that was before 9/11)
I've heard that if you EVER overstay in India, you will not ever be welcomed back there.
Here in Thailand, it is a $60 fine for an overstay and so far, that seems to be all they care about.
But, as with the Icelandic woman, the rules could change later and they could easily (now that most border crossings in the western world are computerized) look back and see an overstay as a reason to put you on some list you don't want to be on.
Not trying to scare anyone, just trying to make you aware that overstays are not cool in the US of A.
AmyJanette
01-19-2008, 01:45
You know, I have to say that of the few times I've crossed the border in recent years, I've only ever been asked to provide ID once, and that was the first time I went over and because when they didn't ask for it, I was like, "Don't you even want to see my license and birth certificate? I had it all ready..." and they were like, "Sure, I guess..." LOL...
But yeah, the new laws that will have come into effect will sure make travel different! I wish that things hadn't gotten so tough at the borders for Canadians, but I guess that I can handle it if the US will be better protected from terrorists and illegal immigrants entering through Canada.
I think I'd actually prefer a fine for an overstay than to be barred from returning. As long as it wasn't thousands of dollars or my first-born child or something. Maybe we should suggest it to the American government? ;)
I'm thinking that I'll be okay...I've already started my fitness program, and I'm bound and determined to hike the AT in less than six months. So far so good! At New Year's, i couldn't even walk 1.5 km without huffing and puffing and taking a ton of breaks, and I've already got my endurance up to 3 km at a time with no breaks and very little huffing and puffing. So yeah, hopefully if I keep it up and lose my extra weight and start training my hiking muscles, I'll be fit enough to finish well within the six month timeframe. :)
I have had a lot of experience crossing the border. They have tightened things up tremendously since 9-11. It also depends on your crossing point. Places that have high traffic I think can be stricter. This past summer I crossed from Saskatchewan into North Dakota, and we had some good laughs, but I got deathly scared when my brother volunteered that none of us had any prescription drugs but when he inspected my trunk, it was very obvious. I quickly said they were mine, and he was fine with it. I am sure at a different border point, they would have dragged us in and searched us thoroughly. The line of questioning has changed too. I was once reamed out for claiming dual citizenship and not saying with which countries. The customs and immigration people now are mostly young people, not the older, experienced ones you used to meet.
The passports were to go into effect a year ago, but it is my understanding that the law got postponed until this year January. So to the best of my knowledge, passports are your safest bets now for getting back and forth across the border. I have found they ask fewer questions and everything when you present the passport. It really simplified the process for me.
AmyJanette
01-23-2008, 13:42
The last time I crossed teh border was a year ago last October, and it was a small crossing from Ontario to Minnesota. There was no trouble, though on my return the border guard asked me about four times if I'd brought back cigarettes or alcohol, like she didn't believe me when I said no...lol...
But yeah, I got a PM that had a link to the US Embassy, and I called there and they said that a passport would be sufficient for 6 months, and that the tourist visa was unnecessary as long as I had a passport. They also said that the absolute maximum for a trip to the States was 6 months, even if I did get a visa. So, I guess I'm planning for a six month hike! :cool:
Surely, though, I'll be able to finish in that time, especially if I wimp out at the summit of Springer Mountain...:eek:;)
Thanks again, everyone, for your replies!
AmyJanette
01-24-2008, 12:06
Well, it looks like I'll have an extra year to plan my thru-hike and get all the details ironed out. I was informed last night that my clinical placement for a program I'm taking at college will last not to the middle of March as I was led to believe, but to the end of April. So I would have to start sometime in May, and I don't think that would be enough time for me to thru-hike and appreciate the trail as I'd like to.
So, I am now planning for 2010, and I am extremely disappointed. When I found out, I was in tears, cause I was so looking forward to an '09 hike. :( I guess I have to look on the bright side, though - it'll give me an extra year to make some money and get in hiking form, and also to field test some of my hiking gear.
I've also decided to section hike the Bruce Trail (500 miles long, from Niagara Falls to Tobermory, Ontario) while I'm waiting for 2010 to roll around, since its kind of in my backyward (well, I live within a three hour drive of most of it, anyway).
So, if anyone has hiked the Bruce, you can meet me in the Bruce Trail thread in the "Other Trails" forum for some pointers...;)
Just go to Mexico and cross our Southern boundary; No restrictions..... stay a lifetime....
I hate air travel. People that work in and around airports are whacked to start with. When you combine that with some of the folks they allow to work in security its a bad mix. I don't know what's going on with all these crazy stories about airport security. Do they deliberately want some of this stuff to get around so that none of us will want to travel anywhere. It makes no sense. Making sure that you follow all the rules isn't enough when faced with such stupidity. I have a lot of patience for security, but not idiots. If people need to be supervised like some folks do they shouldn't wear a uniform.
I've never had a problem crossing into Maine. Very thorough, but very professional.
I've had some serious frustrations at Toronto Airport once, but that was on our side.
I gotta say, the crazier things get the less likely I am to visit the United States.
If I was American I would feel the same way about visiting Canada.
It wasn't that long ago you could stop at the White House just to ask for directions.
If international travel does get even crazier than it already is because of security concerns, legitmate and insane, we are very fortunate to have such big countries. Let us hope travel never becomes too difficult within our countries, but imagine what it must be like for someone born and living in a place like Bermuda. I recall reading about some Pacific Island that was completely raped of some natural resource, and then given full independance, from some country can't recall which. So now the folks are free but can go nowhere so they are basically no better off than prisoners on a penal colony.