Crossing the Border at Niagara

Teebco

Hi - Can anyone give me their experiences of crossing the border at Niagara to renew your visa.
I've heard conflicting information about people being asked for Health insurance, proof of funds etc.
I got health insurance last year but flew into Toronto and I wasnt asked for it.
I have full medical at work and an OHIP card so I really dont want to spend more money on insurance if I'm not going to be asked for it.
Thanks.

jjbrien

not much other than what you do for a living do you live in canada how long your going for and what you are going to do in the states

also remeber to bring $6 usd to pay the boarder fee to the US Goverment

Helix

you're not asked for anything from my experience, only your passport and work permit

Helix

jjbrien wrote: »

also remeber to bring $6 usd to pay the boarder fee to the US Goverment

whats the story with that? we've driven across a fair few times and never had to pay anything?

jossul1179

Helix wrote: »

whats the story with that? we've driven across a fair few times and never had to pay anything?

There is a toll on the bridges. Canada collects for a year then America collects the next year. This pays for the bridge maintenance. All the bridges have this toll.

Helix

jossul1179 wrote: »

There is a toll on the bridges. Canada collects for a year then America collects the next year. This pays for the bridge maintenance. All the bridges have this toll.

it's not $6 though, is it? nor would i have classed it as a border fee

jossul1179

Helix wrote: »

it's not $6 though, is it? nor would i have classed it as a border fee

I think its $3

orgaz

Teebco wrote: »

Hi - Can anyone give me their experiences of crossing the border at Niagara to renew your visa.
I've heard conflicting information about people being asked for Health insurance, proof of funds etc.
I got health insurance last year but flew into Toronto and I wasnt asked for it.
I have full medical at work and an OHIP card so I really dont want to spend more money on insurance if I'm not going to be asked for it.
Thanks.

Hi There

I received my 2nd Year visa in March and I activated my visa in Niagra. My previous one had expired so I was on a 'visitor visa'

I got the megabus down to Niagra Falls, went to 'Rainbow Bridge' paid the 50c to cross. (Not $3!)Went to the American side told them I was 'flagpoling' they gave me a piece of paper to hand back to the Canadian side, so I just walked back, went into the Canadian side, gave them the sheet from the US side, told them I was flagpoling, that I have a work permit to activate.

They take your letter of Introduction from the IEC, ask a few questions (didnt even ask for my insurance or proof of funds) although I had them just incase. Was told to take a seat, and within 10mins or less I was called back up to the desk, and my Visa was printed and stapled into my passport. SIMPLES.

The whole process took less than 30mins, and that was even on a Friday evening.

Any questions just drop us a line.

chocolatepan

orgaz wrote: »

Hi There

I received my 2nd Year visa in March and I activated my visa in Niagra. My previous one had expired so I was on a 'visitor visa'

I got the megabus down to Niagra Falls, went to 'Rainbow Bridge' paid the 50c to cross. (Not $3!)Went to the American side told them I was 'flagpoling' they gave me a piece of paper to hand back to the Canadian side, so I just walked back, went into the Canadian side, gave them the sheet from the US side, told them I was flagpoling, that I have a work permit to activate.

They take your letter of Introduction from the IEC, ask a few questions (didnt even ask for my insurance or proof of funds) although I had them just incase. Was told to take a seat, and within 10mins or less I was called back up to the desk, and my Visa was printed and stapled into my passport. SIMPLES.

The whole process took less than 30mins, and that was even on a Friday evening.

Any questions just drop us a line.

Hi Orgaz,

Thanks for that info, really helpful! I just have a question about when you say you were on a 'visitor visa' when your first permit expired. How did you change onto that? did you have to leave and re-enter to fill the gap as a visitor until the new permit came through? Or can you get onto a visitor visa without leaving? I have a friend out there at the moment who will prob have to do same and would like to avoid leaving if possible.

Thanks a mil!

orgaz

Hi chocolatepan

My work visa expired in January, so a few days before it expired, I applied for a visitor visa while I was waiting on my IEC LOI to come through.

I didnt have to leave (which I was concerned about too). It was only about $75 and you can either submit your application online, or you can mail your application. I applied online and within a few weeks they posted me my visitor visa

Here is the link;

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/visitor.asp

hope this helps

jjbrien

$6 is the US govement processing free for ur green form it cant be avoided. If you already have the I-95W in your passport then you dont have to stop and pay. I had to pay it a month ago but some of the bridges are now going paperless so less stopping. I used the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge bridge near Niagara falls. I think the rainbow bridge is now paperless.

orgaz

Or Instead of driving accross just park your car at the rainbow bridge (Ample parking space) and walk accross the bridge on the pedestrian side and its only 50c on the Canadian side to cross.

chocolatepan

orgaz wrote: »

Hi chocolatepan

My work visa expired in January, so a few days before it expired, I applied for a visitor visa while I was waiting on my IEC LOI to come through.

I didnt have to leave (which I was concerned about too). It was only about $75 and you can either submit your application online, or you can mail your application. I applied online and within a few weeks they posted me my visitor visa

Here is the link;

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/visitor.asp

hope this helps

Thats brill, thanks so much!

Helix

jjbrien wrote: »

$6 is the US govement processing free for ur green form it cant be avoided. If you already have the I-95W in your passport then you dont have to stop and pay. I had to pay it a month ago but some of the bridges are now going paperless so less stopping. I used the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge bridge near Niagara falls. I think the rainbow bridge is now paperless.

what's an i-95w?

ive never been asked for anything at all. would it matter that i was passenger in a car driven by a canadian? maybe that's why

jjbrien

Any time somebody enters the states by land or air or sea they fill out the I-94W form http://www.wwgr.de/uploads/pics/I-94wgerman.jpg

Its an arrivial and departure form. Usually on the boarder they fill it in for you and you just sign it. They take your finger prints etc.

Helix

if my passport had an ESTA on it would that be why im never asked?

im genuinely very curious as to why the hell ive never even heard of this form before. is it because im a resident in canada (as those with TWVs are classed for the duration of their stay) travelling with a canadian citizen and the holder of an ESTA for my passport?

that form above, ive always gotten that when i flew into the states, never when we drove. when we drive we pull up to the booth, hand in the passports, answer a few questions and get waved through

ardmacha

The I-95W is a visa waiver, which is now electronic I believe.
This was free if you arrive by air and $6 at the road crossings, if you don't already have one.

If you have a visa, then you do not need a visa waiver.

jjbrien

Helix wrote: »

if my passport had an ESTA on it would that be why im never asked?

im genuinely very curious as to why the hell ive never even heard of this form before. is it because im a resident in canada (as those with TWVs are classed for the duration of their stay) travelling with a canadian citizen and the holder of an ESTA for my passport?

that form above, ive always gotten that when i flew into the states, never when we drove. when we drive we pull up to the booth, hand in the passports, answer a few questions and get waved through

are you a perminate resident. I had to fill one in on the queenstown bridge 4 weeks ago.

Helix

jjbrien wrote: »

are you a perminate resident. I had to fill one in on the queenstown bridge 4 weeks ago.

nope, im not

and ive crossed into the states and back 5 or 6 times now, all via the niagara bridges, and ive never had to fill anything in

jjbrien

Helix wrote: »

nope, im not

and ive crossed into the states and back 5 or 6 times now, all via the niagara bridges, and ive never had to fill anything in

very odd as me and my buddys always have to stop go into the silly building fill out that form and then drive on

Helix

jjbrien wrote: »

very odd as me and my buddys always have to stop go into the silly building fill out that form and then drive on

are you all irish? the only thing i can think of is that my missus is the driver and shes canadian

jjbrien

Helix wrote: »

are you all irish? the only thing i can think of is that my missus is the driver and shes canadian

was me and my amercian gf im irish on the IEC

TSHaslam

I'm currently on a holiday VISA in Toronto and my IEC work VISA has just been approved.

Can I just go down to Niagara, cross into the states for 24 hours, come back with the relevant documents and get my VISA stamped? I know that I need the following documents;

Passport
VISA papers
$2500 in my bank account
Insurance for the year I am in Canada

Can someone please confirm this and let me know if there is anything that I'm missing, thanks