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Canada: Where is the closest US border to Calgary?

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  • 10-05-2012 7:58pm
    #1
    WeeSpecialKay
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭


    I was wondering if anyone can tell me what the closest US border is to Calgary and what would be the best way of getting there?

    My working holiday visa may arrive after my arrival in to Canada so I will need to head to the nearest flagpole to have it activated.

    Any advice would be great


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    #2
    dave2pvd
    Registered Users Posts: 1,511 ✭✭✭dave2pvd


    Google Maps?


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    #3
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    Thats quite a drive. I've been on the US side around there and its seriously remote. The "best" (and probably only) way of getting there would be to drive.

    But I'm a little confused...

    You need to find a canadian border post so that they can activate your canadian work visa?

    There has to be a canadian immigration office at the airport in calgary?

    http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=49.009952,-113.109741&spn=0.781879,1.39389&t=m&z=10&layer=c&cbll=49.009828,-113.372282&panoid=gctm6rgXYfWo_3kf8hirjg&cbp=12,224.68,,0,-2.64


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    #4
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    If you do end up driving down to the US border, you'll be at the foot of the mountains so you'd be mad not to go across and visit Glacier National Park. Its absolutely stunning.

    http://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm

    or there's the Waterton lakes national park on the Canadian side of the border:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterton_Lakes_National_Park

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXKPCYzZXIs


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    #5
    Lola Bee
    Registered Users Posts: 36 ✭Lola Bee


    I've looked into these options and the best and cheapest option is to drive south to the Montana border. It's about a 7 hour drive via Lethbridge.
    Here's a link to google maps:
    http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
    There is no bus service to Montana from Calgary. The only way you can get a bus from Calgary to the US is to travel across the Rockies to Vancouver (approx 15 hours each way) and then get a bus south to Washington state.
    You could also look for a cheap flight from Calgary to a city in the US, get a nice weekend break and pick up your work permit on your return to Calgary.
    Good luck with it.


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    #6
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    Lola Bee wrote: »
    I've looked into these options and the best and cheapest option is to drive south to the Montana border.

    Why cant it be done at the Airport in Calgary?

    :confused:


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    #7
    Lola Bee
    Registered Users Posts: 36 ✭Lola Bee


    I don't know the exact rules but I know you must technically exit and re enter the country to get the work permit. As he did not have the paperwork in order when he arrived in Calgary and went through immigration he must exit the country and cross the border again.
    It's noit like you can go to the Immigration office at Calgary airport and knock on the door to get the work permit.


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    #8
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    Lola Bee wrote: »
    It's noit like you can go to the Immigration office at Calgary airport and knock on the door to get the work permit.

    Oh man. Thats crazy isnt it? That kind of bureaucratic stupidity is frustrating. They require you to leave and return so they can do something they could do just as easily if you did just show up and knock on their door.

    Technically a cheap flight to the us (Calgary to Billings, montana?) would probably be the easiest. Although you're probably right that the cheapest is to rent a car for two days and zip down to the border.


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    #9
    Gandhi
    Registered Users Posts: 976 ✭✭✭Gandhi


    Same thing happens (or at least used to) on the US side. I have numerous friends who were on student visas here in Philly that were later converted to temporary work visas. To renew them they would have to drive to Niagara Falls, get a few hundred feet across the border, make a U-turn and get their paperwork processed at US Immigration there.

    This was back in the mid-90s so I don't know if anything has changed since 9/11 etc.


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    #10
    ondadole
    Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭ondadole


    ever heard of a map??:)


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    #11
    Helix
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,661 ✭✭✭✭Helix


    InTheTrees wrote: »
    Why cant it be done at the Airport in Calgary?

    :confused:
    because you can't just walk into an airport and do it, you have to be entering the country


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    #12
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    Helix wrote: »
    because you can't just walk into an airport and do it, you have to be entering the country

    Er... yes, I get that.

    My question is why. There's an office full of Canadian Immigration Officers with all the bureaucratic power of the government of canada at their disposal right there at the airport.


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    #13
    Helix
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,661 ✭✭✭✭Helix


    InTheTrees wrote: »
    Er... yes, I get that.

    My question is why. There's an office full of Canadian Immigration Officers with all the bureaucratic power of the government of canada at their disposal right there at the airport.

    because you can only immigrate into a country by entering it from outside


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    #14
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    Helix wrote: »
    because you can only immigrate into a country by entering it from outside

    *sigh*

    Who's immigrating? They're already here. Its just activating a work permit. A stamp on a visa.

    (You work for the CIC dont you?)

    :p


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    #15
    Helix
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,661 ✭✭✭✭Helix


    InTheTrees wrote: »
    *sigh*

    Who's immigrating? They're already here. Its just activating a work permit. A stamp on a visa.

    (You work for the CIC dont you?)

    :p

    its immigration


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    #16
    WeeSpecialKay
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭WeeSpecialKay


    ondadole wrote: »
    ever heard of a map??:)

    Why bother posting on this forum unless you intend to be even a little helpful?

    Yes I know how to read a map you twat but I thought perhaps others had been in the same situation and could advise which border was the most accessible by road.

    Now go and find something better to do with your time.


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    #17
    Lola Bee
    Registered Users Posts: 36 ✭Lola Bee


    Hi, did u ever get your answer on where to cross the US border from Calgary? We're planning on doing it this weekend. Any info you have would be great.

    I have my work permit but my boyfriend has to get his. He got his letter of introduction last week.


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    #18
    Lola Bee
    Registered Users Posts: 36 ✭Lola Bee


    btw u cannot rent a car to cross the border as u cannot take a rented car into the US. No busses from Calgary either. Only other option is a cheap flight and flights are not cheap from here - not on our budget anyway.


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    #19
    jjbrien
    Registered Users Posts: 2,678 ✭✭✭jjbrien


    Lola Bee wrote: »
    btw u cannot rent a car to cross the border as u cannot take a rented car into the US. No busses from Calgary either. Only other option is a cheap flight and flights are not cheap from here - not on our budget anyway.

    thats unture it depends on the car company thrifty alamo etc allow you take a rented car into the states so long as you are returing it to canada


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    #20
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    How would they ever know? I've been back and forth over the US/canadian border, admittedly in my own car, but if you just drive over the border, turn around and come back, how would the car rental company ever know?

    Just dont have an accident!

    :o


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    #21
    ibh
    Registered Users Posts: 1,722 ✭✭✭ibh


    I think the Coutts crossing is the best to hit from Calgary for visa renewal.

    It's about 3 hrs away and you get there via Lethbridge. Took me about an hour between the 2 sides of the border to get my visa sorted.


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    #22
    Lola Bee
    Registered Users Posts: 36 ✭Lola Bee


    I did this crossing yesterday and it was a real adventure (almost a disaster!). We went to Carway and they wouldn't give my boyfriend his work permit cause he didn't have health insurance. Even though he has AB Health through me, they wouldn't accept it. Aparently those of us on IEC are no longer entitled to Alberta Health, even though I got my card just 2 weeks ago. Total d!cks there, I say AVOID Carway. We decided to take a chance and go to Coutts and we got through no problems. Coutts is a major border crossing while Carway is small and comparatively quiet but the immigration officials there do everything by the book. We had a very pleasant experience at Coutts.
    Good luck!


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