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Travel to Canada


 

 

Please be advised that the information below is subject to change by the Canadian Government.  It is always best to contact the Canadian Consulate in New York for the latest in travel information.

F-1 students who wish to travel to Canada require a Canadian visitors visa unless they are citizens of countries exempt from Canadian nonimmigrant visa requirements (see below). The Canadian government advises that, at least three weeks in advance of a planned trip to Canada, students submit to the appropriate Canadian consular office a completed Visitor Visa Application form (form IMM 5257), valid passport, I-94 form, two passport-size photographs, proof of adequate funds for the intended stay in Canada, a current I-20 AB form (with a current travel signature from the International Center), and any old I-20 AB(s)  These documents may be sent by certified mail, along with a return envelope with postage paid for certified mail, to a Canadian consulate in the U.S. At the discretion of the student, these documents may be taken directly to a Canadian consulate to initiate the visa request.  Only consulates in Buffalo, New York City and Washington issue visas in our area.

The Canadian government currently charges a processing fee of $75 for an individual "single entry" tourist visa, $150.00 for an individual "multiple entry" visa, and $400 for a "family" visa. Citizens of countries who are not required to obtain a tourist visa to enter Canada are exempt from this processing fee. For citizens of some countries, an interview may be required before a Canadian tourist visa will be issued. Students wishing to visit Canada should telephone the Canadian consulate to ascertain whether or not an interview will be required and the days and hours of the consulate's operation. Students attending the University of Hartford are asked to contact the Canadian consulate in New York City for information or visa requests

Students holding an expired F-1 visa may enter Canada. A new visa is not required so long as the stay in Canada is less than 30 days. However, students must have a valid passport and meet all other requirements for their entry to Canada and their return to the U.S.

All students planning to visit Canada, or any other area outside the U.S., are required to present their immigration documents (I-20 AB form and passport) to the International Center for an authorization signature. Failure to obtain the appropriate signature on the I-20 form may result in the denial of a student's re-entry into the U.S. to continue studies.

Questions regarding travel plans outside the United States should be referred to the International Center. Students requiring authorization for travel should make those arrangements one to two weeks prior to their departure from the U.S.

Where to obtain a visa to enter Canada

Citizens of certain countries (see  listing below) need to obtain a visitor's visa to go to Canada.  Please note that the Canadian Consulate in Boston does not issue visas for visitors and you must secure a visa in either New York City or Buffalo, NY..  You may also visit the Canadian consulate web sites listed below for specific information regarding Canadian tourist visa requirements.  Applications should be made directly to the Canadian Consulate General at one of the following address:

Canadian Consulate General
Immigration Section, 22nd Floor
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020-1175
(212) 596-1783   phone
(212) 596-1725   fax
http://www.canada-ny.org/

Canadian Consulate General
Immigration Section
3000 HSBC Center
Buffalo, NY  14203-2884
(800) 992-7037  phone
(716) 858-9591  fax
http://www.canadianconsulatebuf.org/

The Canadian Consulate in New York City

Office Type: Satellite Office
Service Lines: Immigrants: No
Visitors: Yes
Workers: Yes
Students: Yes
Immigrant
Processing
Mission:
see Buffalo
Responsible
for visitor
applications
from:
Bermuda, St. Pierre et Miquelon, United States
Office Location: Consulate General of Canada
Immigration Section
1251 Avenue of the Americas
Concourse Level
New York

Click here for map

Mailing Address: Consulate General of Canada
Immigration Section
1251 Avenue of the Americas
Concourse Level
New York, New York
10020-1175, USA
Internet Site: http://www.newyork.gc.ca
Telephone/
Facsimile
Numbers:
Mission Tel.: (212) 596-1628
Immigration Tel.: (212) 596-1783
Mission Fax: (212) 596-1790
Immigration Fax:
(212) 596-1791 or (212) 596-1725
Office Hours: Monday: 08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday: 08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday: 08:00 - 17:00
Thursday: 08:00 - 17:00
Friday: 08:00 - 17:00

Comments: Open to public Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 10:00 for submission for temporary resident visa. Open to public Monday to Thursday from 13:30 to 15:00 for submission for work permit, study permit, temporary resident or facilitation travel document. Immigrant interviews by appointment.

Countries and territories whose citizens require visas in order to enter Canada as visitors


Citizens of the following countries and territories require a Visa to VISIT or TRANSIT Canada:

A
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Argentina
Armenia
Azerbaijan

B
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia-Hercegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burkina-Faso
Burundi

C
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China, People's Republic
Colombia
Comoros
Congo (The), Democratic Republic of
Congo (The), People's Republic of
Croatia
Cuba
Czech Republic

D
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic

E
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia

F
Fiji

G
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana

H
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary

I
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel (only Israeli citizens holding valid Israeli orange "Travel Document in Lieu of National Passport")
Ivory Coast

J
Jamaica
Jordan

K
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea, North
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan

L
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Lithuania

 

M
Macau S.A.R.
Macedonia (former Yugoslav Republic)
Malagasy Republic
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Micronesia, Federated States
Moldova
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)

N
Nauru
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria

O
Oman

P
Pakistan
Palau, Republic of
Palestinian Authority
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland

Q
Qatar

R
Romania
Russia
Rwanda

S
Sao Tome e Principe
Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of
Senegal
Seychelles, The
Sierra Leone
Slovak Republic
Somalia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Surinam
Syria

T
Tadjikistan
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu

U
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Uruguay
Uzbekistan

V
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam

Y
Yemen
Yugoslavia

Z
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Visitor Visa Exemptions

Many people do not require a visa to visit Canada. These include:
  • citizens of Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (National Passport holders only), Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Republic of Korea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, United States, and Western Samoa;
  • persons lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence who are in possession of their alien registration card (Green card) or can provide other evidence of permanent residence.
  • British citizens and British Overseas Citizens who are re-admissible to the United Kingdom;
  • Citizens of British dependent territories who derive their citizenship through birth, descent, registration or naturalization in one of the British dependent territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena or the Turks and Caicos Islands;
  • Persons holding a valid and subsisting Special Administrative Region passport issued by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
  • Persons holding passports or travel documents issued by the Holy See.
     

This site has been updated on 12/5/2005







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