Entered Canada today with study permit approved after March 18

[Matt173]

You may want to weigh the cost of your trip vs the chances. Essential travel should not be hard to qualify for anymore as now large time zone differences are included as criterion to qualify as essential traveler. So it comes down to the March 18 deadline, I assume that this applies to you. In this case I would still try it if I was in your position and fly from the US to Toronto. If you get rejected you could still stay at an airbnb in the US for a while and take courses at least in the same time zone. Cost wise an airbnb should be similar to you renting an apartment at your final destination in Canada. Please take note that getting rejected due to not fulfilling the covid travel ban conditions is not the same as a visa rejection hence it does not hurt any of your future visa aspirations...

For me the 15 hour time zone difference was unbearable and really messed up my family life back in HK. But your personal situation may differ. In the end it's all about evaluating probabilities as nobody knows for sure. Good luck, mate.

I got your point. Hmm.. maybe I have to wait until Oct, see any updates for international students, but obviously Im not really hopeful. Just because the route of landing ON is more complicated than BC like you said. Anyway, truly thanks to your humble opinion!!!

 

[Bbngeorge]

You may want to weigh the cost of your trip vs the chances. Essential travel should not be hard to qualify for anymore as now large time zone differences are included as criterion to qualify as essential traveler. So it comes down to the March 18 deadline, I assume that this applies to you. In this case I would still try it if I was in your position and fly from the US to Toronto. If you get rejected you could still stay at an airbnb in the US for a while and take courses at least in the same time zone. Cost wise an airbnb should be similar to you renting an apartment at your final destination in Canada. Please take note that getting rejected due to not fulfilling the covid travel ban conditions is not the same as a visa rejection hence it does not hurt any of your future visa aspirations...

For me the 15 hour time zone difference was unbearable and really messed up my family life back in HK. But your personal situation may differ. In the end it's all about evaluating probabilities as nobody knows for sure. Good luck, mate.

Hey Matt.. congrats...
I have a doubt...Can u help me out please.
I just applied on Feb 4.
Done biometrics on Feb 12.
Got my passport request on May 19.
Iam from India and all canada vac are closed. So still not yet stamped.
What if I make a move like u. What about my stamp in passport. Will the border officer do it If I show my passport request letter.

 

[Matt173]

This, I think, only applies to non-Americans who already got their study permit approved or Americans who can apply for a study permit at the point of entry. Also I think the US does not currently let anyone from India into the country. So, unless this ban is lifted and you get a visa issued to enter the US I do not see how your case relates to this thread.

Hey Matt.. congrats...
I have a doubt...Can u help me out please.
I just applied on Feb 4.
Done biometrics on Feb 12.
Got my passport request on May 19.
Iam from India and all canada vac are closed. So still not yet stamped.
What if I make a move like u. What about my stamp in passport. Will the border officer do it If I show my passport request letter.

 

[Bbngeorge]

This, I think, only applies to non-Americans who already got their study permit approved or Americans who can apply for a study permit at the point of entry. Also I think the US does not currently let anyone from India into the country. So, unless this ban is lifted and you get a visa issued to enter the US I do not see how your case relates to this thread.

Thanks for the reply mate. I think we r not banned by US.. correct me if iam wrong. We got evacuation flights to and fro... So many are still going to US..

 

[Matt173]

You are right, I just checked. India is not on the list of banned countries. Surprising, given the infection rates in India...But you still need a visa and I dont think the US processes any single visa at the moment.

Thanks for the reply mate. I think we r not banned by US.. correct me if iam wrong. We got evacuation flights to and fro... So many are still going to US..

 

[adz007]

Hey bro.. that's a great news. May I which college and province are you in? And what did you do with the car that was rented from USA?

 

[Matt173]

rtff!!!

Hey bro.. that's a great news. May I which college and province are you in? And what did you do with the car that was rented from USA?

 

[canuck78]

No way to tell imho, though I guess from comments on this forum it sounds to me like border agents in Toronto ask a lot more specific questions. Keep in mind that different political leanings in different provinces have an impact on how border agents evaluate incoming travellers.

What I mean is that more conservative provinces like Alberta are generally weigh economic benefits higher than the health risk of covid while provinces like Ontario weigh health considerations higher. BC lies somewhere in the middle imho.

More about the much higher levels of covid being brought it by travel and in general in some provinces than politics.

 

[canuck78]

Hey Matt.. congrats...
I have a doubt...Can u help me out please.
I just applied on Feb 4.
Done biometrics on Feb 12.
Got my passport request on May 19.
Iam from India and all canada vac are closed. So still not yet stamped.
What if I make a move like u. What about my stamp in passport. Will the border officer do it If I show my passport request letter.

You can’t enter without the stamp in your passport. Passport request is not enough

 

[Matt173]

True true, though if pressed I would still think political leanings influence attitudes of border agents more than local infection risk. It's not like the exposure risks at a land crossing in Ontario are that much higher than at a BC crossing.

More about the much higher levels of covid being brought it by travel and in general in some provinces than politics.

 

[Hertie]

True true, though if pressed I would still think political leanings influence attitudes of border agents more than local infection risk. It's not like the exposure risks at a land crossing in Ontario are that much higher than at a BC crossing.

What car rental company did you use for your one way rental?

 

[scaria197]

Hey Matt173,

Thanks for the detailed update.
Question-
Entering on an ESTA and then driving to Canada- will that fulfill the ESTA condition ( max 90 day stay in North America)? Will that later cause a problem if you try re-entering USA on ESTA?

Hi Matt173,

Any feedback on this?