First Landing at Montreal Airport

[PeacefulMan]

I might have asked something similar in the past.
Planning soon to enter Canada through Montreal, connecting there to Calgary. Layover usually 3-4 hours.
My understanding is that at the first entry point to Canada, the immigrant will need to go before an officer for some kind of an interview?
I heard that there might be a wait list until called and then spending some time answering some Questions. I just don't want to be held there forever and miss the connecting flight!.

For the folks who went through this recently, what are your experiences through Montreal Airport as a new comer?

 

[Hurlabrick]

I might have asked something similar in the past.
Planning soon to enter Canada through Montreal, connecting there to Calgary. Layover usually 3-4 hours.
My understanding is that at the first entry point to Canada, the immigrant will need to go before an officer for some kind of an interview?
I heard that there might be a wait list until called and then spending some time answering some Questions. I just don't want to be held there forever and miss the connecting flight!.

For the folks who went through this recently, what are your experiences through Montreal Airport as a new comer?

It is not going to be the 'interview' that takes time, it will be getting to the front of the line in secondary! It isnt an interview, it is maybe 2 or 3 perfuntory questions. Once you get to the seconfpd CBSA agent, it takes maybe 30 mins to declare pr and sort your goods to follow. 4 hour gap between connection should be enough, but no one can guarantee

 

[PeacefulMan]

It is not going to be the 'interview' that takes time, it will be getting to the front of the line in secondary! It isnt an interview, it is maybe 2 or 3 perfuntory questions. Once you get to the seconfpd CBSA agent, it takes maybe 30 mins to declare pr and sort your goods to follow. 4 hour gap between connection should be enough, but no one can guarantee

Maybe I didn’t quite understand “it takes maybe 30 mins to declare pr and sort your goods to follow”? What goods?

 

[starnaenae]

Maybe I didn’t quite understand “it takes maybe 30 mins to declare pr and sort your goods to follow”? What goods?

any belongings you are having shipped to you if applicable

 

[PeacefulMan]

any belongings you are having shipped to you if applicable

Montreal wouldn’t be the final destination. We’ll be just connecting through. Normally all the luggage (other than carry-ons) will transit through and not be picked up yet.

 

[Jnicole45]

Montreal wouldn’t be the final destination. We’ll be just connecting through. Normally all the luggage (other than carry-ons) will transit through and not be picked up yet.

"Goods to Follow" is what they call "anything you don't have traveling with you but that you will want to bring to Canada in the future". So if you left a bunch of furniture in your home country that will be shipped to you at a later date, that would be Goods to Follow. It's so they know what is exempt from duties because it's considered "settlers effects". If you don't declare it as goods to follow, you can be charged duties on it when you try to bring it into Canada with you.

See here.

 

[starnaenae]

Montreal wouldn’t be the final destination. We’ll be just connecting through. Normally all the luggage (other than carry-ons) will transit through and not be picked up yet.

Im aware. What prior postwr is referring to is anything that isnt in the suitcase. For example boxes that you will ship at a later date

 

[PeacefulMan]

Thanks folks for the replies and help. We might take a chance and hope that it won’t take too long.

 

[Jnicole45]

Thanks folks for the replies and help. We might take a chance and hope that it won’t take too long.

Btw, if you have any checked baggage you might have to collect it and then recheck it for your domestic flight, so be aware that you might not make the cutoff for checked baggage. Some airlines transfer luggage from international to domestic flights for you, but in my experience most don't.

 

[PeacefulMan]

You mean if I miss the flight then they might or might not load it and end up either lonely or delayed in Calgary? I think I had a similar experience last time I flew through Toronto where they didn't send the luggage and had to wait a day or tow after that to get it.

 

[Jnicole45]

You mean if I miss the flight then they might or might not load it and end up either lonely or delayed in Calgary? I think I had a similar experience last time I flew through Toronto where they didn't send the luggage and had to wait a day or tow after that to get it.

As in you may have to collect your bags from international baggage claim before you complete the process at customs/secondary inspection, and then once you finish your landing stuff take your bags to your airline's check-in to recheck your bags. Most airlines have a cutoff time for how close to takeoff you can check your bags. It depends on the airline what their policy is for transferring baggage from international to domestic flights, and I don't know if you landing in Montreal has any effect on that process. Your bags could end up on a different flight, plus the extra time it takes to collect and then recheck your bags could delay you even more than the landing process.

 

[starnaenae]

As in you may have to collect your bags from international baggage claim before you complete the process at customs/secondary inspection, and then once you finish your landing stuff take your bags to your airline's check-in to recheck your bags. Most airlines have a cutoff time for how close to takeoff you can check your bags. It depends on the airline what their policy is for transferring baggage from international to domestic flights, and I don't know if you landing in Montreal has any effect on that process. Your bags could end up on a different flight, plus the extra time it takes to collect and then recheck your bags could delay you even more than the landing process.

This couldnt be more accurate. Youll have to go through customs land then go get your bags and check them again for your flight to final destination. When my husband landed he was the second person in line and from landing on the plane to being out of the airport it took just over 2 hours. I hope you have enough time on your layover

 

[aby1098]

I might have asked something similar in the past.
Planning soon to enter Canada through Montreal, connecting there to Calgary. Layover usually 3-4 hours.
My understanding is that at the first entry point to Canada, the immigrant will need to go before an officer for some kind of an interview?
I heard that there might be a wait list until called and then spending some time answering some Questions. I just don't want to be held there forever and miss the connecting flight!.

For the folks who went through this recently, what are your experiences through Montreal Airport as a new comer?

I did the same but to Edmonton from Montreal .

 

[PeacefulMan]

I did the same but to Edmonton from Montreal .

Good to know, not the end of the world if we're delayed in Montreal , the most important is done.

 

[aby1098]

You mean if I miss the flight then they might or might not load it and end up either lonely or delayed in Calgary? I think I had a similar experience last time I flew through Toronto where they didn't send the luggage and had to wait a day or tow after that to get it.

Get an insurance with your flight ticket. so in case you miss the flight it will be covered.