First time traveler !!!

[Nights@54]

Hello Everyone !

I am an Indian National holding valid USA Tourist Visa and recently got the Canadian PR.
My question to you all is

Can I fly in from Delhi to Detroit and then by land cross the Detroit Windsor Tunnel to reach my destination i.e. Windsor ?

Few problems along the way, please advise

1. The immigration check at the airport (Delhi) will be asking as to where I m gonna stay in USA and when m returning back ( mine is a one way ticket)

2. The same check will be held at the Detroit Airport as they will asking about the address of stay and return date.

What should I reply in both cases and is it a good way if I travel like that instead of travelling to Toronto and then catch a connecting flight to Windsor.

My wife will be receiving me at the Detroit airport ( just to clarify).

Please reply back urgently.

Thanks in advance

 

[21Goose]

If you are flying to the US, you should buy a return ticket. Many airlines will not let Indian citizens board flights to the US/Canada on a tourist visa without a return ticket. You may be denied boarding, or they may ask you to buy an expensive return ticket right there at the airport.

If you're flying to Canada, you can come on a one-way ticket since you have an immigrant visa, not a tourist visa.

You can buy a refundable ticket and cancel it later if you really want to fly to the US first.

I would recommend you fly directly to Canada instead of doing this hop through the US. US CBP may get upset and cancel your visa or something - they can sometimes get snippy if you tell them you're only coming to the US to immigrate to Canada. Or they may be fine, no way to guarantee it.

Why do you want to fly to Detroit anyway? Is your wife there?

 

[Nights@54]

If you are flying to the US, you should buy a return ticket. Many airlines will not let Indian citizens board flights to the US/Canada on a tourist visa without a return ticket. You may be denied boarding, or they may ask you to buy an expensive return ticket right there at the airport.

If you're flying to Canada, you can come on a one-way ticket since you have an immigrant visa, not a tourist visa.

You can buy a refundable ticket and cancel it later if you really want to fly to the US first.

I would recommend you fly directly to Canada instead of doing this hop through the US. US CBP may get upset and cancel your visa or something - they can sometimes get snippy if you tell them you're only coming to the US to immigrate to Canada. Or they may be fine, no way to guarantee it.

Why do you want to fly to Detroit anyway? Is your wife there?[/QUOTES

Thanks for your reply.

Well my wife lives in Windsor and that's the neighboring City to Detroit. So, it's easy to commute and the ticket fares too are on the higher side for Delhi-Windsor compared to Delhi- Detroit.

Is there any way to make it sure that there won't be any problem.

 

[21Goose]

Again, if you're flying to the US, you will need a return ticket.

Other than that, there's no major issue, there's always a small chance of issues with CBP, but it's not a huge deal. You can just tell them that your wife and you will travel for a few days in the US before you go with her to Canada.

You can fly to Toronto if you get a good deal, Windsor isn't far.

 

[Nights@54]

Thanks a lot for your suggestions...

Bless you

 

[Hurlabrick]

Robert Q do a luxury and small-ish transfer bus from Toronto Airport to Windsor. Or alternatively, Greyhound also do direct busses from Toronto Pearson to Windsor.

You won't get a flight from India direct to Detroit (I highly doubt) so you will incur several hours travel / wait for a connecting flight. However, you will very likely find a direct flight to Toronto, you would then spend 4 or 5 hours or so sat on an air-conditioned bus to get to Windsor.

I know which I would go for.

 

[Bs65]

There some flights from Delhi via Frankfurt to Detroit but given having to try travelling on a one way ticket to the US my own choice would also be travel to Toronto and bus it. Both the airline and CBP might take some convincing especially with a spouse who lives in Detroit given CBP wont have any interest at all in your PR plans and you will have no onward travel arrangement to Windsor other than your word your spouse will drive you across. Ultimately of course your decision and you can just ignore everyone here and have no issues at all. Good luck.

 

[canuck78]

Pretty normal for Windsor residents or other SW Ontario residents to land in Detroit so you can tell immigration you’re going to Canada.

 

[subodhp]

You may have to show your complete travel plan to airlines staff for then to allow you to board. It is best to check in advance.

 

[Nights@54]

Robert Q do a luxury and small-ish transfer bus from Toronto Airport to Windsor. Or alternatively, Greyhound also do direct busses from Toronto Pearson to Windsor.

You won't get a flight from India direct to Detroit (I highly doubt) so you will incur several hours travel / wait for a connecting flight. However, you will very likely find a direct flight to Toronto, you would then spend 4 or 5 hours or so sat on an air-conditioned bus to get to Windsor.

I know which I would go for.

Thanks a lot

 

[Nights@54]

There some flights from Delhi via Frankfurt to Detroit but given having to try travelling on a one way ticket to the US my own choice would also be travel to Toronto and bus it. Both the airline and CBP might take some convincing especially with a spouse who lives in Detroit given CBP wont have any interest at all in your PR plans and you will have no onward travel arrangement to Windsor other than your word your spouse will drive you across. Ultimately of course your decision and you can just ignore everyone here and have no issues at all. Good luck.

Thanks alot

 

[subodhp]

Note that there are two levels of 'convincing' required here. A border officer (either in home country or transit country) might have no issues in letting you in once they see your canada residency and US travel visa.

However even before you board plane in your home country, you will have to convince airlines checkin at your home country that you can do that. This is because if you do get rejected entry, they get penalised for allowing you to travel in the first place. Personally I have seen that they are more gross/outdated in their assumptions and can be thrown off with one way travel plans. Explaining to them clearly your end destination and showing all of your transit documents usually gets you in. If this if your first time travel and given there are enough folks who travel this way, you should be fine. I would just keep enough time for checkin process or call in airlines to confirm same.

Agree with other comments about exploring other transit points for cheaper options

 

[Nights@54]

Note that there are two levels of 'convincing' required here. A border officer (either in home country or transit country) might have no issues in letting you in once they see your canada residency and US travel visa.

However even before you board plane in your home country, you will have to convince airlines checkin at your home country that you can do that. This is because if you do get rejected entry, they get penalised for allowing you to travel in the first place. Personally I have seen that they are more gross/outdated in their assumptions and can be thrown off with one way travel plans. Explaining to them clearly your end destination and showing all of your transit documents usually gets you in. If this if your first time travel and given there are enough folks who travel this way, you should be fine. I would just keep enough time for checkin process or call in airlines to confirm same.

Agree with other comments about exploring other transit points for cheaper options

Thanks a lot Man !!!