Me again

[hopetoland]

Hi guys,

I'm planning a trip to the States but I'm not sure what I need to cross the boarder! I have a German passport, I shouldn't need a visa, am I right?

Need answer pretty urgent

Thank you

 

[CharlieD10]

German citizens are visa-exempt for the US.

 

[sttn]

Take your passport and you are good to go!

 

[Elizabeth Joe]

I think you need your PR Card to get back into Canada though

 

[tajc]

When you enter the states by air or water you need form to be filled out, kind of a visa. When you enter by land you don't need it, except your PR card when you return. Hope that helps.

 

[hopetoland]

thanks a lot,

do you know where I can look up this visa thing when I'm taking the plane? I'll go on holidays and there will be an layover in Atlanta, and as far as I know I'll need something to show them not just my passport

 

[tajc]

Call your travel agent, or one of the flight-center offices, they have all the info you need.

 

[pinklady]

thanks a lot,

do you know where I can look up this visa thing when I'm taking the plane? I'll go on holidays and there will be an layover in Atlanta, and as far as I know I'll need something to show them not just my passport

Its called ESTA, you can fill it out and submit it online. Cant remember how much it is, $14 maybe? I filled one out just over a month ago for a trip to the US. Once you have it, it is valid for 2 years.

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

And no, all you need is your passport. When they scan it, they will be able to see you have a valid ESTA.

 

[hopetoland]

Thanks pink lady, is it really valid 2 years? Would be great!

Bye

 

[AmericaninQuebec]

If you don't have your PR card yet and you're flying you'll need a travel document from Immigration Canada (or it may be Border Services Canada, sorry I forget which it is at the moment). Basically it's just a document that confirms your status as a landed PR and allows you to exit and reenter the country without trouble. I don't think you need one if you're going to and from Canada by car.

 

[pinklady]

You won't need the PR card to go to the US, they aren't interested in that. However you should keep your PR card/COPR with you anyway.
You will need your COPR on the return to Canada if you don't already have the PR card, but since you're visa exempt you will be fine.

And yes, the ESTA thing is valid for 2 years. I just updated mine in December. You only need the ESTA when travelling to the US by air.
When you cross a land border you will have to go in and talk to the border people and they will give you a green visa waiver card stapled to your passport, this is valid for 3 months only, but while you have the green thing in your passport you can cross by car fairly easily. Word of warning though, once it expires remove it from your passport!!

The green visa waiver card and the ESTA are unrelated.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[hopetoland]

How do you update the esta visa thing Pinklady?