Will there be a problem flying through the States?

[kaede1977]

Hi there, we have just been approved for sponsorship and are now onto stage 2 of our process...Have a couple questions I would like to ask, we are slowly starting to pack and send some things home and are looking to book tickets aiming around Dec 2012(fingers crossed we will have full approval by then) and the cheapest tickets are via through the states, wondering if this will be a problem for us since they prob wont have a record yet of our immigration status for my husband in the system and dont wanna be turned back at customs. Also, have heard people talking about a B4 form I think?? Will we need this form to prove that we are planning on settling back in Canada? Thanks in advance for your help and advice

 

[Sweden]

Hi there, we have just been approved for sponsorship and are now onto stage 2 of our process...Have a couple questions I would like to ask, we are slowly starting to pack and send some things home and are looking to book tickets aiming around Dec 2012(fingers crossed we will have full approval by then) and the cheapest tickets are via through the states, wondering if this will be a problem for us since they prob wont have a record yet of our immigration status for my husband in the system and dont wanna be turned back at customs. Also, have heard people talking about a B4 form I think?? Will we need this form to prove that we are planning on settling back in Canada? Thanks in advance for your help and advice

hey kaede1977,

Flying through the US is not a problem as long as you are visa-exempt, and you will need to get a "pre-clearance" - you can do that now, in advance, and if you are from a visa exempt, you will probably be approved right away ( I did that, as I am flying to Canada via the US in October, with or without PR! ) here is the link for the authorisation https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ you also need to check with type of passport you have ( when it was issued, and depending on that, you will need a visa or not, or a new passport, which sometimes is the easiest... check on the US embassy website for your country )
with that, you should be OK to travel. As you are visa exempt for Canada as well, if you don't have the PR you can just go as a tourist.

The B4 is the list of things that you are bringing into Canada. If you go with a PR for your husband, he can import things ONCE in the country, when he lands. So you fill out the B4 with the things that he is bringing, and when you do the landing procedures you get it stamped so you can import things without paying taxes. If you are not bringing everything right away, you will need to fill out a declaration of "goods to follow". here is the link to the CIC website http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/before-border.asp where it explains in general, and within that page you have another link to the B4 - how to fill it out etc.

Best of luck!
Sweden

 

[kaede1977]

hey kaede1977,

Flying through the US is not a problem as long as you are visa-exempt, and you will need to get a "pre-clearance" - you can do that now, in advance, and if you are from a visa exempt, you will probably be approved right away ( I did that, as I am flying to Canada via the US in October, with or without PR! ) here is the link for the authorisation https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ you also need to check with type of passport you have ( when it was issued, and depending on that, you will need a visa or not, or a new passport, which sometimes is the easiest... check on the US embassy website for your country )
with that, you should be OK to travel. As you are visa exempt for Canada as well, if you don't have the PR you can just go as a tourist.

The B4 is the list of things that you are bringing into Canada. If you go with a PR for your husband, he can import things ONCE in the country, when he lands. So you fill out the B4 with the things that he is bringing, and when you do the landing procedures you get it stamped so you can import things without paying taxes. If you are not bringing everything right away, you will need to fill out a declaration of "goods to follow". here is the link to the CIC website http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/before-border.asp where it explains in general, and within that page you have another link to the B4 - how to fill it out etc.

Best of luck!
Sweden

Hey Sweden, thanks so much for your quick response and very helpful information!!! Will definitely be filling out those forms you posted!!! Cheers and good luck with your move back to Canada in October