Visa for Canada.....

[Cosmic Rays]

I keep getting conflicting reports as to whether or not we will need a Visa to enter Canada in October. Scenario - we fly into JFK from the UK for a few days (we have valid ESTA's)  and then leave for Canada on QM2 to Quebec and back to New York. Do any of you experts know please?

Thanks.......

[Host Hattie]

Official answer is here

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.html

[Cosmic Rays]

Thanks Hattie!

 

We do NOT require one!!

[steamboats]

eTA is only required for flying into Canada. It´s not required for cruise ship arrivals or passing the border by car (ESTA is also required for cruise ship arrivals).

 

Anyway, neither ESTA nor eTA are a visa but just a pre-check.

 

steamboats

[Lanky Lad]

We were in Canada a couple of weeks ago on QM2 and did not need the eTA thingy. You will get a form on board to complete and hand in to the Pursers desk. 

[LadyL1]

Thanks Lanky Lad. We are doing Canada in October 2020, and wondering about this.

[Cosmic Rays]

On 8/10/2019 at 7:06 AM, steamboats said:

eTA is only required for flying into Canada. It´s not required for cruise ship arrivals or passing the border by car (ESTA is also required for cruise ship arrivals).

 

Anyway, neither ESTA nor eTA are a visa but just a pre-check.

 

steamboats

 

Thank you for your input. The ESTA has replaced the I94 and is required whenever entering the USA from the UK! Maybe not from Germany though!

[steamboats]

On 8/11/2019 at 8:45 PM, Cosmic Rays said:

 

Thank you for your input. The ESTA has replaced the I94 and is required whenever entering the USA from the UK! Maybe not from Germany though!

 

Nothing different for Germany... anyway it´s not a visa but a pre-check within the visa waiver program. The immigration officer still can deny entry.

 

steamboats

[Cosmic Rays]

5 hours ago, steamboats said:

 

Nothing different for Germany... anyway it´s not a visa but a pre-check within the visa waiver program. The immigration officer still can deny entry.

 

steamboats

 

No ESTA, no entry into the USA under any circumstances..............period!!

[Griller]

6 hours ago, Cosmic Rays said:

 

No ESTA, no entry into the USA under any circumstances..............period!!

That's really not correct, US citizens don't need one, Canadians don't need one, Resident Aliens/Green Card holders don't need one, anyone with a full visa of any description doesn't need one...………….lots of other categories,  the list goes on, there are so many circumstances where one doesn't need an ESTA

[steamboats]

13 hours ago, Cosmic Rays said:

 

No ESTA, no entry into the USA under any circumstances..............period!!

 

Didn´t say anything else. Just said that ESTA is no visa and just a pre-check. Entry can still be denied by the immigration officer.

 

And as @Griller said there are a lot of people even from UK and Europe who don´t need ESTA due to other reasons like having a real visa.

 

steamboats

[Cosmic Rays]

I hear what is said with respect, however, for UK citizens and those too from Germany I am sure, if only visiting for a period of less than 90 days, or on legitimate business, an ESTA is required and they last for two years. We have had several since they were introduced back in 2009. Below is further information for anybody still in doubt!

 

The visa waiver program is a U.S. government program that enables citizens and nationals from the 38 Visa Waiver Countries to enter the United States for tourism or business purposes for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa. The advantage of entering the United States under the visa waiver program is that you can travel to the United States on short notice without obtaining a visa in advance.

What is ESTA?

ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization. ESTA US visa waiver is an online application system developed by the United States government to pre-screen travelers before they are allowed to board an airplane or ship bound for the United States. Starting on January 12, 2009, any person entering the United States under the visa waiver program is required to hold an approved ESTA US visa waiver Travel Authorization.

Who Needs to Apply for ESTA?

All travelers entering the United States (by air or sea) under the visa waiver program are required to hold a valid ESTA USA visa waiver. The purpose of ESTA US visa waiver is to allow the US Department of Homeland Security to pre-screen all Visa Waiver Travelers before they leave their respective countries. U.S.-bound travelers are recommended to apply for a Travel Authorization at least 72 hours prior to departure.

[Griller]

18 hours ago, steamboats said:

 

Didn´t say anything else. Just said that ESTA is no visa and just a pre-check. Entry can still be denied by the immigration officer.

 

And as @Griller said there are a lot of people even from UK and Europe who don´t need ESTA due to other reasons like having a real visa.

 

steamboats

Just today I read that UK's new PM Boris Johnson's girlfriend got refused an ESTA because she had been to a country with whom the US is not on good terms - and so she now has to have a face to face US Embassy interview and apply for a full visa - and will use that ( if granted) to enter the US with no ESTA  required

 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnsons-girlfriend-carrie-symonds-18973829

[steamboats]

@Cosmic Rays I never said anything else... as stated in your quote ESTA is a "pre-scan" for the Visa Waiver Program.

 

@Griller Just went to NYC onboard the QM2 and someone from our group had a visa because the person traveled to Iran since 2011. Last year on my trip to Tahiti and the Marquesas a couple had to chose the flights via New Zealand as they also had been to Iran and haven´t got a visa for the US while I flew via LAX.

 

steamboats

[Griller]

7 minutes ago, steamboats said:

@Cosmic Rays I never said anything else... as stated in your quote ESTA is a "pre-scan" for the Visa Waiver Program.

 

@Griller Just went to NYC onboard the QM2 and someone from our group had a visa because the person traveled to Iran since 2011. Last year on my trip to Tahiti and the Marquesas a couple had to chose the flights via New Zealand as they also had been to Iran and haven´t got a visa for the US while I flew via LAX.

 

steamboats

There are of course many cruise lines which avoid calling at  any US ports for Visa reasons, both for passengers and crew, and also because they become liable to US coastguard or other inspections which are unannounced but often foreseeable, and very very tough.

Having said that we were just on QM2 and in Canada we had a Canadian inspection which apparently was equally tough. Good for us passengers, keeps the ships safer and more hygienic.