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Travel To Canada Information:

The 19th International Conference on Arabidopsis Research will be held in Montreal July 23-27, 2008. Remember to apply for your visa and passport early as the process can take time.

To find out if citizens from your country or territory are required to obtain a visa to VISIT Canada, please see Canada's official visa information website.

Travel Requirement Between the USA and Canada:

Air Travel: (please see the US Department of State and Department of Homeland Security's websites for more information and updates)

As of January 23, 2007 ALL PERSONS traveling by air between the United States and Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States.

Land and Sea Travel:

JANUARY 31, 2008
The U.S. is delaying the requirement for US passports for US citizens traveling by LAND and SEA only into Canada until 2009.  US citizens traveling by land and sea only require driver’s license and a birth certificate.  However, US citizens traveling by AIR will be required to present a passport.

U.S. and Canadian citizens will need to present either a (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) WHTI-compliant document, or a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security also proposes to begin alternative procedures for U.S. and Canadian children at that time.

U.S. PASSPORT AND OTHER TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air, land or sea between the U.S. and the aforementioned Western Hemisphere countries (Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region).

  • The Passport Card: This limited-use, wallet-size passport card is not yet available and is under development. When available it will only be valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean region (includes Bermuda).

  • Other Accepted Travel Documents: SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST and the U.S. Coast Guard Mariner Document. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty traveling on orders are exempt from the passport requirement. DHS has more information on these travel documents. This information may be seen at www.dhs.gov.

    Those with J-1 and H-1B Visa

    If you are residing in the U.S. but hold a J-1 or H-1B visa the following information provided by the National Postdoc Association will be helpful in organizing your documents for travel to the Arabidopsis meeting. For individuals on J-1 visa it is important to make sure that your DS-2019 is current. You may travel with an expired visa stamp if all your other documents are in order.
    See the tables below on travel to Canada.
    J-1
    H-1B
    I plan to travel to Canada or Canada. My passport has an expired visa stamp but my other USCIS documents have been revalidated and will be current when traveling. Can I re-enter the United States without getting a new visa stamp in my passport?
    If you travel to Canada or other contiguous island territories for less than 30 days, it is not necessary to re-enter with a valid J-1 visa if the following conditions are met:
    1) you re-enter with a valid I-94 card;
    2) your passport is valid for at least six months from date of re-entry;
    3) you possess your original DS-2019 that has been properly endorsed for travel and re-entry within the past ten months; and,
    4) you do not apply for the visa at the U.S. consulate.
    NOTE: If you are flying to Canada, make sure that the airline does not take your I-94 upon your departure. Provide the airline with a photocopy of your I-94.
    If you travel to Canada or other contiguous island territories for less than 30 days, it is not necessary to re-enter with a valid H-1B visa if the following conditions are met:
    1) you re-enter with a valid I-94 card;
    2) your passport is valid for at least six months from date of re-entry;
    3) you possess your Notice of Approval; and,
    4) you do not apply for the visa at the U.S. consulate.
    For appropriate travel documents and instructions, contact your employer's/institution's international office.
    NOTE: If you are flying to Canada, make sure that the airline does not take your I-94 upon your departure. Provide the airline with a photocopy of your I-94.
    How long can I stay in Canada with an expired visa stamp but revalidated USCIS documents?
    Up to 30 days.
    Up to 30 days.
    What other documentation should I take to Canada so that there will be no problem when I re-enter the U.S.?
    You are strongly advised to carry recent evidence of financial support for the total duration of your stay in the U.S.
    You are strongly advised to carry a letter from your employer/institution confirming your employment, job title and salary as well as your original H-1B Notice of Approval.

    NOTE: For full details on J1 and H1B visas contact your immigration specialist.

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