Visa and Passport Requirements
Most Canadian citizens and Canadian landed immigrants do not require visas or passports to enter the United States. E-1, E-2 treaty traders and investors and K-1 and K-2 fiance(e) applicants and their children require both visas and passports.
If you are Canadian, you will need some proof of Canadian citizenship to show the official at the border. If you are a Canadian arriving from a country outside the Western Hemisphere, you will be asked to show a passport.
Canadian visitors are not typically issued I-94 cards as are nonimmigrants from other countries.
Tourist and Business Visitors
Canadians must still prove that they are eligible to enter the United States. They may have to answer a few questions from an immigration inspector at a U.S. port of entry. They may also have to show that they have significant ties to Canada to assure return to Canada after the U.S. visit. This may mean showing that the Canadian has enough money to last during the U.S. trip, that they have a residence, a job and/or family to return to.
Special Work Benefits
NAFTA (The North American Free Trade Agreement) permits Canadian and Mexican visitors to perform certain types of work in the United States without a work visa. They are:
- Performing research and design functions for a company located in Canada or Mexico.
- Growth, manufacture and production.
- Harvester owner supervising a crew, which is harvesting agricultural crops only: grain, fiber, fruit, and vegetables.
- Purchasing and production management personnel transacting business on behalf of an enterprise located in Canada or Mexico.
- Purchasing for a company located in Canada or Mexico.
- Conducting other commercial transactions for a company located in Canada or Mexico.
- Marketing.
- Market researchers and analysts conducting independent research or analysis, or research or analysis on behalf of an enterprise located in Canada or Mexico.
- Trade fair and promotional personnel attending a trade convention.
- Sales representatives and agents taking orders and/or negotiating contracts for a company located in Canada or Mexico.
- Transporting goods or passengers to the U.S. from Canada or Mexico.
- Loading and transporting goods or passengers from the U.S. only for direct transport back to Canada or Mexico.
- Performing normal duties as a customs broker. The goods must be exported from the United States to or through Canada.
- Servicing or training workers to perform services, pursuant to a warranty or other service contract incidental to the sale of commercial or industrial equipment or machinery.
- Professionals engaging in a business activity at a professional level in a profession set out in Appendix 1603.D.1 to Annex 1603 of the NAFTA, provided no salary is paid from within the United States.
- Insurers, bankers or investment brokers engaging in commercial transactions for an enterprise located in Canada.
- Consulting in the fields of public relations and advertising with business associates, or attending or participating in conventions.
- Tourism personnel (tour and travel agents, tour guides or tour operators) attending or participating in conventions or conducting tours that originate or have significant portions taking place in Canada.
- Performing translations as employees of an enterprise located in Canada.
Students and Exchange Visitors
Canadian students and exchange visitors enjoy simplified procedures. If you are a Canadian and would like to enter the United States as an F-1 or M-1 student or J-1 exchange visitor, your procedure is as follows
Obtain approval of the Certificate of Eligibility form
Go to a port of entry and present it to a U.S. immigration inspector along with proof of your Canadian citizenship.
You will have to show proof that you will be able to support yourself financially while in the U.S.
Your accompanying spouse and children will be admitted after you have shown evidence of their family relationship to you. This evidence consists of:
You will receive an I-94 card indicating your immigration status and the dates for which you may remain in the country. D/S will typically be marked on the I-94 card, which means duration of status. If you are a student, this means that you may remain in the United States until your studies are completed.
Pre-Flight Inspections
At most Canadian international airports, there are U.S. immigration offices. Conveniently, Canadian clear U.S. immigration and customs just before boarding the plane. This procedure is known as preflight inspection.
One the one hand, this service is a timesaver but on the other hand, if the person is not eligible to enter the U.S., the immigration inspector can prevent the Canadian from boarding the plane.
