So yesterday i flagpolled...

Tonto86

... to activate my new visa. All in all its easy enough. The drive from Calgary to Montana takes about 3 1/2 hours. Bring a charger for your phone/satnav.

When ya arrive at the US boarder tell them what your doing. They'all bring you in to the office and then turn you right into Canada. At the Canadian border you'll be brought into immigration. You should have proof of funds and insurance (I was asked for neither), your passport with old visa attached, your new POE and if you had to change your status to visitor a copy of your confirmation of application.

They'll ask ya a few question like how long do you intend to stay, how much money do you have, what car did ya travel in etc etc.

All in all its a fairly easy process. Drive can be fun too. I'm just delighted to have 2 more years in the bag!

m.j.w

Hi tonto ill be in the same position as you as I have a one year iec from last year ive yet to activate so ill be appliying again next year for an extension. Did you have to send police certs again this year to renew the visa or was there anything different you had to do since you were in canada

Jonty

I didn't think you could get an IEC visa extended

Tonto86

m.j.w wrote: »

Hi tonto ill be in the same position as you as I have a one year iec from last year ive yet to activate so ill be appliying again next year for an extension. Did you have to send police certs again this year to renew the visa or was there anything different you had to do since you were in canada

Exact same process, the Garda clearence wasn't required but I sent it in anyway, just in case. A Canadian police cert wasn't needed either, although other people were asked for it.

Jonty wrote: »

I didn't think you could get an IEC visa extended

You can't. It was 2 seperate 1 year programs, they changed it this year to a single 2 year program. People who had already participated once could apply again and get the new 2 year visa.

While on a IEC you can always try to extend your stay or become permanent with different immigration programs.

m.j.w

Jonty wrote: »

I didn't think you could get an IEC visa extended

You cant if you applied from this year on as its a 2 year visa now bit I applied last year and got a one year one so I can apply again once more so will get 3 years in total

m.j.w

Tonto86 wrote: »

Exact same process, the Garda clearence wasn't required but I sent it in anyway, just in case. A Canadian police cert wasn't needed either, although other people were asked for it.



You can't. It was 2 seperate 1 year programs, they changed it this year to a single 2 year program. People who had already participated once could apply again and get the new 2 year visa.

While on a IEC you can always try to extend your stay or become permanent with different immigration programs.

cheers! will probably just get them next year just incase. did you apply for a garda cert online, if so what address did you give to the gaurds, I thought they made you go down in person to get the cert!

ondadole

Tonto86 wrote: »

... to activate my new visa. All in all its easy enough. The drive from Calgary to Montana takes about 3 1/2 hours. Bring a charger for your phone/satnav.

When ya arrive at the US boarder tell them what your doing. They'all bring you in to the office and then turn you right into Canada. At the Canadian border you'll be brought into immigration. You should have proof of funds and insurance (I was asked for neither), your passport with old visa attached, your new POE and if you had to change your status to visitor a copy of your confirmation of application.

They'll ask ya a few question like how long do you intend to stay, how much money do you have, what car did ya travel in etc etc.

All in all its a fairly easy process. Drive can be fun too. I'm just delighted to have 2 more years in the bag!

What if you cannot do it in a car; can this be done by bus?:)

rusheen

ondadole wrote: »

What if you cannot do it in a car; can this be done by bus?:)

No !
Theres no bus or any public transport from Calgary to Montana .

ondadole

rusheen wrote: »

No !
Theres no bus or any public transport from Calgary to Montana .

Crap; thanks for that, though.

Any other suggestions??:)

ondadole

Hi all;
I was just wondering has anyone living in Alberta, or anywhere else in Canada for that fact, flag-poled to the US by bus to activate another working holiday visa?
Is this method possible? What happens when one reaches the border? There are no buses from Alberta to the US as far as I know.
Also it is my understanding that the US border officials won't actually let you cross into the states during the process. Would you have to disembark the bus and wait on a returning one?

againstthetide

ondadole wrote: »

Crap; thanks for that, though.

Any other suggestions??:)

Rent a car.and drive down or fly to Seattle.and activate on the way back in Calgary

Tonto86

m.j.w wrote: »

cheers! will probably just get them next year just incase. did you apply for a garda cert online, if so what address did you give to the gaurds, I thought they made you go down in person to get the cert!

Sent the paperwork to the folks and fire them in with it. Worked for me

COYVB

If you have an ESTA there's absolutely no reason for the USA side not to let you in as far as I know. Though I don't actually think you necessarily need to go that far. You just need to go past the Canadian side, then disembark and walk back on foot

rusheen

ondadole wrote: »

Crap; thanks for that, though.

Any other suggestions??:)

A bus goes from Calgary to Lethbridge , Lethbridge is an hour from the border .

Rent a car !

becki567

Did you cross at Carway or Coutts?

crushproof

ondadole wrote: »

Crap; thanks for that, though.

Any other suggestions??:)

Grab a couple of mates if they drive and get a car, make a weekend of it, Montana is a beautiful place with great people and cheap booze!
I got grilled big time on the way back one time, very agro Canadian border patrol guy...but eventually got through.

Panthro

Mod note:
Flagpolled threads merged.

Tonto86

crushproof wrote: »

Grab a couple of mates if they drive and get a car, make a weekend of it, Montana is a beautiful place with great people and cheap booze!
I got grilled big time on the way back one time, very agro Canadian border patrol guy...but eventually got through.

Not a bad idea.

I found the Canadian border there a lot stricter then the one at the airport as well. They seem a lot more thorough, just make sure ye got all your paper work with ya. They didnt ask to see my proof of funds or insurance but ya never know. They did ask me how much money I had available tho