Hey everyone,

My friend and I (both 24M) are F-1 students planning a quick weekend trip from Denver to Calgary (Sept 11–13) to hike Big Beehive in Banff. We won't miss any classes, but with the proposed Duration of Status (D/S) rule changes effective September 15, we want to make sure a 48-hour international turnaround won't cause issues at re-entry.

Plan:

Flights: DEN ➔ YYC (Friday, Sept 11), YYC ➔ DEN (Sunday, Sept 13)

Activity: Hiking & camping in Banff on Saturday

Questions:

1) Re-entry: Any red flags for a 2-day trip if we have valid passports, I-20s with recent travel signatures, active SEVIS, and valid visas?

2) CBP at YYC: How early should we arrive at Calgary for U.S. Preclearance on Sunday?

3) Canadian Border: Anything specific CBSA asks for short hiking trips?

Has anyone done a quick weekend trip to Canada on an F-1 recently? Thanks!

Travelling to visit family next month. I am a Canadian citizen who has a GC in the US. I got married so now my passport has my maiden name, but my gc is in my married.

Do I need to bring my original marriage license with me or is a certified copy from clerks office okay?

My flights are booked under my passport name, but I will be having family pick me up and drive me over land border.

Thanks!

My spouse is moving to British Columbia on a closed work permit, and I was granted an open work permit as part of the accompanying spouse process. I also have a valid Canadian visitor visa. Both of us are non-US/Canada citizens.

I plan to continue living and working in Washington State while visiting my spouse in Canada on weekends by crossing the land border using my activated open work permit. I was wondering how frequent weekly travel between the U.S. and Canada on an open work permit is generally viewed or treated by border authorities specifially on the Canadian side.

appreciate any insights on this. thx!

I'm looking to purchase a trailer from a private seller in the states. It's not a self-propelled trailer.

How do I know there's no liens on it? Would Carfax and VinCheckup be enough? They sent me a picture of the title (will have the original during the transaction), and it doesn't say any liens on the title. They also sent me a picture of the sales receipt and it didn't have any financing information on it, rather just they paid a deposit and rest was due on delivery. The sales receipt is 2 years before the title.

Should I ask them to run a lien check on it? Or, is this enough? It's a lot of money so I don't want to be screwed over.

Hey Canadian Citizen here,

I got my first passport since my child one(waited like 10years due to covid and shit slightly before that) and I want down to Bellingham from Kelowna BC, crossed at Aldergrove/Lynden.

The first time went without a hitch, both sides waved me through, but I decided to go back almost a month later because I had already ran out of the amazing American snacks, and the US side had no problem with me but CBSA decided to search my car and say the frequency of my travel for that reason was suspicious.

I want to know when the next time I can go through for the same thing without being sus😭💀

I'm also wondering if this will be affected by new tariffs.

My background and timelines are below...Does anyone have any definitive information on if I will be allowed to fly into Calgary?

In October of 2002, I was an idiot, made a bad decision, and was convicted of a felony DUI in California. I completed all the restitution payments, and court ordered requirements completely in 2004, and was officially off of the 5 years of probation in 2007. I have not had any arrests or legal issues whatsoever since then except for a speeding ticket in 2008.

In 2010 I flew to Canada for a cruise departing from Vancouver to Alaska. I was able to enter Canada without any issues.

In 2016 I tried to visit Toronto. I had crossed to Vancouver 6 years earlier and didn't know there was a rule anyway, so I didn't expect any issues. I was deported at the checkpoint after I crossed the border via train in Niagara. The border agents didn't give me any information as to timelines but said that I hadn't met the requirement for entry because of my DUI conviction.

I researched after I was turned away and it sounded like there was a 15 year barrier to entry starting after I completed all of my court requirements and probation. I still don't have a 100% answer on if that's accurate or what the rules even are for felony DUIs (vs. non-felony DUIs).

I have a consultation call with a service called All Cleared that is supposed to give me info on how to qualify for entry...or if I'm good already. It's been almost 19 years since finishing all requirements for court (in 2007), and almost 24 years since the original DUI conviction. Is anyone able to give me an idea of what to know going into this -- paperwork I should have, things to keep in mind, etc? Thanks for any help!

My spouse and I became Canadian PRs in early August 2026 through in-Canada CEC. Our PR cards haven’t arrived yet, and we only have our eCoPRs.

We had to travel overseas urgently for a family emergency and need to return within 3–4 weeks. Both of us have valid multiple-entry US B1/B2 visas, so we’re considering flying to the US and entering Canada by land.

A few questions:

1. Has anyone recently walked across Rainbow Bridge with just a passport + eCoPR and no PR card/PRTD?
2. We’ll have four large suitcases and I don’t have a driving licence. Can anyone recommend a reliable cab/car service that can actually take us across the US–Canada border? Where would be the best place to get one from — Buffalo Airport, Niagara Falls NY, or somewhere closer to Rainbow Bridge?
3. If US immigration asks the purpose of travel, can I simply say I’m transiting through the US to enter Canada by land?
4. Is Rainbow Bridge the best option, or would you recommend another land border crossing such as Peace Bridge?

First-hand experiences and cab recommendations would be really appreciated.

I’m a dual citizen and will be relocating from Arizona to Calgary at the end of November. I have both US & Canadian Passports. I’ve contacted RIV & my car is 15+yrs old so will be age-exempt. I’ve also contacted CBSA and was advised that since I’m a Canadian Citizen that will be living permanently in Canada for the first time I would qualify under the “Settler’s Policy/Memorandum” and would be exempt from duty/taxes coming into Alberta. I’ll be going thru Sweet Grass MT/Coutts AB border crossing. I of course will have all my documents and fees prepared just in case as well as a detailed list of all my belongings in the moving van & for my car I’ll be importing into Canada. Has anyone ever gone thru this? Or had any experience with this type of situation? Thank you in advance!

I’m buying a US general brand tool box from harbor freight near the border for $290 usd + tax. How much am I expected to pay at the border on the way back? I will be driving through at the Niagara Falls bridge crossing.

I read that it depends on the country of origin the tool box was made in but the store website doesn’t specify that at all unfortunately.

For context, I was banned from using ESTA (USA) a few years ago. Fast forward to this year, I applied for a B2 visa however that also got denied due to inadmissibility grounds (during a past interrogation at JFK, I admitted to past drug use & sex work)

I want to enter Canada in the near future, most likely as a tourist but maybe down the line I might consider the Working Holiday Visa (IEC)

I’m just wondering what my chances are of successfully being allowed into the country?

I do know that in both visa applications, they do ask if I’ve ever been denied a visa for another country. So I’m quite worried my past US refusals will impact any future travel into Canada…

Does anyone have any similar experience? Would love to hear any advice or recommendations 🩷

Sorry if this is a silly question but I have a trip coming up and I just want to ensure I wont run into any issues.

TLDR; I'm a Canadian citizen (born and raised) in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend who is a US citizen. I live in Southern Ontario, and I usually cross the border at Buffalo and fly from the Buffalo Airport. I have an upcoming trip planned where I plan cross through the Windor/Detroit crossing because flights from Detroit are cheaper and am wondering if I should expect a hard time crossing at a land border that's so far from my place of residence

For more information I've been in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend for just over 3 years and I tend to visit 1-2 times per year, work permitting. I work as an animator and it's contract based so I tend to plan trips when I'm inbetween jobs and during the holidays to avoid having to plan around vacation days. My last visit was this past July and I visited for 20 days entry and exit days included.

Every year our online friend group attends a renaissance faire the first weekend of October. After the cost of the flights, ticket into the faire, rental accomodations, food etc. the weekend ends up being pretty expensive so I figured in order to get the most bang for my buck I would also go see my boyfriend at this time. The plan is to fly to him the last weekend of September, fly to the ren faire and back together and then spend one more week with my boyfriend before flying home. I figured this was easier to explain to the border agent, since I can just say I'm planning to visit my boyfriend for two weeks as I'll be entering and exiting from the same state instead of across multiple.

Normally I fly out of Buffalo but I decided to check out other airports and saw that flights from Detroit are much cheaper. My friend that normally drives me to the airport had to cancel a trip to Kentucky that she was planning to take around the same time and was up for a road trip to make up for it. She's never been to Detroit so her plan is to check out the city a bit after dropping me off for my flight before driving back home. I'm just a little worried that we might have a hard time crossing at a land border that's not close to home. It would really suck to drive 5+ hours only to be denied entry in an attempt to save a few hundred dollars on flights. Just looking for some input on what we should expect and if it's worth trying to save some money or just suck it up and cross at Buffalo instead.

I have gone through several Reddit posts and here is my understanding up to now:

1. I need RI since Toyota doesn’t issue compliance letters. Cost is about 1100-1200 USD (includes transportation)
   
2. Cluster programming : US$350
   
3. My car is on lease and in prime condition, so buyout is roughly $19000 USD
   
4. VIN starts with 2 (Ontario made)
   
5. I’m on TN
   
6. California requires plating to be done within 20 days of residency.

Now my question is -

Tariffs are applicable @25%. AI says CBP assesses that on purchase price as primary, which in my case will be 19K US and uses FMV if price isn’t available. But some folks mention FMV. Which one is it?

PS: even after paying tariffs, this car is cheaper than a lease and after a lease I won’t have anything and I had an awesome trade-in when I got this car (got it in 2022 when used car market was at a peak). So that debate is settled for me. It’s retailing at US38-41K in California - same model, trim, year and with higher mileage than mine. If I take the equity here, hoping to sell on clutch.ca, I’ll barely make 7K USD, best case scenario. Also if there is a layoff, getting a US car here will need paying HST + duties. Then the wait of getting a Toyota in Canada is multiple months.

My father builds custom engines and he needs machine service done on an engine block. He is American and the shop he wants to work with is in Ontario. He wants to drive the part up and back, but the part itself is over a decade old so he has no receipt or real proof of ownership. He is wondering/I am wondering in his behalf:

1. The part currently has no value except as scrap. How would he declare this/would he has to declare it taking it into Canada?

2. Will he have to pay any kind of duty on the labor performed when he brings it back over to the US?

3. Since it's personal property, not a commercial sample or other commercial item, will it be considered an import coming back since it went from scrap to a valued item? He would be able to show that the serial number didn't change if asked but again, he doesn't have a receipt.

4. What kind of documentation will he need for either side? The only thing he will have for sure is the receipt for the labor. Any change in value would be an estimate based on his own professional experience.

5. Is there anything else he should know? His own paperwork like passport and all are in fine shape, no concerns on that front, he's just worried about being as up front as possible about the part.

Thanks!!

I was quoted 1200 USD for 2 doors matching my vehicle, but unfortunately I can't travel to the states to pick them up.

Is there any way to get them delivered to Calgary Alberta? Assuming it's possible and doesn't break any laws or regulations in the first place.

Hey everyone,

Looking to share my recent experience and get a sanity check from anybody who’s gone through a similar situation or can provide candid feedback/guidance.

I am a Canadian citizen. My fiancée is also a Canadian citizen, but she lives and works in the US on an E-2 visa. We are scheduled to get married in the US in the next few days. I attempted to cross a land border from Canada to the US with a return ticket home.

I was pulled into secondary inspection and ultimately refused admission into the US.

What happened at the border: • The officer claimed that I cannot get married in the US on visitor/B-2 status (which I now realize isn't strictly true on its yown. Getting married on B-2 is legal if you intend to leave but the rest of my situation derailed it).

• I was open with the officer about our plans after he had dig into my intentions: I explained that we were getting married, that I had a return ticket back to Canada, and that after getting married, I intended to apply for E-2 dependent (E-2S) status so I could legally live with her in the US.

• The officer told me that because I intend to reside/immigrate to the US long-term to be with my partner, I don't have non-immigrant intent under B-2 visitor rules. He kept calling it a "grey area," but ended up refusing my entry.

• He handed me a standard "Notice of Refusal of Admission/Parole into the United States" paper slip. Interestingly, the officer didn't sign or print his name on the physical paper sheet, just filled out the time, date, my name/DOB, and checked the box, though I know it's logged electronically in the DHS system regardless.

I was pretty shocked and frustrated at the time because I had a return ticket, but after looking into the actual mechanics of"preconceived intent," I can sort of see why declaring an intention to change/transition to living in the US triggers an automatic entry denial on visitor status. Though I’m still unclear as to how this “grey area” works if I’m able to wed in the US, and have a track record of returning to a Canada in a timely-manner.

My fiancée and I have been working tirelessly to arrange our upcoming wedding in the US in the next few days. She works an incredibly demanding job, where me coming to the US to do it makes her life so much easier than coming back to Canada to do it.

Is there anything I can do to dispute the decision, or somehow make my way to the US to make it in time for the wedding? I travel to the US ~3-6x per year for business and tourism, and have never had any ill-intentions of overstaying or issues at the border.

Hello,

does anyone have any experience with getting their green card under the Jay Treaty?

I already have my SSN number and the documents I have are my birth certificate (regular, not long form), blood quantum letter signed by chief and council, secure certificate of Indian status card.

My question is about the residency part. I know that USCIS requires you to be in the U.S. to request an appointment and a U.S. address to mail the green card too. Does anyone know if I could simply rent a mailbox in the U.S. or use a friends address and give them those addresses for my U.S. address? Also couldn’t I just phone USCIS and tell them I’m in the U.S. while still being in Canada and then go across for my appointments?

I work in law enforcement in Canada and my intention once I finish is to apply for one of the police forces that accept green card holders like Chicago Police.

I have a trip to Canada planned soon, but due to an ongoing visa application for a third country, I will likely not have my passport

I plan to travel with a drivers license (not EDL), birth certificate, and Global Entry card. From my research, this should be sufficient both for entering Canada and re-entering the US as a US citizen, but CBSA does not recommended it

Has anyone had any issues doing this? Is it likely to lead to a delay at the border?

Edit: I will be crossing by car

Is it doable? I understand I should be allowed thru with the driver's license and birth certificate... But I heard the misdemeanors stack and that's not a single violation therefore you could be banned from even attempting to clear it up.

Not sure if I should just turn back ahead of my trip planned for Friday.

No arrests since 2004.

Only charges were 242/243a and possession of fake IDs (school kids and clubs not fraud) and a possession charge that supposedly was wiped off my record due to diversion program. Although it still pops up in FBI record check.

Hello All,

My I94 is going to expire due my passport is getting expired. I do have Canadian visa on my old passport which will expire with my old passport. I have a new passport also. My H1B is valid till 2028. Can I travel to Canada via land border crossing ? If so what are the documents required and will I get my updated i94 ? Some say we will not get for short stay ? If so how long should I stay ? Or is it better to do air travel ? Little confused 😕

PS : sorry to many questions

Double citizenship and hoping to get Nexus soon. I understand that I will be a Quebec resident and will have to pay taxes on my US income… other than that, what are the pros/cons?
Getting paid in USD while living in Quebec (cheaper area for rent) seems like an advantage. Traffic and the commute in the winter probably a negative aspect, I assume.

I'm planning on doing a trip with my parents and my partner who has to go to Boston for a couple performances. I'm a musician too and I have had P2 and O2 visas but they are all expired now. I'm not going to play with her, she has a got a gig with a group that performs regularly in the US and there are posts and internet sites that show the group clearly with her on the bill and no indication that I (I'm a drummer and this is a string quartet) will be playing.

My parents live in Peru but are visiting Canada, they both have valid US visas and I have a Canadian PR card and a valid ESTA (EU passport). The four of us would be crossing in the same rental car. Me and my parents would be going to visit and she would be going to perform. We are a bit nervous that this might look too complicated to US border officers. She is waiting for her O1 visa to be approved and doesn't want to take any risks.

Is there any issue with people crossing the border on the same vehicle with different purposes? would US officers be concerned that I'm crossing the border with the intention to work with her? is there a chance that they might turn us back or more importantly, that this might cause her some trouble with her P2 visa and/or her O1 application?

A multiple felon? perhaps! dangerous? certainly not. didn’t even ask for my FBI rap sheet. YVR.

I’m wondering if anyone has experience with this. We are US citizens living in Winnipeg with a newborn. Getting him a Canadian passport is no problem, but we want to also get his US passport to be totally sure there will be no issues when flying between Canada and the US. The problem is that we live in Winnipeg, which means the nearest US consulate that issues new passports is in Calgary. We could take a big road trip, but we jumped through all the hoops and paid the fee to register in their system, only to be told there are zero appointments available for the next three months.

The easy answer would be for us to just drive to North Dakota (I don’t think we’ll have an issue crossing the land border with our passports and birth certificate) and get an appointment at a US post office, but it’s ambiguous about whether that would work. I know they need proof of the parents’ US citizenship, and they list a declaration of foreign birth as a way to do that, but it looks like maybe we could prove it the same way we would to the consulate - with our passports and proof of many years of residence in the US.

Has anyone successfully gotten a US passport for their Canadian-born child at a US post office without visiting a consulate in Canada?