What visa is required for flights to USA through Air Canada

So I've got an ESTA visa for USA but is anything required if I'm going through Vancouver/Toronoto airports to get to America?

Comments

  • Are you an Australian Citizen?

    • Yes

        • Huh. I've been to Canada four times this year without an eTA.

          This was all flying in from the USA, usually Los Angeles.

          Edit: Seems it won't be fully implemented until November. So that would explain it.

        • @Drew22: Because they are in a transition or leniency period while people get use to it. It started in 15 March 2016 until 9 November 2016. After that you won't be able to board a plane unless you have an eTA.

  • Are you actually going to be leaving the airport at canada? If not then you shouldnt need any visa.

    • Are you actually going to be leaving the airport at canada?

      No, Its an Air Canada flight that has a stop in Vancouver then Toronto before flying to the U.S

      • How long do you stop for?

        • Completely irrelevant.

        • +1

          @callum9999: i stand corrected, seems like a money grab to me by Canada.

        • @onetwothree: Ha! That's only $7. An ETA for Australia is $20

        • @onetwothree: You can call the eTA a money grab in general if you want, but given you'll have potential access to Canadian territory while transiting in a Canadian airport, I don't see why you shouldn't be screened like everyone else.

  • You do indeed need an eTA to transit through Canada (just like you would if you're transiting through the US). You would also need the ESTA from the US.

  • +1

    Canadian here

    Since you have a domestic flight (YVR/YYZ) you need the eTA

    Only international to international sterile connection is YYZ

  • If you are "transiting" (not leaving the airport and just flipping to another international plane, even with a layover of a few hours) then you are not entering Canada (you are not passing through Customs/Immigration to enter Canada) therefore you do not need anything for Canada. You only enter Canada once you pass through immigration and have your passport checked, and that does not happen for transit passengers. Just like anywhere in the world you stay on the secure side of the airport where the gates are. You are 'secure' once you get security checked in Australia and you remain secure as long as you have not passed through immigration of another country.

    Btw, just make sure you follow the transit signs in Canada to your other flight and don't pass through immigration/customs to leave the airport.

    Your bags would be checked all the way through to you USA destination so no collecting bags in Canada either.

    And just to clarify, you wrote that you are going through "Vancouver/Toronoto" do you mean you are going through both of them? As in switching to a domestic flight within Canada before going to the USA? If so, you will need the electronic Visa for Canada. If you are routing through only ONE of them, then you won't.

    If you want to be 100% sure, call the airline you are flying to Canada with.

    • Problem is that in most cases they would not let you board the plane unless you have a Canadian Visa or eTA.

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