Canadian Grad Students -- What are our visa requirements?

[Guest ...]

For any fellow Canadians out there, I am having *THE WORST TIME* trying to get information about the student visa requirements. On the consulate's website there is a small note that says something (in very vague terms) about Canadian citizens not requiring visas. In order to verify this, I have called the US consulate twice to ask about the process, and one person told me that Canadian citizens do not require visas -- the form the university provided you with after you accepted it is sufficient (it's the one that says "Eligibility for J-1/F-1 Visa"). The second person I talked to told me that he had no idea about visa requirements, and instructed me call the Peace Bridge and Pearson Airport Immigration Office to find out. Is there anyone who knows exactly what the requirements are?

[Guest MK]

I'm not Canadian and thus far from an expert, but I think I've seen somewhere that while Canadians do not need a visa, they do need an I-20 or DS2019 form from their university (i.e. the same form that other international students get from their universities to apply for visas).

[Guest Guest]

I found this in a brochure at http://www.voyage.gc.ca USA Bound: Advice for Canadian Travellers. Your university admissions folks - the ones who work with internationals should have this as well and you'll want to confirm. Also, I am fairly certain that you will also need to register with SEVIS - but confirm this also.

Studying in the

United States

Canadian students are no longer

allowed to begin study in the

United States without a valid Form

I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility).

These are issued by the U.S. school

and sent directly to the applicant.

In addition, students should have

the following ready for presentation

to the U.S. Customs officer at the

port of entry:

• documentary evidence of

sufficient funds to cover travel,

tuition and living expenses in

the United States;

• evidence that the applicant has

a residence outside the United

States and has no intention of

abandoning it; and

• evidence of scholastic and linguistic

proficiency for the academic

programs to be undertaken in

the United States.

[Guest Guest]

Here is some more information that will be helpful:

Student and Exchange Visas

http://amcits.com/student.asp

Also, be certain as to how you should present the required documentation ie. proof of funds and proof of ties to Canada. I am fairly certain you will be required to present a bank letter for the funds, but I am not sure of how one provides proof of ties? Letter from mom? Library card, drivers licence? It is a mystery to me at this point.

[Guest ...]

Thanks to you both.

I had seen the information at the consular website, but I guess I still want to talk to a live body just to confirm everything on the website (including those ambiguous things, like proof that I will have the money to pay for the tuition -- although it says the amount my school is giving me on my I-20, this may not be sufficient).

I was actually told by a friend of a friend, who is now studying in the US at the same institution where I will be going, that it is absolutely essential to call ahead to the consulate, and to customs -- like at the border if you're going by car -- and find out precisely what documents you need, and like the other poster, how they want you to present them. If your papers aren't in order then they can (and likely will) deny you entry, which would really, really, really (for lack of a better term) suck.