F-1 student traveling to Canada

[loparino]

Oi guys,

 

F-1 student here who is planning on attending a conference in Canada in September. I have my F-1 status still valid but my visa expired last year. Questions:

 

1. It states on the Canadian immigration page that F-1 students can travel to Canada without being required to have a Visa. Does anyone have any experience with this?

2. If it is indeed possible to travel with just my F-1 status, would the cbp require a visa in returning to the country?

3. If they would, can an international student renew their visa in Canada without having to return to their countries?

[fuzzylogician]

1. Should be possible, though this is one of those things that I wouldn't want to have to test myself. You should consult with the International Students Office at your school to confirm.

2. If the CBP would want anything from you, it would be going into Canada, not coming back. When you come back you only see US immigration officers. There's some new fee you may have to pay if you're flying in (but not if you're crossing via land), so make sure you check that ahead of time. What could happen is that an airline or bus/train operator gives you trouble because of your expired visa, but since you go through immigration at the airport (going back), that shouldn't really be a problem. 

3. It should be possible, but (a) it could take time both to get an appointment and then to actually get your passport back once your visa has been approved, and (b) it's generally not advised to renew your passport in a third country.