Flight landing options:advice anyone?

[khenderson]

My partner finally received her COPR and now we are in the process of purchasing our flight tickets. Together we are going to be flying out of Amsterdam to Vancouver and the only airline that offers reasonable prices that aren't roundtrip have layovers. We have two options to choose from: we could have a layover in Seattle or Toronto. We are uncertain what would be the easiest way for my partner to land. I have read in the forums that regardless of your final destination, the first Canadian city you land in is the one you must go through the process of immigration. Does anyone have more to say on this matter or personal experience? If we choose the other option and have a layover in Seattle, does my partner, being Belgian, need some sort of transit visa to have a layover in the US? Any information would be gladly appreciated and help us with starting our new lives this year.

 

[tink23]

I don't have experience with this, as my husband had a direct flight, but I would think that it would be easier to land in Toronto and complete the landing process and then move onto Vancouver, than it would to go through customs of the U.S. and then have to do it again, plus PR immigration landing. As long as you have sufficient time between landing in Toronto and boarding the plane to Vancouver, I personally would choose Toronto. (My view might be biased because my husband would require a visa to land in the US. There is no such thing as a transit visa. If your spouse is not visa exempt from the U.S. -- however I feel like a Belgium probably is-- the he /she will need to get a visitor visa for the U.S.).

My spouse landed in Toronto, with no on going flight. From the time his plane landed, walked through all the long hallways, went through customs/ immigration and collected his bags, it was probably only a total of about 20-25 minutes or so. But other times may be busier (this was around 10pm on a Saturday) so u should also check the amount of time in the layover.

 

[khenderson]

I am leaning towards Toronto too. The layover time is 3 hours on a Wed. evening, I wonder if that is enough time?

 

[tink23]

I am leaning towards Toronto too. The layover time is 3 hours on a Wed. evening, I wonder if that is enough time?

Oh yes, that would be more than sufficient! Book it! It will be quicker in the long run to go through customs once in Toronto, than twice in US and Canada.

 

[keesio]

I am leaning towards Toronto too. The layover time is 3 hours on a Wed. evening, I wonder if that is enough time?

3 hours is a bit pushing it. The issue is not the actual landing process but the waiting in lines to get to talk to an officer. It depends on what time you land and a bit of luck (if you land right after several large international flights from a non-visa-exempt country).

My wife landed in Pearson airport. Landing itself took about 10 minutes. Waiting in various lines took about 80 minutes for a total of 90 minutes.

 

[Rob_TO]

Also keep in mind that it's not uncommon for flights to be delayed. So if the flight from Amsterdam is delayed a bit, that 3 hour window could turn into just 1 or 2 hours.

Though in cases like this where you miss a connecting flight due to combo of delays and /or long immigration lines, usually the airlines try to get you out on the next flight asap at no extra cost. And flights from Toronto - Vancouver run all the time so even if you did miss it, you shouldn't have much of a problem.

 

[truesmile]

My wife also landed in Toronto and on a flight full of non visa-exempt Filipinos. Landing took 10 minutes with no delays or line-ups to speak of.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

The big thing that can't be predicted is how many other people are landing at the same time as PRs or activating work permits or study permits.

Your flight can land at the same time as 6 other flights but all of the other passengers are merely entering as visitors, so it wouldn't be much of a wait at secondary. Or you could be the only flight landing but 10 people who got off the plane ahead of you are also landing as PRs, so you would be waiting awhile.

 

[keesio]

The big thing that can't be predicted is how many other people are landing at the same time as PRs or activating work permits or study permits.

Your flight can land at the same time as 6 other flights but all of the other passengers are merely entering as visitors, so it wouldn't be much of a wait at secondary. Or you could be the only flight landing but 10 people who got off the plane ahead of you are also landing as PRs, so you would be waiting awhile.

When my wife landed, the issue was the line to get to the first CBSA officer. Once she got to one and sent to secondary, the line for that was small. She was unlucky where there were a few other big flights that landed just before hers (One from Delhi, another from Beijing) so the main customs/immigration line was very long.

 

[steaky]

I thought there is a British Airways flight from London, UK to Vancouver, BC. Why don't you consider that?

 

[BCKev]

I am leaning towards Toronto too. The layover time is 3 hours on a Wed. evening, I wonder if that is enough time?

When my wife came to Canada we did the landing in Toronto. I allowed four hours for a layover. The landing process only took an additional 5 or 10 minutes. We had lots of time.

 

[brucem]

I thought there is a British Airways flight from London, UK to Vancouver, BC. Why don't you consider that?

You can fly with BA from AMS via Heathrow...I think the problem is the cost, its pretty expensive on short notice.

 

[Christoph100]

I am not really sure if this could be done or not...But perhaps look into AMS to LHR (Heathrow) then LHR to YOW (Ottawa) providing they can do PR landings there (they should be able to its an international airport) Ottawa is much smaller then Toronto less flights normally arriving at the same time. Plus flying into to Ottawa from the UK might be less expensive. After your PR landing its a 5hr 15min flight to YVR (Vancouver) from YOW.

Just a thought as I know YOW quite well.

Chris.

 

[jmd2014]

I'll give another vote for landing directly in Canada.

The US does not have anything resembling an in-transit visa. As far as I know everyone except citizens of Canada and Bermuda are required to have a visitor visa even if you are only transiting through the US.

My girlfriends family from Brazil has the same experience. If they fly a US airline via the US they must have a US visa. If they fly direct from Sao Paulo to Toronto on Air Canada, obviously it's not necessary.

Three hours should be plenty of time for making a normal international-domestic connection in Toronto. I personally have no idea how much longer the landing processing would take. But as others have said, there are plenty of flights from Toronto to Vancouver

 

[bigredmoose]

I'll give another vote for landing directly in Canada.

The US does not have anything resembling an in-transit visa. As far as I know everyone except citizens of Canada and Bermuda are required to have a visitor visa even if you are only transiting through the US.

My girlfriends family from Brazil has the same experience. If they fly a US airline via the US they must have a US visa. If they fly direct from Sao Paulo to Toronto on Air Canada, obviously it's not necessary.

Three hours should be plenty of time for making a normal international-domestic connection in Toronto. I personally have no idea how much longer the landing processing would take. But as others have said, there are plenty of flights from Toronto to Vancouver

Seconded - avoid going through the US. Just adds a layer of grief.