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US Visa for PR Card Holders |
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HiCan 
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 Topic: US Visa for PR Card HoldersPosted: 17 May 2010 at 2:05pm |
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I have a question: How PR holder can visit USA for few days:
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canvis2006
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Posted: 17 May 2010 at 2:24pm |
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Check the US Embassy website:
http://www.consular.canada.usembassy.gov/canada.asp |
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dpenabill
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Posted: 17 May 2010 at 2:55pm |
The quote is from -- http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1260.html Beyond that I am not sure, but what follows is my understanding -- Hopefully someone else will offer more detail, but my understanding is that generally it depends on the person's nationality, the passport they carry. I believe that the process is the same, again depending on the individual's citizenship, for anyone from the same country. In other words, everyone from Kenya (just as an example) must apply via the same process whether or not they hold PR status in Canada. It is my impression that having PR status in Canada may be a positive factor, even a very strong factor, in favor of a visa being issued to someone from a country which is not visa exempt, but that has to do with the prospects of obtaining a visitor visa not with the process, not with how one goes about obtaining one. The U.S. has a "Visa Waiver Program" in which 36 countries participate; citizens of these countries may travel to the States by obtaining "authorization" (ESTA) to travel to the States . . . I think the process is simple but must be done prior to approaching a U.S. POE. Also see: http://canada.usembassy.gov/content/index.asp or http://canada.usembassy.gov/content/content.asp?section=can_usa&subsection1=borderissues&document=borderissues_whti |
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Bureaucracy is what bureaucracy does, or When in doubt, follow the instructions. Otherwise, follow the instructions.
BTW: Not an expert, not a Can. lawyer, never worked in immigration |
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canvis2006
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Posted: 17 May 2010 at 3:04pm |
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Just because one holds a PR Card doesn't mean the US will issue a visa.
They will want to see your 'strong ties' to Canada and/or your country of nationality or habitual residence. The same as in applying for a visa to visit any country. You have to provide the documents and meet the criteria and satisfy American consul. |
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dpenabill
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Posted: 17 May 2010 at 3:25pm |
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Right, the issuance of a visitor's visa to someone from a country not part of the VWP is entirely discretionary and of course "ties" are highly relevant to the extent they evidence a likelihood of not overstaying one's visit.
But being a PR of Canada is a factor. And, as I said, it "may be a positive factor, even a very strong factor." The prospect of obtaining a visitor's visa to the U.S. by many citizens of third world countries can be remote, regardless of evidence of ties to their home country. In contrast, it is my impression that a citizen of such a country who is a well-established PR in Canada, with the usual ties, has a significantly better prospect (no guarantee obviously) of obtaining a visitor's visa to the U.S. How long one has lived in Canada as a PR may be relevant for example, as well as the usual indicators like employment, home ownership, family ties, and so on. In any event, though, the process for such a person remains the same: there is no distinction for Canadian PRs in terms of how they apply for and obtain a visitor's visa. Edited by dpenabill - 17 May 2010 at 3:26pm |
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Bureaucracy is what bureaucracy does, or When in doubt, follow the instructions. Otherwise, follow the instructions.
BTW: Not an expert, not a Can. lawyer, never worked in immigration |
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canvis2006
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Posted: 17 May 2010 at 11:53pm |
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well yes having residency status in Canada sure helps, its just a matter of 'sooner or later' rather than 'never'.
But to make it a success a good stable job would go a long way to show ties here. |
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Beaver
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Posted: 18 May 2010 at 12:18am |
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That's why while I was a PR I resisted the urge to apply for a US tourist visa despite my American cousins' pleas for me to visit them. They thought since I was a PR in Canada it would be a breeze to apply for the visa, but I felt it would have just have been a hassle to go through the process with little or no chances of being granted a visa. I came from a country with a high rate of visa refusals from the US Consulate.
I agree, if the country of citizenship is not part of the 36 countries participating under the VWP, inquire with the US consulate about obtaining a Visa before making travel plans. Interestingly, Canada is not part of the list of countries of the VWP, but Canadians can still enter the US temporarily for business and pleasure without the need of a visa. |
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dpenabill
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Posted: 18 May 2010 at 1:05am |
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Canada, Bermuda, and Mexico are part of the . . . I forget its name, North America some bull or another initiative. While the VWP is essentially a pre-screening but similar in effect to a visa-exempt arrangement, the arrangement with Canada, Bermuda, and Mexico is more like the visa-exempt arrangement which, as I understood it, used to be similar to Canada's visa-exempt program . . . but in any event, citizens of Canada, Bermuda, and Mexico can be admitted to the U.S. by simply approaching a POE with proper identification (ranging from passports to enhanced drivers licenses), subject to the same sort of restrictions/scrutiny as a visa-exempt person seeking entry into Canada at a POE.
But yeah, one's country of origin is by far the most significant factor in whether or not one can anticipate being granted a visitor's visa to the U.S. Citizens of a certain few countries will have much difficulty in obtaining a visitor's visa regardless of other circumstances. But even for citizens of most other countries for which visitor's visas are generally difficult to obtain, being a PR of Canada will probably improve the odds substantially depending on a lot of factors, including (but not limited to, as in there are other factors): -- Length of time residing in Canada, and time a PR of Canada. -- General state of ties to locality where the PR lives in Canada, and -- Specific ties including: -- job (with nature and length of job and related factors being relevant) -- home ownership -- family -- And other indications of ties, as in bank accounts, utility bills, and so on -- as well as travel history generally And yeah, even then, there are no guarantees. |
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Bureaucracy is what bureaucracy does, or When in doubt, follow the instructions. Otherwise, follow the instructions.
BTW: Not an expert, not a Can. lawyer, never worked in immigration |
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Permanent residents (aka landed immigrants) of Canada must have a nonimmigrant visa unless the permanent resident is a national of a country that participates in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), meets the VWP requirements, and is seeking to enter the U.S. for 90 days or less under that program.