Pearson POE-questions!

[burnsis 0]

I got my visa last week....2 days after my interview! I wasn't expecting it to be so fast.

I booked my flight to the US, and if I remember correctly, I am going to have to lug all my bags through customs with me. It's always been a pain, but now I will have two suitcases, a couple of carry-ons, a stroller, a giant carseat, and a toddler with me. How will I manage all of that, b/c last I recalled, they wouldn't let you use those carts while waiting. And I am told to get there 3 hrs early, b/c I have to activate the visa...what all does that involve? I am just worried about my toddler having a meltdown, and carrying all of that stuff on my own.

And will my luggage get tagged through to my final destination, or do I have to pick it up at my stopover destination and reload it? I had to do that coming from Asia to Canada via the US, but I wonder about from Canada to the US with a stop?

Edited November 7, 2008 by burnsis

[Wis-Can 0]

I got my visa last week....2 days after my interview! I wasn't expecting it to be so fast.

I booked my flight to the US, and if I remember correctly, I am going to have to lug all my bags through customs with me. It's always been a pain, but now I will have two suitcases, a couple of carry-ons, a stroller, a giant carseat, and a toddler with me. How will I manage all of that, b/c last I recalled, they wouldn't let you use those carts while waiting. And I am told to get there 3 hrs early, b/c I have to activate the visa...what all does that involve? I am just worried about my toddler having a meltdown, and carrying all of that stuff on my own.

And will my luggage get tagged through to my final destination, or do I have to pick it up at my stopover destination and reload it? I had to do that coming from Asia to Canada via the US, but I wonder about from Canada to the US with a stop?

I have been going back and forth from Nova Scotia to Wisconsin...had to change planes each trip...but they always looked after it.....well sort of, the last trip they lost my luggage, but I eventually got it back, damaged. Check with you airlines, most have limits now as to what you can take. Alot of them charge for the 2nd bag, and so on..the airline I take only allows one bag, $25 for the 2nd, etc..and one carry on with a size restriction. Be prepared! Last trip the lady beside me had a few bags, and as I was walking away I heard the $100 charge for the extra bags. Clearing customs, did it a few times that were only a few mintues and sometimes longer. Leave yourself lots of time. 3 hrs sounds reasonable to me, you might want to make it a little longer just in case..you don't want to miss your flight after all this! GOOD LUCK and take care.

[Carlawarla 1]

Congratulations on getting your visa! Nice timing on receiving it in the mail as well!

I don't know where you're from...what airport you're flying out of, or where you're flying to, or stopping at. I think that might make a difference. I've never heard about not having a cart?? That sounds ridiculous!

Most, not all Canadian airports have pre-clearance to the US now I believe, in which case you'll be activating your visa in Canada, before you board the plane. Depending on when you're leaving as well, 3 hours might be a bit too much time. You could always phone the airport to find a more realistic time to be there.

I flew Saskatoon to Minneapolis, and there is no pre-clearance there, so I didn't go through Customs until I got to the US. After going through, and processing my K-1, which was 5 minutes long...I had to pick up my luggage, and with the use of a cart, had to take it to the next area, to put it back on a belt, to be put on the next plane.

If you can provide us with more information, maybe someone with the specific airport experience can tell you how they did it.

[burnsis 0]

Congratulations on getting your visa! Nice timing on receiving it in the mail as well!

I don't know where you're from...what airport you're flying out of, or where you're flying to, or stopping at. I think that might make a difference. I've never heard about not having a cart?? That sounds ridiculous!

Most, not all Canadian airports have pre-clearance to the US now I believe, in which case you'll be activating your visa in Canada, before you board the plane. Depending on when you're leaving as well, 3 hours might be a bit too much time. You could always phone the airport to find a more realistic time to be there.

I flew Saskatoon to Minneapolis, and there is no pre-clearance there, so I didn't go through Customs until I got to the US. After going through, and processing my K-1, which was 5 minutes long...I had to pick up my luggage, and with the use of a cart, had to take it to the next area, to put it back on a belt, to be put on the next plane.

If you can provide us with more information, maybe someone with the specific airport experience can tell you how they did it.

Sorry, it's Pearson Int'l Airport in Toronto.

[SapphireDreams 71]

I would definitely give yourself 3 hours. I know it seems like a lot, but I fly through Pearson a lot and it can get busy. You may go through with no one else in there which also happens, but better to be safe than sorry.

As for your luggage, I'm pretty sure I've seen people go through with a cart - I could be wrong - but I remember people with lots of stuff using a cart (they looked like they were moving). I've seen people with a baby or toddler and they fold up the stroller and put it on the cart with all of their stuff piled and then just held the toddler. I'm sure its not ideal but the longest I've ever waited was around 20 minutes, so it's not that long.

What time/day and terminal are you flying? That really makes a huge difference too. Whenever I'm going through customs around 5:30 a.m.-8 a.m. its busy, same with 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. The rush hour traffic is the worst. Last week I went through at 4:00 p.m. and it was completely dead on a Friday in Terminal 3. I was pretty surprised, I thought it would be busier, but it wasn't. I also wondered whether that was because it was Halloween because my flight was half empty too.

If you are flying with the same airline, your luggage will travel through to your final destination. The only time it doesn't is when you take 2 separate airlines and have to re-check in but that is pretty rare so you should be good to go.

Good luck!

[Flames9_RN 358]

I flew through Pearson this past summer, and I'm pretty sure people had carts. Once ur through Immigration, you will put ur bags back on the carousel and you wont see them again until ur destination, or in some cases,you will NEVER see them again,lol

[Carlawarla 1]

Is is a review link of VJ members who wrote about Pearson as a POE.

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/poereviews.php

Here is the number of the Pearson Pre-Clearance (Border Control), that you can ask them about the cart issue if you want to know for certain. I think most POE's are going to tell you to be there 3 hours ahead of time, but I think a lot depends on what time of day you go.

Toronto Preclearance

Lester B. Pearson International Airport

P.O. Box 115

Toronto AMF

Toronto, Ontario, Canada L5P 1A2

Port Director

Phone: 905-676-2606

[burnsis 0]

I would definitely give yourself 3 hours. I know it seems like a lot, but I fly through Pearson a lot and it can get busy. You may go through with no one else in there which also happens, but better to be safe than sorry.

As for your luggage, I'm pretty sure I've seen people go through with a cart - I could be wrong - but I remember people with lots of stuff using a cart (they looked like they were moving). I've seen people with a baby or toddler and they fold up the stroller and put it on the cart with all of their stuff piled and then just held the toddler. I'm sure its not ideal but the longest I've ever waited was around 20 minutes, so it's not that long.

What time/day and terminal are you flying? That really makes a huge difference too. Whenever I'm going through customs around 5:30 a.m.-8 a.m. its busy, same with 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. The rush hour traffic is the worst. Last week I went through at 4:00 p.m. and it was completely dead on a Friday in Terminal 3. I was pretty surprised, I thought it would be busier, but it wasn't. I also wondered whether that was because it was Halloween because my flight was half empty too.

If you are flying with the same airline, your luggage will travel through to your final destination. The only time it doesn't is when you take 2 separate airlines and have to re-check in but that is pretty rare so you should be good to go.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the info. I am flying out Monday afternoon from term 1

Is is a review link of VJ members who wrote about Pearson as a POE.

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/poereviews.php

Here is the number of the Pearson Pre-Clearance (Border Control), that you can ask them about the cart issue if you want to know for certain. I think most POE's are going to tell you to be there 3 hours ahead of time, but I think a lot depends on what time of day you go.

Toronto Preclearance

Lester B. Pearson International Airport

P.O. Box 115

Toronto AMF

Toronto, Ontario, Canada L5P 1A2

Port Director

Phone: 905-676-2606

thanks!