Is a Transit Visa Required?

[Divs 35]

So my husband has a lot of miles with American Airlines, which he is going to convert into a ticket for me to fly from India. I'll be flying Etihad from India to Abu Dhabi and then to Toronto. From Toronto, it's an AA flight. My question is if I would be required to have a transit visa for Toronto. I have been trying to get this information, but no one has been able to help. Can someone shed some light on this please?

[jhm3 15]

So my husband has a lot of miles with American Airlines, which he is going to convert into a ticket for me to fly from India. I'll be flying Etihad from India to Abu Dhabi and then to Toronto. From Toronto, it's an AA flight. My question is if I would be required to have a transit visa for Toronto. I have been trying to get this information, but no one has been able to help. Can someone shed some light on this please?

Yes, Canadian visa requirements apply for visitors and those in transit, according to this official website:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp

(The site does also point out the exception to visa requirements for "persons lawfully admitted to the US for permanent residence" who are carrying a green card or "can provide other evidence of permanent residence," so *maybe* a valid US immigrant visa would be enough to get around the Canadian visa requirement, but a strict reading of the rules would seem to indicate that the Canadian visa requirement applies until one actually has been admitted to the US as a permanent resident.)

Edited April 12, 2012 by jhm3

[Divs 35]

Thanks much. Makes a lot of sense too.

[sk2004 0]

If you are a greencard holder or US citizen, you may not need the transit visa.

However for other US visas, the Airlines ask for the Canada transit visa.

We made a mistake last year booking via Frankfurt to Toronto to USA. They stopped us at Frankfurt and we booked a direct flight to USA only on the next day and stayed in the Frankfurt airport that night

[pepper 34]

Check the Transit Without Visa(TWOV) program. The program allows certain foreign nationals to transit a participating Canadian international airport, on their way to and from the United States, without a Canadian transit visa if they meet these requirements:

• They are from certain countries;
• They hold a valid U.S. visa; and they travel on an approved airline.

The Transit Without Visa (TWOV) program operates at the following airports:

• Vancouver International Airport in British Columbia, Canada.
• Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (Terminal 1 only)

Edited April 12, 2012 by pepper

[pepper 34]

Here's the link from the Canada Border Services Agency regarding the said TWOV program... Happy trip!

http://cbsa-asfc.gc....ov-tsv-eng.html

[grrrrreat 109]

Here's the link from the Canada Border Services Agency regarding the said TWOV program... Happy trip!

http://cbsa-asfc.gc....ov-tsv-eng.html

India's not on the list.

[Divs 35]

Finally got it confirmed by the Canadian High Commission that indeed I do require a transit visa as I've not yet been allowed into the US with my green card.

[Aschenbecher 16]

why dont you fly directly to US? there are direct flights to US from both New Delhi and Mumbai.

[grrrrreat 109]

why dont you fly directly to US? there are direct flights to US from both New Delhi and Mumbai.

He said before he's trying to use AA points.