Toronto Airport pre-clearance facility trouble

[piglett 16]

not sure where this goes mod, feel free to move it where you like

well my wife will be flying out of manila on June 5th & she will be changing planes in Toronto

here is the question..... she is a CR-1 visa holder & this will be her 1st time entering the U.S.

what hours is the pre-clearance facility open there in Toronto???

her flight will arrive there at 6:55pm

is that too late? will the preclearance be closed

she has 1.5 hours till her next flight (is that enough time???)

is the whole deal screwed up?

i thought her POE would be boston but now i find out about some crazy pre-clearance place up in Canada

i paid for the trip insurance ( i guess that's a good thing)

thanks for your help in advance

piglett

Edited May 16, 2012 by piglett

[Ryan H 3,790]

Moved from Moving Here & Your New Life In America to Working & Traveling During US Immigration forum

You can call this number that I found on the CBP website for the Toronto Preclearance facility: (905) 676-2606

[ruseter 4]

you better choose JFK as your point of entry... because the OFFICERS there are on breeze.... very nice and very fast on attending cr1/ir1 visa holders

[SF2007 48]

You can call the airport for their hours. I personally had no issues at Pearson airport (Toronto). It took me a big 15 min to be processed in June last year (K1). But that was very early in the morning and no one was ahead of me waiting to be processed.

However, a 1:50 layover is most likely not enough for any airport. By 6 PM, there might be a whole trail of people backlogged waiting to be processed. You can read POE reviews for Toronto airport HERE.

Good luck!

[piglett 16]

you better choose JFK as your point of entry... because the OFFICERS there are on breeze.... very nice and very fast on attending cr1/ir1 visa holders

well the trouble is we have had the ticket for weeks so i don't see how we can do the JFK POE

thanks

piglett

[piglett 16]

You can call the airport for their hours. I personally had no issues at Pearson airport (Toronto). It took me a big 15 min to be processed in June last year (K1). But that was very early in the morning and no one was ahead of me waiting to be processed.

However, a 1:50 layover is most likely not enough for any airport. By 6 PM, there might be a whole trail of people backlogged waiting to be processed. You can read POE reviews for Toronto airport HERE.

Good luck!

i didn't know anything about this off site POE up in Canada

the whole thing sounds a bit nutty to me but i guess someone thought it would be a great idea(not sure who or why)

i have the trip insurance so if she can't make it i would think she would be able to get a later flight out of Toronto

these are all just guesses on my part though

i'll check the Toronto POE thread

thanks for helping

piglett

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Of course the pre-clearance facility is open. If they closed, then no one would be allowed to board flights. The "facility" is just in the lines you go through, it's not a separate business. It's the airport. Everyone goes through pre-clearance there, not just your wife.

[piglett 16]

Of course the pre-clearance facility is open. If they closed, then no one would be allowed to board flights. The "facility" is just in the lines you go through, it's not a separate business. It's the airport. Everyone goes through pre-clearance there, not just your wife.

well after looking over all the reviews for the Toronto POE it looks to be a mixed bag

sometimes it's quick & ez

other times it's like pulling teath (long and painfull)

thankyou for your input

piglett

[thekfc 26]

You should me making phone calls to the Toronto Preclearance facility (& the airline) to get information & to know what to do or expect.

Find out what flights are available after her connecting flights - both on the airline she is traveling & on partner/Alliance member airlines. If she miss her connecting flight, she can be put on a later flight IF she request & pushes hard enough (the airlines usually do not volunteer).

Also check to see if she is flying on the same airline all the way through or it is codeshare?

Try to find out if her luggage will be checked ALL the way through to Boston or will she have to get her bags, clear customs, then re-check the luggage for her onward journey?

Reading material:

http://torontopearson.com/Connecting.aspx#

Once again call to confirm what steps are needed.

Having travel insurance is only a step, you have to do your part too and also know your rights should stuff happens.

Of course the pre-clearance facility is open. If they closed, then no one would be allowed to board flights.

The "facility" is just in the lines you go through, it's not a separate business. It's the airport.

Everyone goes through pre-clearance there, not just your wife.

I think that the in-transit pre-clearance do close as stated by the The Canada Border Services Agency (someone who have more or direct knowledge on the subject can correct me). The CBSA states that when The USA side is closed then passengers are directed to their Canadian Border Services area:

http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/twov-tsv/it-iiv-eng.html

Below is what is written on the CBSA site:

Notice: Travellers who are changing flights in Canada must arrive during the hours of operation of the U.S. in-transit pre-clearance facility to be able to travel without a Canadian transit visa under the TWOV program. Therefore, travellers should check their flight connections with the airline.

Travellers who miss their connecting flight or arrive after hours when the U.S. in-transit pre-clearance facility is closed are no longer eligible to travel without a transit visa under the TWOV program and must proceed to a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer for examination.