Transit in Canada to the US under IR5 Visa

[myworld22 14]

Hi I would like to ask if my parents will be needing a transit visa as we have a 3 hours lay over in Toronto towards Dallas as their POE. 

 

They are new landed immigrant under IR5 Visa and  will be traveling with us ( Both USC ) from Dubai. 
 

They hold a Philippine passport currently. 

 

I can't find anything similar to my question so I will really appreciate any response. 

 

 

[Aluvaboy 61]

14 minutes ago, myworld22 said:

Hi I would like to ask if my parents will be needing a transit visa as we have a 3 hours lay over in Toronto towards Dallas as their POE. 

 

They are new landed immigrant under IR5 Visa and  will be traveling with us ( Both USC ) from Dubai. 
 

They hold a Philippine passport currently. 

 

I can't find anything similar to my question so I will really appreciate any response. 

 

 

No transit visa required. They (your parents) cannot go out of the airport terminal. The three hour layover is very common in International flights! There is enough restaurants, shopping area (even for window shopping) and rest rooms just to kill the three hours. It is not even three hours. You have to be at the departing gate at least 30 minutes before the flight!

[Mike E 11,723]

24 minutes ago, myworld22 said:

 

 

 landed immigrant

that term is an archaic Canadian thing. My advice is that to avoid  confusion, you not use that term 

 

Quote

 

under IR5 Visa and  will be traveling with us ( Both USC ) from Dubai.
 

They hold a Philippine passport currently. 

They might  not require a transit visa, according to the Canadian government website:
 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/transit/without-visa/eligibility.html

“

To be eligible, you need to

1. have these documents
   • a valid U.S. visa
   • a valid passport from […]
     • Philippines

“
 

There are other requirements, and so I can’t conclusively say a visa won’t be needed because you didn’t share enough details. Since you are coming from Dubai, it is likely they will not qualify 

Edited February 24, 2023 by Mike E

[Crazy Cat 39,317]

23 minutes ago, Aluvaboy said:

No transit visa required. They (your parents) cannot go out of the airport terminal. The three hour layover is very common in International flights! There is enough restaurants, shopping area (even for window shopping) and rest rooms just to kill the three hours. It is not even three hours. You have to be at the departing gate at least 30 minutes before the flight!

Are you sure about that?  Until recently, Canda required even green card holders to obtain a transit visa. 

[Mike E 11,723]

12 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Until recently, Canda required even green card holders to obtain a transit visa. 

Say what now?

[Crazy Cat 39,317]

Just now, Mike E said:

Say what now?

"Recently" might not be accurate.  A few years ago, we missed a flight transiting through Canada on the way to Taiwan because my wife (Green Card holder then) didn't have an electronic transit document.....and it took 2 days to get it.  They changed the law (as you pointed out a couple years ago).

[Mike E 11,723]

Just now, Crazy Cat said:

"Recently" might not be accurate.  A few years ago, we missed a flight transiting through Canada on the way to Taiwan because my wife (Green Card holder then) didn't have an electronic transit document.....and it took 2 days to get it.  They changed the law (as you pointed out a couple years ago).

Until April of 2022, green card holders needed an eTA, electronic Travel Authorization.  The eTA was needed to enter  Canada.  An eTA isn’t an electronic transit. It’s the U.S. equivalent of ESTA.  
 

TWOV for citizens of Philippines and a few other countries (including Taiwan but only under limited conditions … see my link in my comment) has been around for years, but it requires a visa for the U.S.  Even if your wife’s passport adhered to the conditions, technically since a gc isn’t a visa, she could not transit. Silly of course. But then again more countries grant a visa waiver to holders of visas than holders of green cards so the silliness is extensive.
 

Or she was denied because she wasn’t on the right airline. 

 

 

 

[myworld22 14]

34 minutes ago, Mike E said:

that term is an archaic Canadian thing. My advice is that to avoid  confusion, you not use that term 

 

They might  not require a transit visa, according to the Canadian government website:
 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/transit/without-visa/eligibility.html

“

To be eligible, you need to

1. have these documents
   • a valid U.S. visa
   • a valid passport from […]
     • Philippines

“
 

There are other requirements, and so I can’t conclusively say a visa won’t be needed because you didn’t share enough details. Since you are coming from Dubai, it is likely they will not qualify 

 

Sorry for the confusion.

 

They both hold Philippine Passport with I- 551stamp and statement of endorsement like the picture below. Its their first time to enter USA & Canada.

 

Our flight will be Manila - Dubai - Toronto - Dallas.

I saw a list of acceptable document ,   but I'm getting confused unsure if their I-551 will be accepted as they will enter Canada first before  the USA, so no stamp with date yet from homeland security? 

 

 

[Crazy Cat 39,317]

2 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Until April of 2022, green card holders needed an eTA, electronic Travel Authorization.  The eTA was needed to enter  Canada.  An eTA isn’t an electronic transit. It’s the U.S. equivalent of ESTA.  
 

TWOV for citizens of Philippines and a few other countries (including Taiwan but only under limited conditions … see my link in my comment) has been around for years, but it requires a visa for the U.S.  Even if your wife’s passport adhered to the conditions, technically since a gc isn’t a visa, she could not transit. Silly of course. But then again more countries grant a visa waiver to holders of visas than holders of green cards so the silliness is extensive.
 

Or she was denied because she wasn’t on the right airline. 

 

 

 

I was so angry, we just rebooked another airline....LOL.

[myworld22 14]

50 minutes ago, Aluvaboy said:

No transit visa required. They (your parents) cannot go out of the airport terminal. The three hour layover is very common in International flights! There is enough restaurants, shopping area (even for window shopping) and rest rooms just to kill the three hours. It is not even three hours. You have to be at the departing gate at least 30 minutes before the flight!

 

Yes we dont have any plan getting out the airport at all. We will go straight to transit area, and  I just wana double confirm this visa thing for them to prior to our flight.

[Mike E 11,723]

1 hour ago, myworld22 said:

Our flight will be Manila - Dubai - Toronto - Dallas

And given your first two segments are likely on Emirates airlines that’s not going to work. Again you are not sharing enough details (as is your right). But without details you won’t get the best possible advice. 

 

Because the immigration visa is not endorsed until CBP stamps it (which does happen in Toronto) they don’t have an I-551.  They do have a visa. But there a tiny number of airlines eligible for TWOV.  Read the link I gave you, share your details, rebook your flight on Philippines airlines, or rebook your flight so that it bypasses Canada.  

Edited February 24, 2023 by Mike E