Details of Late Evening US to Australia Transfer at YVR?
Jan 27, 2017, 11:20 am
#1
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Details of Late Evening US to Australia Transfer at YVR?
I'd appreciate any information on this transfer between 9 pm and 11 pm. It seems like it'll be necessary to officially enter Canada at that hour. Is any consideration given to the fact we'll simply be transferring to an outbound international flight? For example, my mother holds a New Zealand passport and may need to apply for an ETA, which is a bit of a nuisance. We're also concerned about lineups at immigration.
Jan 27, 2017, 11:35 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2009
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I'd appreciate any information on this transfer between 9 pm and 11 pm. It seems like it'll be necessary to officially enter Canada at that hour. Is any consideration given to the fact we'll simply be transferring to an outbound international flight? For example, my mother holds a New Zealand passport and may need to apply for an ETA, which is a bit of a nuisance. We're also concerned about lineups at immigration.
Your mother holds a New Zealand passport and WILL need to apply for an ETA.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/v...standard=2&q3=
No exceptions. I've seen them deny boarding for those passengers who did not have the required paperwork.
Jan 27, 2017, 11:49 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
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Yeah, and applying for the eTA isn't actually that painful. At least, it's not painful if you aren't trying to apply for Canadian residency or haven't ever held a work/study permit or other relevant visa.
You'll also be clearing Canadian customs even in transit. So take a pen. FA's get very antsy when 300 people ask for a pen.
Lineups are hit and miss at pretty much all airports. I make it a point to sit as close to the front as possible if in Y (J obviously you get out quick) and then am normally first to immigration because I walk at a reasonable speed. It doesn't help much if you get two 380s landing before you but having been the very last person to get off a plane and straight into immigration before it can help.
YVR has, if memory serves, a decent length walk between most arrival gates and immigration which gives you plenty of time to catch up. Assuming your mother is okay with some speed walking
You'll also be clearing Canadian customs even in transit. So take a pen. FA's get very antsy when 300 people ask for a pen.
Lineups are hit and miss at pretty much all airports. I make it a point to sit as close to the front as possible if in Y (J obviously you get out quick) and then am normally first to immigration because I walk at a reasonable speed. It doesn't help much if you get two 380s landing before you but having been the very last person to get off a plane and straight into immigration before it can help.
YVR has, if memory serves, a decent length walk between most arrival gates and immigration which gives you plenty of time to catch up. Assuming your mother is okay with some speed walking
Jan 27, 2017, 3:53 pm
#5
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I'd appreciate any information on this transfer between 9 pm and 11 pm. It seems like it'll be necessary to officially enter Canada at that hour. Is any consideration given to the fact we'll simply be transferring to an outbound international flight? For example, my mother holds a New Zealand passport and may need to apply for an ETA, which is a bit of a nuisance. We're also concerned about lineups at immigration.
You certainly need to be admissible, but if the transit path is open, you don't need to "enter" Canada. Cursory check and you're in international departures area.
But your "at that hour" suggests you've done more research on this than I have, as I've only done it around 9am.
Jan 27, 2017, 8:33 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2007
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Select US to International at this link:
http://www.yvr.ca/en/passengers/navi...ssenger-guides
You will see that after 8pm the international transfer desk is closed, but it looks like after you go through customs there is a special procedure to get you directly back to the international gates.
http://www.yvr.ca/en/passengers/navi...ssenger-guides
You will see that after 8pm the international transfer desk is closed, but it looks like after you go through customs there is a special procedure to get you directly back to the international gates.
Feb 20, 2017, 2:52 pm
#9
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Our experience:
Transfer corridor closed. With mother in wheelchair, attendant and I proceed to Canada Immigration. I had already obtained a Canadian e-visa for my mother, who is a New Zealand citizen.
Immigration agent asks us rather rudely why we're visiting Canada for only one day. I tell him we have no desire to enter Canada, but are simply transferring to Australia. The agent totally changes his sarcastic tone and directs us back to an Air Canada pre-immigration desk, where our passports and boarding passes are checked for the onward flight. We are then wheeled onto an elevator and taken to the International Maple Leaf Lounge. No security check - pretty odd.
Here's a suggestion for an improved, standard international transfer process:
- Add a security check.
- Delete the visit to the immigration officer.
- Delete the need for overseas passport holders to obtain Canadian e-visas for an international transfer.
Transfer corridor closed. With mother in wheelchair, attendant and I proceed to Canada Immigration. I had already obtained a Canadian e-visa for my mother, who is a New Zealand citizen.
Immigration agent asks us rather rudely why we're visiting Canada for only one day. I tell him we have no desire to enter Canada, but are simply transferring to Australia. The agent totally changes his sarcastic tone and directs us back to an Air Canada pre-immigration desk, where our passports and boarding passes are checked for the onward flight. We are then wheeled onto an elevator and taken to the International Maple Leaf Lounge. No security check - pretty odd.
Here's a suggestion for an improved, standard international transfer process:
- Add a security check.
- Delete the visit to the immigration officer.
- Delete the need for overseas passport holders to obtain Canadian e-visas for an international transfer.
Feb 22, 2017, 9:11 am
#10
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 13,573
Our experience:
Transfer corridor closed. With mother in wheelchair, attendant and I proceed to Canada Immigration. I had already obtained a Canadian e-visa for my mother, who is a New Zealand citizen.
Immigration agent asks us rather rudely why we're visiting Canada for only one day. I tell him we have no desire to enter Canada, but are simply transferring to Australia. The agent totally changes his sarcastic tone and directs us back to an Air Canada pre-immigration desk, where our passports and boarding passes are checked for the onward flight. We are then wheeled onto an elevator and taken to the International Maple Leaf Lounge. No security check - pretty odd.
Here's a suggestion for an improved, standard international transfer process:
- Add a security check.
- Delete the visit to the immigration officer.
- Delete the need for overseas passport holders to obtain Canadian e-visas for an international transfer.
Transfer corridor closed. With mother in wheelchair, attendant and I proceed to Canada Immigration. I had already obtained a Canadian e-visa for my mother, who is a New Zealand citizen.
Immigration agent asks us rather rudely why we're visiting Canada for only one day. I tell him we have no desire to enter Canada, but are simply transferring to Australia. The agent totally changes his sarcastic tone and directs us back to an Air Canada pre-immigration desk, where our passports and boarding passes are checked for the onward flight. We are then wheeled onto an elevator and taken to the International Maple Leaf Lounge. No security check - pretty odd.
Here's a suggestion for an improved, standard international transfer process:
- Add a security check.
- Delete the visit to the immigration officer.
- Delete the need for overseas passport holders to obtain Canadian e-visas for an international transfer.
I welcome the fact there is no additional security check - if you remain in the sterile area, there should be no need for one, hundreds of airports world wide don't conduct secondary screenings if you remain in the sterile area, and it is just a pain to have to throw away e.g. your bottle of water / duty free purchases at airports with secondary security checks.