question on crossing US/CDN border
 

Quick question... I'm a Canadian citizen living in the U.S. with permanent resident status. I live in the SFO area, and need a flight to get to YYZ around Christmas time. As you can imagine, flights are easily $1000+ right now. If I did the SFO to JFK on Virgin America, that would be about $200, and then do Porter to go for EWR to YYZ for about $300. Granted, I would need to get from JFK to EWR, but there are shuttles. It would be a little awkward, but is this doable? My question would mainly be the customs angle; would they be freaked that I didn't take a direct flight? I'm sure there are multi city trips that do this type of thing. Is this a crazy idea, or doable? Just trying to save a little bit of money, but if it's a silly idea to do around the holidays, I can be talked out of it.

Thanks!

They don't care they you didn't do a direct. It'll probably never come up. And if it does, saying you routed through NYC is perfectly reasonable.

joe

Which customs agency would care? If you are a Canadian citizen, they can't deny you entry into your country. But who is going to even know about it? As far as they know, you are coming in on the Newark flight and that's all there is to it.

On the very odd chance that they dug into your itinerary, tell them the truth: You are doing it to save ~$600.

It happens all the time. Canadians regularly drive to such airports as BUF, BLI, and SEA because flights are generally cheaper ex US.

It would be prudent to have your flight documentation handy for your drive back into the US to show American authorities if asked. Canadian relatives have been asked for that very occasionally. @:-)

Welcome to FT. ^

As to the rest, getting from JFK to EWR is no walk in the park, and can be very expensive. I would avoid that airport shuffle at all costs.

If you don't have too many bags to schlep, you can do the transfer by train. Inexpensive, and immune from traffic delays. Lots of threads on this in the NYC forum here.

As the previous poster wrote, if you don't have too many bags to deal with, what's mentioned on these pages would be a good place to start:
http://www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk-a...nnections.html
http://www.panynj.gov/airports/ewr-a...nnections.html

Even with bags, I'd lean toward the train, and just carry-ons makes this a no-brainer. Take the train.

As for customs, they really won't care. Indeed, you are a citizen of Canada, so the CBSA really has no interest in grilling you beyond your duty free allowance.

They will ask you how long you intend to stay and sometimes they ask where you are staying. Neither question is any business of theirs, but sometimes to go along you have to get along. On the return, sometimes if your destination in the USA is not near your home or doesn't seem along then way, CBP will ask why. You have good reason: avoid ridiculous Canadian air fares. If they don't buy it, be prepared to show copies of screen shots taken when you were fare shopping.

Don't they ask these questions to determine the tax status of a person?

I think it would be an overkill for a GC holder. As a LPR, you don't have to prove to the CBP your right to enter the country given that your absence was less than 6 months.

The Newark Airport Express and I Presume its called the JFK Airport Express sell a joint ticket, ehich requires a transfer in the Port Authority, all for 24 bucks

OP is a Canadian citizen. CBSA would almost certainly not care, as the OP can stay as long as they please and wherever they want. Similarly, as a Green Card holder, the OP can live anywhere and stay as long as they want. They might well ask where the OP is going, or something of the sort, but still wouldn't be of particular issue.

Why would cbsa need to know my tax status? This would only an issue for a Canadian who is returning to Canada to re-reside in Canada. In which case he would enter Canada as a resident, and if was bringing in stuff acquired outside of Canada, declare that. The duty exemptions per item for people re-residing are quite high, $10k per item if I read the pamphlet at YVR correctly.

As for overkill, you might think so but you would be wrong. I am an lpr and once entered the USA from Canada at.a pre clearance facility, and was questioned why I was flying to ORD and not DEN. In my case I was going to FRA and beyond. I was then questioned as to the purpose of my trip overseas.

Whether you think cbsa cares or not is irrelevant. For reasons the cbsa keeps to itself, it does care. I am Canadian, and these are my experiences, whether you like it or not.