jmcullough101

Hi all, I've booked a flight from Jakarta to Seattle, with two segments, CGK-SIN and SIN-SEA. I just realized that the SIN-SEA flights (SQ28) and SEA-SIN (SQ27) have stopovers in Vancouver YVR, and I just found out that you need a transit visa even though they will be only a 1hr10mins and 1hr30mins layovers?

My passport is Indonesia. I am going to take off 3 Dec and it does not look like I'd have a good chance in having those transit visas pasted on my passport page.

Would appreciate any sage advice from you all!

flyingbubbles

It's my understanding that you would need a Canadian transit visa for your trip. It took me about 3 weeks to get my visitor visa for Canada - probably took a week longer than usual as I had to submit biometrics this time. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes even longer when applying from Indonesia. I don't know if there's any way to expedite the process.
I guess one of your alternatives could be to see if SQ can help you with changing your tickets (likely with an additional fee). You could fly to SFO or LAX and then take a domestic flight to SEA from there.
You could also consider either cancelling the ticket and/or rebook for a later date; and then buy a whole new ticket with a route that avoids Canada. Maybe someone else here would have another solution for you. Hope it all works out for you!

SilverChris

This is a grey area that hasn’t been definitely answered, even back in the days of CX888/889 (the former HKG-YVR-JFK). But the short answer is it depends on the person checking you in.

The issue is even though you’re technically in transit, you won’t follow the usual flow of transit passengers (i.e. having your passport checked by CBSA). It all depends on whether check-in process you as a SIN-SEA or SIN-YVR-SEA passenger.

Personally, I’d try to fly directly into SFO/LAX and connect to avoid the uncertainty.

jmcullough101

All, thanks so much for the insights, especially that it matters if I can get the flights checks in directly SIN-SEA

Will this help: both SQ28 and SQ27 flights are designated as direct flights to SEA and YVR
Does this mean that I can potentially just stay on plane and/or do not leave the boarding area?

demue

How about picking up the phone and calling SQ? We can all speculate, but they should have a better idea how the flight gets handled in YVR. Not sure if your CGK-SIN is on a separate ticket, but if so that could be why you didn't get any advisory on immigration rules in YVR. YMMV.

jmcullough101

Demue, I've spent 3 hours in 2 consecutive days tried calling SQ numbers in SG, ID, CA, none of them were picked up by the officer. I've emailed them, no reply back yet.

The CGK-SIN is under one booking (but I didn't mention it because I'm not concerned about that segment). No particular travel advice from SQ.

minhaoxue

Suggest you contact the Canadian Embassy in Indonesia for this question. There is a contact at the bottom of the link I provided. I noticed there is a provision to transit without a visa if you meet the criteria. You cannot remain on the aircraft or “hang around” the gate area. You will be seen by a Canadian Border Officer to verify your visa in the transit area. I assume you have a US Visa to enter the US. Only answer for you if you do not meet the criteria to TWOV is to rebook to the nonstop to either SFO or LAX . I have a feeling you got a good deal on the SEA flight and want to try to go that route.

http://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-...igibility.html

http://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-...a/transit.html

SilverChris

Since the flights haven’t launched yet, we don’t know what the arrangement is. But if it’s anything like CX888, US-bound pax get off and wait in a holding pen and/or go through a cursory BP/passport check. On the return, pax remained onboard in YVR.

Frankly, I don’t think calling SQ or the Canadian embassy is going to help. SQ office will say it’s your responsibility to find out, the Canadian embassy won’t understand the logistics of SQ27/28, but all that matters is what SQ check-in at CGK is going to say.

jmcullough101

Thanks! Again I truly appreciate your real knowledge on this. I've reached out to both Canadian Embassy and SQ via email and phone to no avail. At least this gives me a better sense on this situation.
​​​​​

jmcullough101

Thank you for the suggestion. The reason I why posted in this forum is because I've actually already reached out to both Canadian Embassy and SQ via email and phone to no avail, I figure some of the veterans here may have some knowledge.

And of course I want to as much as possible hang on to the ticket. Simply because schedule-wise it's the most sensible one. I still can work until Friday afternoon and then go to the airport to catch flight, spend overnight in SIN transit hotel and land in Seattle in the morning just in time to go through clearance and pick-up car before check-in in my accommodation. Other routes, during these times somehow are pretty bizzare. I could no longer find <24hrs via NRT/HND flight at the time when I booked the tix, which is around a month ago. Maybe because if the airline has them, they'll be selling like hotcakes?

But anyways thx

Henry_Texas

Flew 4 times between US and Europe. You will need a visa to transit in Canada. You don’t need to contact embassy or SQ, just Google. Canada immigration has a website detailing all information you need.
During my first transit, I was caught in a surprise when the check in agent told me I need a visa. For me, I am able to apply online and it, fortunately, took only a few minutes for the approval process.

lokijuh

Not always the case, I'm guessing the OP is confused by the fact that it is same plane, same flight number, as opposed to a change in flight where you to have transfer to a different aircraft and pre-clear US immigration.

I would guess the OP is actually travelling far too soon in the life of this service. The Canadian immigration site indicates that on specific carriers (eg CX, no doubt a legacy of the old service via YVR to JFK) four nationalities (including Indonesians) can transit without a visa enroute to the US. That arrangement doesn't seem to apply to SQ. Maybe in the future, who knows.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...igibility.html

jmcullough101

Honestly this is also my thought! How is it that PAL beaten SQ on this, but then just realized that SQ28 service is only going to restart 2Dec which is a day before my flight.

I'm probably gonna give Canada another shot some time but for now somehow miraculously a hassle-free (though it departs cruelly on 6AM) JAL flight via NRT is available, so am gonna take that.

Thanks folks

eosckar

Hi OP

I have the same exact situation as you do, and I am wondering if you have completed your travel and what was the outcome of it.
Did you fly anyway without transit visa thru YVR?
If yes, did they hassle you for a transit visa when you arrive?
Do you have to get out of the SQ28 Plane in YVR or you stay in the plane during Transit to SEA?

I have a few family members who have indonesian passport, and traveling CGK - SIN - YVR - SEA.
I have checked Canadian website and Singapore airline is not in the list of TWOV authorized airline and this threw me off. The document was last updated in 2019 which makes me think its old. However there is no other updated document and reaching out to Singapore Airline is useless.
I think i'd purchase Japan Airline instead of Singapore if I can't get any confirmation from anyone in a week time.

Thanks!

jmcullough101

Hey there, Canadian Embassy is just very sluggish in processing the transit visa online, and even then you should submit your passport to get the visa pasted on. I submitted my Canada transit visa application a week before my departure, and only got an update to submit my passport after I already landed in US for a week (I eventually just bought another ticket transiting via Narita). No hassle whatsoever.

You can move the SQ ticket to next year with no fee, if it helps.