USA & Canada but really Canada/USA

jagmanx

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I have considered USA and Canad for some time "MOJO"'s posts have rekindled this
PLAN A (now defunct)
Ship MoHo to Baltimore use an ESTA visa for USA for 3 months
Enter Canada for another 3 months return from Halifax
This does not work as the 3 month time limit includes Canada !

PLAN B get a 6 month Canada visa
MoHo to Halifax Fly to Halifax
Still get a 3 month ESTA visa for USA so we can travel in USA and Canada
 
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I have considered USA and Canad for some time "MOJO"'s posts have rekindled this
PLAN A (now defunct)
Ship MoHo to Baltimore use an ESTA visa for USA for 3 months
Enter Canada for another 3 months return from Halifax
This does not work as the 3 month time limit includes Canada !

PLAN B get a 6 month Canada visa
MoHo to Halifax Fly to Halifax
Still get a 3 month ESTA visa for USA so we can travel in USA and Canada

Don't know if you know but your UK driving licence is only valid for 3 months in Canada, any longer than this and you have to surrender UK licence and obtain a Canadian drivers licence, some provinces may require you to take a test.
 
Thanks did not know !
I was expecting to use whichever of the International Driving permits is needed
 
1 I am happy that the Canada ETA visa waiver is valid for 6 months and will allow us to get Back to Canad from USA

2 Can anyone confirm that the USA ESTA waiver can be used at a road border from Canada to go into USA ?
I have asked the USA system and await a reply from them

I believe this will work well and in fact allow us more than 6 months total if we want but obviously a limit of 3 months in USA

The 1949 IDP (Drivers Licence?permit) is valid for both Canada and USA for 1 year..perfect
 
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So after a bit more checking and dates planning.
Shipping the Vehicle to and from Halifax seems best for us
Return Flights to Halifax from LHR
Flights will give us 178 Canada ETA days
Motorhome usage 173 Days
Thus touring within Canada only is in one sense the Backstop (no not the Brexit one)
This is all relatively simple in all respects
IF USA ESTA waiver allows us to enter USA we will do so as there are advantages
  • A more varied tour (Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, etc)
  • Cheaper fuel
  • A higher probabilty of more "Boondocking"
We could split the 173 Motohome days something like 80 in USA and 93 in Canada.
This would also take into account distances in each country.

Halifax is more convenient time wise as we have to book accommodation whilst the MoHo is in transit (Dock 2 days Sailing 6 or 7 Dock again 2 days)
Flights to Halifax are from LHR which is more convenient and ties in with accommodation possibilities. and flights only about 6 hours

The nice thing a bout this plan is that we can get both the Canada ETA and the USA ESTA cheaply and easily..
If we were to be refused entry to USA, which is unlikely, we can simply spend all our time in Canada !
 
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Reply from CBP...Confirmation of the previous 2 posts

Discussion Thread Response Via Email (CBP Officer)02/06/2019 01:01 PM
Thank you for contacting the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Information Center.

UK citizens can usually visit the US with the visa waiver program. All you need is your passport to enter the US by land. You need an ESTA or visa to enter or transit the US by commercial airline or cruise ship. There is a $6 fee per person at the border, and usually it takes just a short time to fill out the I-94W form, but at some busy CBP ports it can take over 1 hour. The I-94W will be valid for 90 days, and it can be used for multiple trips to the US by land while you are in the US and Canada. You do not have to pay for an I-94W if you recently entered or transited the US by commercial airline or cruise ship to get to Canada and have a current CBP stamp in your passport.

You do not need any special documents for the RV if you drive across the border and will take it back to Canada.

Please reply to this email if you have other questions.

Thank you again for contacting our office.

Mark

Visa Waiver Program


So Thanks to Tony and 2CV.....All systems Go
With both entry and re-entry possible (Both countries) it gives us more flexibility with our route options.
 
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Watched part of No 1 Halifax and downloaded
No2 also down loaded.
as you indicated all relevant.
The explosion in the harbour was significant..
When in UK we used to watch his UK/Euro programmes usually vg..he has a pleasant style (forget the politics) and the progs are well researched and produced
 
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Mmm ! Slight concern..
Current plan is to arrive in Halifax on 5th April and start using our vehicle on 8th or 9th April
Planning to wildcamp/boondock but also use campsites maybe once or twice a week.
It appears most campsites do not open in Nova Scotia until May 1st !
So 2 options
1 Drive to USA ASAP but Maine seems to be similar so not really any good
2 Change the dates of our tour so arrive say end of April
The problem with this is we would then not return to Uk until the end of October and we may experience similar closures in October and October is cold !
I am sure readers will appreciate that the equinox dates of 21st March and 21st September are crucial certainly in terms of daylight but also temperature.. I appreciate there is a delay in April in terms of retained heat from the middle of September.
I really do not want to arrive back in UK at the end of October..beginning is fine !

At present I would prefer to stick to my original dates..
But it may be prudent to go into the USA asap to drive west.. and then re-enter Canada somewhere near Calgary and drive east back to Halifax ?
Any thoughts/suggestions.. We aim for a full 180/178 visa stay and a tour in Moho of 172 days

Thanks
 
Nothing booked for Canada as yet.
But Flights to and from Thailand booked to arrive back in UK on Wed 18th March
Likely sailing on Monday 30th March so MoHo to Liverpool on Thu 26th March
Send MoHo to Halifax so fly to Halifax 4th 5th 6th or 7th April
 
Nothing booked for Canada as yet.
But Flights to and from Thailand booked to arrive back in UK on Wed 18th March
Likely sailing on Monday 30th March so MoHo to Liverpool on Thu 26th March
Send MoHo to Halifax so fly to Halifax 4th 5th 6th or 7th April
Hi Jagmanx ............. your trip sounds exciting and magic.



Do I understand you are not on your trip yet?



I lived in the States for over 35 years. Spent over 5 months in Canada even drove the 5000 mile number one route in Canada.



Loved Vancouver stayed for 3 months. Met several bears on the road on the way.



Whatever you do don't miss Yellowstone ..... maybe take in the Calgary stampede.



You have very little time and so much to do.



Plan your trip by the weather.



Head south like the "Canada snow birds" and take the southern route across the USA.

Take in New York City for 7 days and Washington DC on the way south if you can. I came out of Boston once going to Florida in the snow with wife and kids pulling a trailer by the next morning it was warm and no snow the following morning it was hot and the kids were swimming. If you are going to the cities use "Couch Surfing" or one of those people put you up for free and a lot of them will take you around.



I maybe able to give you some tips ............ you never know!


Rob.
 
Reading this makes me green with envy and stirs up so many memories.
 
Reading this makes me green with envy and stirs up so many memories.

Like you, I’m also a shade of green. This unfortunately will remain a pipe dream for me.
The main difference between Jagmanx’s trip and mine, is most of the people they’ll meet would speak English, almost. Let’s not use words like, aluminium, multi etc.?
 
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