Crossing border to US from Canada and driving licence

[Guest]

Hi

We are going to Canada on holiday in July and plan on a day trip by car from Vancouver to the Boeing Factory in Everett. Anyone any recent experience of time it takes to do the paperwork at the US border?
Our US ESTAs have expired but don't believe need these for land crossing (just arriving by sea or air) so was not going to renew them for this trip.
Is it likely to be hours waiting at border to process visa form when intend returning to Vancouver that same evening. My son really wants to visit the Boeing Factory as its close distance wise, but if it's going to be hours of hassle may have to rethink.

Also is UK driving licence OK for car hire in Canada? I think it is although AA seem to recommend getting an International Drivers Permit as well? Anyone ever been asked to show this?

[Melbatb]

I have done the crossing from USA to Canada heading to Vancouver.

You don't need your ESTA but when we crossed via ferry from Vancouver Island to Seattle it would have been easier if the kids had an ESTA (we did!). You have to fill in the white visa waiver form.

Going into Canada was quick (depends on the day and time - avoid Friday and Sunday evenings!) We did have to insist they took out the visa waiver forms from the passports though (as proof we had left the USA!)

Car hire: we have hired quite a few cars in Canada with just our french driving licences. However, watch out for who you hire your car with. Some allow cross border teavel (Hertz certainly do) but others (Discount) do not.

The Boeing factory is worth the trip! About half an hour north is a big outlet mall too

Shout if anything isn't clear!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Melbatb

I have done the crossing from USA to Canada heading to Vancouver.

You don't need your ESTA but when we crossed via ferry from Vancouver Island to Seattle it would have been easier if the kids had an ESTA (we did!). You have to fill in the white visa waiver form.

Going into Canada was quick (depends on the day and time - avoid Friday and Sunday evenings!) We did have to insist they took out the visa waiver forms from the passports though (as proof we had left the USA!)

Car hire: we have hired quite a few cars in Canada with just our french driving licences. However, watch out for who you hire your car with. Some allow cross border teavel (Hertz certainly do) but others (Discount) do not.

The Boeing factory is worth the trip! About half an hour north is a big outlet mall too

Shout if anything isn't clear!

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Thanks, do you remember the name of the outlet mall...I will put in the sat nav and visit if have time. 😃

[Melbatb]

Seattle Premium Outlets 😉

[Cannavar]

ESTAs made no difference when you cross the border (we went both ways). We were delayed 2 hours so make sure you factor in a lot of time before your tour at the factory departs.

[Melbatb]

Originally Posted by Cannavar

ESTAs made no difference when you cross the border (we went both ways). We were delayed 2 hours so make sure you factor in a lot of time before your tour at the factory departs.

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I agree in that you don't need them but on VI the immigration guy was quite insistant it would have been easier (for whom I am not sure )

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Cannavar

ESTAs made no difference when you cross the border (we went both ways). We were delayed 2 hours so make sure you factor in a lot of time before your tour at the factory departs.

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Aim to collect car about 9am at Vancouver airport after 4 nights in the city, then drive to Everett for a 2 or 3pm tour of the Boeing factory. Then back to Richmond, Canada after the tour prior to ferry to Victoria the following morning. Hopefully plenty time and a bit of shopping on the way there or back.
Is it any quicker getting back into Canada?

[Melbatb]

Originally Posted by Floridafan1903

Aim to collect car about 9am at Vancouver airport after 4 nights in the city, then drive to Everett for a 2 or 3pm tour of the Boeing factory. Then back to Richmond, Canada after the tour prior to ferry to Victoria the following morning. Hopefully plenty time and a bit of shopping on the way there or back.
Is it any quicker getting back into Canada?

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We got through in 10 minutes on a Saturday afternoon but I honestly think it is completely luck of the draw! What day of the week are you going?

[neilhd]

We did it last year, crossing from Ontario to New York State.

We had to queue for about an hour I think in the car just to get to a booth (might not have been that long, can't really remember).

Then we had to park up and go into a building to be processed. There were quite a lot of people in there, but we were called quickly (maybe 10 mins) - certainly a lot quicker than some of the others waiting. We then had to answer a few questions -normal immigration stuff. He asked if we had ESTAs (we did). I don't remember if we then filled out forms or not (sorry, not being much help!). He put a visa waiver thing in our passport anyway, and we had to pay a few $ to the cashier. Then we were given a ticket to show to the officer on the way out and allowed to leave.

[Cannavar]

Originally Posted by Floridafan1903

Aim to collect car about 9am at Vancouver airport after 4 nights in the city, then drive to Everett for a 2 or 3pm tour of the Boeing factory. Then back to Richmond, Canada after the tour prior to ferry to Victoria the following morning. Hopefully plenty time and a bit of shopping on the way there or back.
Is it any quicker getting back into Canada?

See more...

We went back into Canada on the ferry to Vancouver island from Port Angeles. That was really quick.