Documents Needed for Travel to Canada

If you plan to visit Canada while you are an international student or scholar at Lewis & Clark, you will need the following:

1. A passport valid for at least six months into the future.
2. Your Form I-20 (or Form IAP-66 for scholars), recently endorsed on the back by International Students and Scholars staff. Note that Canadian authorities will NOT issue Canadian visas past the expiration date listed on your I-20.
3. Your I-94 (the small card stapled in your passport)
4. Your US F-1 visa (or J-1 visa for scholars) to permit your return to the US.
5. A Canadian entry visa (where required). To determine if you need an entry visa to Canada, consult this Visa Information Site.

Note: You may travel to Canada and return to the US with an expired F-1 student visa or as long as your travel is limited to Canada and you return within 30 days.

If you plan to travel in Canada only and for less than 30 days, do NOT surrender your I-94 card before entering Canada.

Canadian Visas

The Canadian government offers an excellent website, Application for a Temporary Resident Visa to Visit Canada, which will answer many of your questions. Please refer to it.

If you are from a country whose citizens are required to have an entry visa to Canada, you should apply for the visa well ahead of your departure date. You CANNOT apply for the entry visa at the border. You may apply for a visa by mail or in person at the Canadian Consulate in Seattle, Washington. To obtain a visa application form, you may write the Consulate in Seattle or download the application from Application for a Temporary Resident Visa (Tourist).

The Canadian Consulate in Seattle suggests two websites specific to their office that you might find helpful. General Information and Applying for a Temporary Visa in Seattle

The Consulate in Seattle accepts visitor visa applications Monday through Friday 08:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (except holidays). As of May 15, 2008, the processing fee for a single-entry visa is US $75 or C $75 and for a multiple-entry visa US$150 or C$150. The Consulate accepts US or Canadian dollars (cash), money orders and certified checks. Personal checks are not accepted.

The Seattle Consulate tries to provide same-day service to visitor visa applicants that apply in person in Seattle, and are able to do this for most applicants. However, they can not guarantee you will receive a visa on the same day that you apply. The best advice we can give you is to apply for your visitor visa as far as possible before your planned trip to Canada.

You may apply for your visitor visa by mail to Seattle. You need to allow four weeks processing time.

Canadian Consulate Info

Canadian Consulate General, Seattle
412 Plaza 600 - Sixth & Stewart Street
Seattle, Washington 98101-1286
Tel (206) 443-1777
Fax (206) 443-9662
Email: seatl@dfait-maeci.gc.ca