Sailing USA to Canada on ESTA visa

[olaf hart]

Need advice.
We live in Australia and regularly visit the USA on an ESTA electronic visa.
Our son and his family live in the USA.
We want to take a sailboat from Port Townsend to cruise the Canadian Gulf Islands, and have been advised we can't re enter the US on an electronic visa.
Apparently the US only permits entry by mass transit.
Looking at options, we could fly in to North America on a Canadian electronic visa, then enter the US to visit our son.
If we are on a Canadian Electronic visa, would the normal US / Canada arrangements allow us to cross the border freely on our boat?

[leftbrainstuff]

AFAIK you cannot enter or depart the US on an ESTA visa.

However this what you do when you enter or leave on a cruise ship or commercial aircraft.

I believe the problem is the cruise lines and airlines are required to provide their passenger manifests to US agencies some time before arrival.

Have any Aussies managed to do this? Perhaps contact the charter company direct. I'm sure you wont be the first.

[olaf hart]

I have a boat in Port Townsend, have cruised the USA side up to the San Juans, want to do Canada next summer.

I can take a ferry to Canada and back on ESTA, no problem.

If I take my own boat I am advised the US won't let me back in.

[JPA Cate]

So, jump through the hoops, and get a longer term visa from the Embassy. It may be the only semi-reasonable solution to the problem. Bureaucracies are just a total pita hassle.

You (and your good lady) will have to appear in person for your interview, maybe you could schedule it for a an already planned visit to Melbourne or Sydney?

Ann

[Factor]

Talk to the Consular services section in Syd Melb or Perth always found my seppo friends to be very helpful when travelling to and from the GDUSA

US Consular Services Locations

[olaf hart]

Originally Posted by Factor

Talk to the Consular services section in Syd Melb or Perth always found my seppo friends to be very helpful when travelling to and from the GDUSA

US Consular Services Locations

Tried the consulates and the embassy.
They just flick pass me to the websites.
Customs and Border Protection seems to be the right source, just no one there knows any answer apart from Anne's suggestion, which will cost us a lot of time and thousands of dollars.

[olaf hart]

Seriously considering asking a friend who is a US citizen to sail the boat from Friday Harbour to Sidney, while we catch the ferry ....

[Brendan]

I had the same problem chartering in the US VI, sailing to the BVI, and then returning to the USVI. Every non-US citizen on board must have a B2 visa to (re-)enter the US on a private vessel. 10 years prison / $10,000 fine for skipper violating this, so I've heard. Have to go to US embassy in your country and apply for B2 visa. Valid for 10 years.

[TJ D]

Hi, we have way more experience with this than we ever wanted... My wife is German, and we've entered the US sailing a few times.

Here's the deal. I don't really think that you have any problem leaving, but you are not legal to enter the US on a private boat with the ESTA program.

You can arrive via any commercial carrier, ferries included, but you just can't come in on a private boat.

That's not to say that some might have gotten away with it, but it is not allowed. I would not chance it.

What you need to do is go and get a B2 visa. This is a visitor visa that's good for multiple entries for 10 years. It's the only way.

Otherwise, if you have a trusted American friend, you can have them take your boat from Victoria to Port Angeles, You ride the COHO across, and then rejoin the boat there.

By the way, it took something like a month to get the B2 visa in hand. We think that you have to get the visa in your country of origin. I could be wrong on this part, but I'm 100% sure about the ESTA prohibition when arriving by private carrier.

Good luck! TJ

[Balder]

Been there done that, cost $500US in fines pr. person trying to enter USA in a boat with ESTA visas. Solution is to fly in to USA get your 3 months and then go to Canada and sail your boat down. Remember that you have to call CBS every time you anchor and advice on where you are. Failing to do so is fined $5000 first time, then there is a $10.000 fine and third time they take your boat.

[Maka]

A little different twist to this question.

As a US citizen, I want to take my US registered boat, from Portland Oregon up to Sitka Alaska via the Inside Passage next Spring.

What paper work do I need to pass through Canada both going and returning ?

[TJ D]

Just a passport for every member of the crew and a current uscg document or state registration is all I've ever had to present. Usually it's just a phone call at your first port. Make sure you enter at one of the published ports of entry, there are lots of them-available online.

TJ

[olaf hart]

Update.

Email exchange with CBP tells me if I enter the US on an ESTA visa I can spend up to 30 days in Canada and re enter the US on my own boat if I tell the CBP people at the airport of my plans.

That will work for me. Anyone heard of this rule before? Isn't on the website information, but I will save the emails.

[JPA Cate]

olaf hart,

Great news! I hope it all goes smoothly.

Ann

[Kelkara]

Originally Posted by olaf hart

Update.

Email exchange with CBP tells me if I enter the US on an ESTA visa I can spend up to 30 days in Canada and re enter the US on my own boat if I tell the CBP people at the airport of my plans.

That will work for me. Anyone heard of this rule before? Isn't on the website information, but I will save the emails.

I've no idea what happens when boats get involved ... But something similar used to operate when travelling to Canada by land. The US didn't recognise you as having left the US until you surrendered your I-94W. They always take it away from you at an airport, but going to Canada by land they would ask if I wanted to keep it for re-entry into the US ... then on re-entry, for immigration purposes you would not be treated as having left the US. Of course if you didn't re-enter the US and forgot to mail the form back to them you would technically become an illegal immigrant after it expired.

However, the I-94 forms are all electronic these days, and I've become a Canadian citizen so the rules are different.

Keep hard-copies handy of all the e-mails, and try to get something in writing when you arrive at the airport ... and good luck.