If you are visiting the United States from Canada, there are some ‘must-haves’ you should include as part of your travel checklist. Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, follow a few important guidelines to help make the trip go that much smoother.
Every US travel checklist should include:
- Passport – a valid copy of your Canadian passport is a must to carry with you, and you should also leave a copy with family or friends.
- Accompanying Children – If you are a single parent, you may need a letter of consent or even a court order to travel in the US with them.
- Medications & Medical Equipment – This might include any important medications you take, prescriptions, eyeglasses or medical certificates.
- Valid Travel Health Insurance – The United States isn’t somewhere you want to go without some decent health insurance.
- Currency – Even if you plan to charge most of the trip, it’s always wise to have some local currency, even if you are just in the US.
Aside from these items, you’ll also need your personal clothing, toiletries, and any other personal items you feel like you’ll need while you’re away.
If you have ever been convicted of a criminal offence in Canada, you may need a US entry waiver to be allowed in. This is a document that will allow you into the country, if your criminal conviction has resulted in access being denied.
If you’ve been convicted of any kind of offence in Canada and aren’t sure of your status, it makes sense to find out before you try to cross the border. It might be embarrassing if you’re traveling with a group of people, but imagine how embarrassing it would be if you were sent back.
A US entry waiver will get you into the country, like nothing happened. Just be sure to look into it ahead of time, so you have time to fill out the application and get the process underway.
When you’re in need of a US entry waiver, you can go through the application process yourself or pay a professional service to do it. If traveling to the United States is for a job or another important reason, you might want to pay a professional to do the application. You’ll have a better chance of getting in and you may even get yourself a longer waiver.