Entering US from Canada by bus (VWP citizen)
I am planning a one-day trip from Vancouver to Seattle and will probably travel by bus (Greyhound) as it is more convenient than train (direct route).
As far I have done my research, since I am crossing the border by land, I do not need an ESTA.
The question is, what happens at the border. If I am processed for a longer time, will the bus wait for me?
If it doesn't wait for me (more probable, since processing times can be 30-60 minutes), how can I continue my travel to Seattle? Wait for the next bus?
Is it perhaps better to take the train, where I do need an ESTA (Amtrak Cascades trains do not fall under the U.S. CBP “Land Border Crossing” definition. Source).
Best Answer
The trip is now (successfully) over, here is the summary.
Crossing the border via bus (Greyhound) is not a problem, since everybody has to go through customs (including the driver). I had an ESTA form, but it wasn't really necessary since there were only ~10 people on the bus and it was early in the morning. We were the only ones at the border and the whole bus needed about 10 minutes of processing for all passengers.
Bottom line: if you are a VWP citizen, you don't need anything to cross the border (except, obviously, a valid passport).
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Can Canadian citizens travel to USA during Covid?
All non-immigrant, non-U.S. citizen air travelers to the United States must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to the United States. In addition, fully vaccinated foreign nationals may also enter the United States at land ports of entry (POE) and ferry terminals.Can I travel to the US with a waiver?
US Waivers enable a foreign national to travel to the United States with a criminal record that would otherwise render them ineligible to cross the border. A US Travel Waiver requires a person to get fingerprinted in order to obtain their Royal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP criminal file via Form C-216C.How do I get VWP for USA?
Fill out the (ESTA) online application. ESTA determines the eligibility of a visitor to travel to the U.S. under the VWP. The processing fee is $4.00, and if you are approved, there is an additional $10.00 authorization charge.Can you travel from Canada to USA without visa?
Canadians typically do not require visas to enter the United States, although there are some exceptions. Citizens of certain other countries also do not require entry visas to visit the United States. For more information, please visit the Visa Waiver section of the State Department website.About Visa Waiver Program | How to travel in US without a visa | Visa Waiver Program USA 2021 | DHS
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