Hiking the PCT - VISA Question

[Stefanie Phoenix]

Hello Experts,

I have a rather tricky question and so far, nobody has been able to help. The US Consulate´s answer was useless.....

I am planning on hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2014. This trail ends in Manning Park, Canada, so I will have to cross the land border (without any border officials) to get to the end. My question is:

How do I get my exit stamp? Is there even one when you go to Canada?

Since my return flight to Germany will leave from the US, will I have problems at the border, when I try to re-enter the US?

Another thing is: Since I do not know how long I will be on the trail, I am worried that I will overstay my Visa. Is it possible, once I enter Canada, to re-enter the US under the regular 90-day-no-visa-rule? Or do I need to extend my Visa while I´m on the trail?

If I need to extend, will I have to wait in a certain spot to get confirmation? Can I apply for extension online/via mail or do I need to be present at some office???

A lot of questions I know... I appreciate any help I can get, since this is one part of trip planning that still poses quite a hurdle.

Greetings,

Stefanie

[peace999]

There is no inspection or exit stamp while leaving US .They will let you back into US for the remaining time on your 90 day visa waiver. But to do that you must have a canada entry stamp. So , do not cross the border without canadian inspection at unmanned area. you will get into trouble.

Also,a new 90 days stay in US is not possible after a short trip to canada.

A visa-waiver-90 day stay in US cannot be extended. If you wish to stay more than 90 days, you should apply for a US visa before leaving Germany. But getting a visa is not guaranteed. If it is denied,
you will not be able to enter on your visa waiver either.

[Stefanie Phoenix]

Hi,

thanks for the answer, although it´s not necessary the answer to my question. I will apply for a VISA and have a Canada Entry Permit through the PCTA especially for hikers that will hike the whole trail and therefore end up in Canada.

My main question is more the extension. Please see above.

So do I understand correctly that if I am in Canada for a few days it will change nothing on my I-94 status?

What if my I-94 expires while I´m in Canada? Can I then enter the US like I normally would? 90 days, Visa-free?

Thanks,

Stefanie

[peace999]

I understand what you are asking, and I think I answered it maybe not properly;

I will rephrase it;

Will you be entering US on a visa free 90 day stay or will you be entering US with a B1/B2 ( visitor visa)?

*If you will enter US on a visa free 90 day stay ; no extension of your stay is allowed inside US. And yes, you understand correctly,
if you are in canada for less than 30 days, your I-94 status does not change. You will be allowed back into the US for the REMAINING time on your 90 days.
If your 90 day period expires while in canada, you will find it difficult to enter US on a new 90 day period.
For the reason 'why' ,I gave you the CBP link in my first post. That is informative please read it.

*If you will enter US with a B1/B2 visa, you can ask for a 6 month stay while entering. Again, when you enter canada for less than 30 days, they will let you
back into US for the remaining period on your 6 month stay.

If you wish more clarification, glad to help.

[Stefanie Phoenix]

Hi peace999,

thanks again for your help.

Here´s the two options I have:

1) enter under visa waiver program for 90 days, when those are over, fly home to Germany for a week or so and then re-enter for another 90 days.... that might be tricky, since I will be traveling through wilderness and it´s not exactly close to the next airport.

2) enter with a B2-Visa for 6 months. I will end up in Canada anyway since that is the end of the trail. If it takes me longer than 180 days, do i need an extension or can I wait out in Canada until my original b2-Stay is expired and re-enter on the visa-waiver-program?

This is all so complicated....and finding useful information is turning out to be tricky... I guess not many people have that kind of problem

Thanks again

[cafeconleche]

Once you cross into Canada uninspected, will you re-enter the US the same way, or will you re-enter the US through a border post? You'll have to show proof of your flight out of the US and hope they let you in. Chances are, they will. As for an extension, you can apply for it (since you will have a visa) with the details of your trip. If you're in the country while they process the extension, you are not overstaying. How much longer than 6 months do you need?

[peace999]

Hi peace999,

thanks again for your help.

Here´s the two options I have:

1) enter under visa waiver program for 90 days, when those are over, fly home to Germany for a week or so and then re-enter for another 90 days.... that might be tricky, since I will be traveling through wilderness and it´s not exactly close to the next airport.

2) enter with a B2-Visa for 6 months. I will end up in Canada anyway since that is the end of the trail. If it takes me longer than 180 days, do i need an extension or can I wait out in Canada until my original b2-Stay is expired and re-enter on the visa-waiver-program?

This is all so complicated....and finding useful information is turning out to be tricky... I guess not many people have that kind of problem

Thanks again

Once you enter on a B2 visa, you cannot use your visa waiver again. You always have to enter on a B2 visa.
Let us take it this way;
Can you give me your itinerary? I mean the exact duration you will be in US and the time you will be in canada.

[Stefanie Phoenix]

See....that´s exactly the problem.... I dont KNOW how long I´ll be in the US because I´ll be HIKING a long-distance trail... that takes around 160 days. Not counting the days you are stuck somewhere because of weather conditions or injury, or just because you need a rest day.
Counting also that I need a couple days to get all the food boxes in order for my friends to send out (they live in Montana) I´m pretty sure I would not be able to keep the 180 days schedule.

And the last thing I need to worry about if I am out there in the wilderness is whether my I-94 is expired.

I will be leaving the US on a land border qith a Canada Entry Permit and return via Vancouver-Seattle... at least that´s the plan.

I already asked if it is possible to get a 9 month visa from the start, but the answer from the consulate was a definite NO.

If I apply for an extension online, do i need a post address, will they send me any documents? Or is my status automatically updated when they grant the extension (hoping they do). Becaus...you know...wilderness and post offices are hard to combine.

Thanks again

[cafeconleche]

Once you enter on a B2 visa, you cannot use your visa waiver again. You always have to enter on a B2 visa.

Of course you can. I you are REFUSED a visa, or have BREACHED the conditions of a visa, you cannot ever use the VWP again. Having had a visit visa in the past does NOT make you ineligible for the VWP.

[peace999]

See....that´s exactly the problem.... I dont KNOW how long I´ll be in the US because I´ll be HIKING a long-distance trail... that takes around 160 days. Not counting the days you are stuck somewhere because of weather conditions or injury, or just because you need a rest day.
Counting also that I need a couple days to get all the food boxes in order for my friends to send out (they live in Montana) I´m pretty sure I would not be able to keep the 180 days schedule.

And the last thing I need to worry about if I am out there in the wilderness is whether my I-94 is expired.

I will be leaving the US on a land border qith a Canada Entry Permit and return via Vancouver-Seattle... at least that´s the plan.

I already asked if it is possible to get a 9 month visa from the start, but the answer from the consulate was a definite NO.

If I apply for an extension online, do i need a post address, will they send me any documents? Or is my status automatically updated when they grant the extension (hoping they do). Becaus...you know...wilderness and post offices are hard to combine.

Thanks again

Ok. it seems extending your B2 stay is the only option you have to spend more than 6 months in one go in the US.
You should apply for an extension for a B2 stay early like 2 months after you enter US. Because it takes 2-3 months for them to process it.
And you want the response to come before your current I94 expires.
And yes, you need to give them an address. Previously they used to send a new I-94 card but now it is all automated. I guess you can check your updated
extended status on the website.
But remember there is always a possibility that extension could be denied. If you can afford it, hire an immigration attorney.

Correction ;
I posted in my previous post that once you have a B2 you cannot use a visa waiver. I stand corrected. You can. You cannot use a visa waiver
if you are denied a visitor visa.