U.S.customs and immigration embassys in canada are backlogged to the point they are almost usless

Ive been trying to get a transit visa for my pr resident colombian wife so we can fly through the u.s. when traveling to colombia and its next to impossible.Unlike an american immigrant pr who can come and go as they please to canada a canadian pr needs a special transit or visiters visa to fly through or visit the u.s.
Getting a transit visa requires making an apointment and going in person to one of the embassys.. the nearest one bieng calgary 6 hours away for me.
You need to book your appointment on line with the embassy and pay a fee for it.A special message on the website says that if you are making travel plans you should plan them about 6 weeks in advance if you need a visa so you can book an appointment.The joke is that ive been trying to book an appointment now for a month and a half.Every day or two i visit the website and everyday it has the same message...we only book two months in advance and there are no appointment dates available.I have a credit with AA LINES and believe me if they had direct flights out of canada that did not stop in the u.s. id use it up rather than go through this exercise in futility.
Im certainly not gonna waste my time in the future with this everytime we want to fly through the u.s....perhaps in a year when my wife is officially canadian with a canadian passport we will return to flying through u.s. skys and airports(if she is no longer deemed the big threat she is now).Unless of course this one trip to a u.s embasy clears this up and we don,t need to go through this each and everytime...that would be the inntelligent thing as my soon to be canadian wife with her born in canada canadian baby is not likley to give up her canadian citizenship to become a u.s illegal...and id even go back to spending money on american airlines ...hotels..and casino,s on my way through the u.s.

By jinksmiester on Mar 7, 2008, 12:08 in Friendly Talkzone.

guacharaca says on Mar 7, 2008, 21:20:

If in western Canada, use Mexicana! Mexicana is reasonable departing out of Vancouver if you book approximately 1.5 months in advance. Also Mexico City is a great place to visit as a stop over. It is the cheapest city in Mexico. But the main reason is....no visa required for your Colombian terrorist wife since she has the PR card. We were also looking into getting a US tourist visa for my terrorista Colombiana, but figured she would certainly get refused because of my dual citizenship. Once we discovered the "via Mexico route", it was a no brainer. No need to fly through Toronto anymore.

Colombianos: Las armas os han dado independencia, las leyes os daran libertad. (Santander)

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vicshere says on Mar 8, 2008, 09:45:

jink why dont you fly Air canada they have direct flight to bogota....i use them all the time....they fly friday sat, and wed i think

listo

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jinksmiester says on Mar 8, 2008, 09:58:

Ya vic ..i used air canada on my last trip and may again...but as it stands i have a credit with AA for a couple thousand bucks and if i don,t use it by oct of this year its worthless...
Thanks for the info on mexicana guacharaca..i,ll definitly check it out...perhaps i can use mexico city as a stop over and connection point.

A man is not old until regret takes the place of dreams

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guacharaca says on Mar 8, 2008, 09:59:

I am not sure, but I have heard that if you get the "tourist visa", it is good for 5 years while the transit visa might be a one shot deal. If you have not already done so, verify the details of the transit visa. If you are going through all that trouble to use up the AA credit, make it worth your while and get the 5 year sticker in her passport.

Colombianos: Las armas os han dado independencia, las leyes os daran libertad. (Santander)

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vicshere says on Mar 8, 2008, 10:20:

from what I understand there is no more transit visa in the us...if you have a stop over you need to have a tourist visa...that's was the case 4 years ago with my Colombian wife we ended going through Cuba

listo

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jinksmiester says on Mar 8, 2008, 10:32:

Ya ...i think your right...might as well go for the tourist visa..

A man is not old until regret takes the place of dreams

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vicshere says on Mar 8, 2008, 10:35:

http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/visa_c1.html

listo

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CanadaMan says on May 6, 2008, 22:38:

jinkmiester,

Did your wife get her tourist visa yet ?

I would like to chat with you sometime about how you got her the PR so fast.. I am getting married this fall to my Peruana Novia and my 2 young children and I want her here as soon as possible,,

CanadaMan

..

Formerly WidowerfromCanada...I am engaged to a wonderful Peruviana.

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