Each consular office has different operating hours. Please go the page dedicated to the consular office nearest you for details.
The following items are prohibited inside the U.S. Embassy/Consulate:
- Food & beverages
- Backpacks, bags, luggage, large purses, etc.
- Weapons or tools of any kind
- Electronic or recording equipment of any kind including laptops, cell phones, tape/CD/MP3 players, pagers, keyless remotes, etc.
- Oversized Strollers
We cannot offer same day processing of visas. It generally takes one to two days to complete the necessary processing to produce a visa. Further delays are possible. Please see the following page for details:
Each consular office has different procedures on taking requests for emergency visa appointments. Please see the following page for details:
The visa application fee is non-refundable. You should not make any payment until you have successfully been granted an appointment date.
Please see the following page for details:
Anyone with a criminal record (including a drunk driving conviction) may be excluded from Canada. Please see the following page for details:
The only means to move permanently to the U.S. is to be sponsored by a relative or an employer. The page linked by the button below describes the process of getting an immigrant visa:
You may obtain temporary status as a student by applying and be accepted at a U.S. college or university. You may also be sponsored by an employer to work temporarily in the U.S. See the following links for additional information:
No. See the following site for details:
Your passport only needs to be valid for the duration of your planned trip to the U.S.
You are permitted to stay in the United States for the duration of your I-94 (the card you were given at the time of your initial entry into the U.S.) The validity generally matches the time indicated on the I-97. (Notice of Approval) Even when your visa expires it is the expiration date on the I-94/I-797 that counts. However, if you plan to travel outside of the US/Canada/Mexico, you will need to get a new visa to re-enter the U.S.
Each case is different, and only the interviewing officer can make the decision to give or refuse a visa. We cannot predict ahead of time your chances of receiving a visa.
See the following page for details:
Under 22 CFR 41.112(3), you can enter the United States with a valid visa in an expired passport provided that you also have in your possession a valid passport.
When you travel, carry your current passport together with the old one that contains the valid visa. Do not tear out, peel off, or otherwise remove the visa from the old passport to try to put it in your new passport as this will invalidate the visa. If your country's embassy or consulate did not return your old passport when it issued your new one, then you will need to apply for a new visa.
Please see the following page for details:
Marriage license requirements vary from state to state. Once you know in which state you'd like to get married, then look at the web site www.vitalrec.com for help in finding the information you need. Also, you will need to check with the Canadian government to see if there are any rules about making your marriage legal once you return to Canada.
Please see the following page for details of how to qualify for a waiver of criminal ineligibility to enter the U.S.:
In many instances, where we can anticipate any kind of extended processing time, we attempt to contact applicants in advance of their visa interview to advise them of this possibility. However, sometimes the requirement for more extended processing of an application only becomes apparent in the course of the interview itself.
Note that we are unable to conduct any type of visa application processing in advance of the visa interview.
It is always best to apply for a visa in your home country. However, you may request an appointment for a visa interview at any consular office in Canada (with the exception of the Consulate in Montréal). To book an appointment for a visa interview and for information on documentation requirements, please see the following link:
Please be aware that demand for visas from those living in the U.S. far exceeds our visa appointment capacity. It is possible that you may experience a long wait for an appointment or that no appointments may be available until others cancel their appointments.
Please see the following page for details relating to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI):
Citizens of some countries may qualify for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program if certain requirements are met. The following link has a list of the eligible countries and the requirements for the program:
If you don't see your country on the list or are unable to meet the requirements, you are welcome to apply for a tourist visa here in Canada. Please view this link for instructions on how to book an interview appointment:
Please see the following link for all the needed information about registering your child's birth abroad:
- Toronto's Passports and Citizenship FAQs: about lost passports, traveling as a dual citizen, passport fees, notarials, etc at the US Consulate General in Toronto.
- Toronto's Visa FAQs: visas, immigration, getting criminal records and waivers, green cards, etc.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection FAQ: : interactive search matching key words regarding entry into the U.S. of both travelers and goods.
- Passports and Citizenship Documents FAQ: U.S. State Dept. FAQ on passport and U.S. citizen matters.
- U.S. State Dept. Visa FAQ: A to Z index of common visa topics.
- Law and Policy Information from U.S. State Dept: topics arranged by issue on family, law enforcement, consular, citizenship, deaths, arrests, births and judicial assistance matters, and links to underlying laws and regulations.
- USA.gov: a user-friendly home page linking all public information from the U.S. government, with special links for Americans abroad and visitors to the U.S. If you need information or a form from virtually any government agency, you can find it here.
