Travel to Canada

If you plan to visit Canada while you are an international student or scholar at Lewis & Clark, you will need the following:

1. A passport valid for at least six months into the future.
2. Your Form I-20 (or Form DS-2019 for scholars), recently endorsed on the back by International Students and Scholars staff. 
3. Your I-94 (print from the I-94 retrieval website)
4. Your US F-1 visa (or J-1 visa for scholars) to permit your return to the US.
5. A Canadian entry visa (where required). To determine if you need an entry visa to Canada, consult this Visa Information Site.
6. Biometrics (where required).  You can determine whether you are from a country that is on the Biometrics list by checking here.

Note: You may travel to Canada and return to the US with an expired F-1 student visa or as long as your travel is limited to Canada and you return within 30 days.

If you plan to travel in Canada only and for less than 30 days, do NOT surrender your I-94 card before entering Canada.

Canadian Visas

The Canadian government offers an excellent website, Application for a Temporary Resident Visa to Visit Canada, which will answer many of your questions. Please refer to it.

If you are from a country whose citizens are required to have an entry visa to Canada, you should apply for the visa well ahead of your departure date. You CANNOT apply for the entry visa at the border.  For current processing times, check this chart for the Los Angeles office.  The best advice we can give you is to apply for your visitor visa as far as possible before your planned trip to Canada.

You may apply for a visa by mail or online.  The closest Visa Application Center is in Los Angeles.  If your home country is on the Biometrics list mentioned earlier, you must first visit the Application Support Center in Portland.

Since you will be sending important identification documents including your passport and I-20, YOU MUST USE A TRACKABLE METHOD OF SHIPPING, SUCH AS FEDEX, UPS, OR the US POSTAL SERVICE EXPRESS MAIL. Do NOT use regular mail to send your passport or other immigration documents.

Canadian Consulate Info

Canadian Consulate General, Los Angeles
550 South Hope Street, 9th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90071
Tel 213-346-2700
Fax 213-346-2767
Email: lngls@international.gc.ca

Portland Application Support Center (Biometrics)

USCIS Application Support Center
1455 NW Overton Avenue
Portland, OR 97209.