Immigration process in Ketchikan for non-US traveller

[tempoct]

Hi,

I'm still researching my iternary :)

Most likely, I will sail from Vancouver to Ketchikan, which would require me to get pass through immigration process there. Most of the ship will stay there for 7-8 hrs.

How does the immigration process at that port? Fast/slow? Any tips for it? How much time I really have in Ketchikan to do other things?

 

Thanks.

 

PS: Still deciding between HAL and the Princess :D

[Terpnut]

You don't go through U.S. Customs/Immigration at each US port of call as all Alaska cruise itineraries are intra-US. You clear customs/immigration upon boarding the ship in Vancouver. IOW, US Customs/Immigration are physically located at either Canada Place or Ballantyne port authorities in Vancouver.

[tempoct]

oh, i see.

Good thing that they do that before boarding. So, I believe you meant to say that I have the whole 7-8 hrs in Ketchikan.

 

Thanks :)

[Coral]

You will go through US customs/immigration right before you get on the ship in Vancouver. So you have the rest of the cruise to enjoy yourself!

[tempoct]

Well, I have another question on this but for Skagway,Whitehorse in Yukon Territory. I will rent a car and drive up to Emerald lake. I believe there's a immigration process at the border here, right?

 

If I understood correctly, the on-board immigration process will allow me to get off at all US ports during the trip that is in the cruise iternary. However, the Skagway/Whitehorse immigration is off the iternary so I have to revalidate everything, right??

[Coral]

Well, I have another question on this but for Skagway,Whitehorse in Yukon Territory. I will rent a car and drive up to Emerald lake. I believe there's a immigration process at the border here, right?

 

If I understood correctly, the on-board immigration process will allow me to get off at all US ports during the trip that is in the cruise iternary. However, the Skagway/Whitehorse immigration is off the iternary so I have to revalidate everything, right??

 

Yes - this is basically a drive through. You will stop at the station and be asked to show your passport (or if US citizen, a birth certificate and driver's license will work). Pretty quick and painless.

 

I am not sure what nationality you are but if you are Canadian, you can not rent a car in Skagway and drive to Canada.

[tempoct]

Thanks Coral to clear this up :)

I also not a Canadian, so I guess the car rental would be fine for me to drive into Yukon.

[emac]

We've hired a car in Skagway and are planning on driving into Canada. Are UK citizens allowed to do that?

[Coral]

We've hired a car in Skagway and are planning on driving into Canada. Are UK citizens allowed to do that?

]

 

It is just some strange Canada law that prevents Canadans from renting a car in the US and driving that car to Canada. Yukon can elaborate. I don't believe it affects any other nationality.

[Bluenose Sandy]

]

 

It is just some strange Canada law that prevents Canadans from renting a car in the US and driving that car to Canada. Yukon can elaborate. I don't believe it affects any other nationality.

 

It's actually Canadian RESIDENTS, not citizens, who aren't supposed to drive a US rental car into Canada. The weird thing is that lots of people apparently get away with it on the east coast...Ontarians flying out of Buffalo airport, renting a car to drive down and another to drive back. But there it is, it's on the books and the guys at the border crossing in the Yukon apparently enforce it.

[Coral]

It's actually Canadian RESIDENTS, not citizens, who aren't supposed to drive a US rental car into Canada. The weird thing is that lots of people apparently get away with it on the east coast...Ontarians flying out of Buffalo airport, renting a car to drive down and another to drive back. But there it is, it's on the books and the guys at the border crossing in the Yukon apparently enforce it.

 

Thanks for the correction. Am I to assume that "residents" is anyone who lives in Canada? Just don't want to make the mistake again.

 

I know that the Avis office had to point this law out to people from Canada last year who had tried to rent a car. They were very disappointed.

[Bluenose Sandy]

Am I to assume that "residents" is anyone who lives in Canada?

 

Yes, so Canadian citizens who live in, say, Los Angeles are okay to rent amd drive into Canada... anybody living in Canada, no matter what citizenship, is not okay. Weird indeed, especially as it's apparently only in some border crossings that anyone pays attention.