Planning to Attend APA’s 2015 Annual Meeting? Be Sure You Know Travel Requirements

With the 2015 APA annual meeting being held in Toronto, Canada, there are several travel considerations of which members attending the meeting should be aware.

All travelers to Canada, including those from the United States, must present a valid travel document showing proof of citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate, or permanent resident card, upon entry to Canada. They must also satisfy an immigration officer that they have “ties, such as a job, home, financial assets, and family, that will take [them] back to [their] country of origin.” Permanent residents of the United States who are not citizens should carry their Resident Alien Card. Those traveling with a child under age 18 need the same type of documentation of citizenship status for the child.

Some visitors, depending on country of origin, may also need a medical exam and a letter of invitation from the organizer of the event they are attending in Canada. Visitors from many countries will need a visa to enter Canada. Information about visas, including requirements and locations worldwide for applying for a Canadian visa, is posted here. Don’t wait until just before the meeting to begin the visa application process! Travelers are also advised that their passport should have six months’ validity from the date of entry.

Canada cautions that “if you are a foreign student, temporary worker in the U.S., or visitor in the U.S. who wants to return to the U.S. after visiting Canada, you may encounter difficulties entering Canada without your passport or a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). Because your status in the U.S. does not confer any status in Canada, or necessarily give you the right to re-enter the U.S., you should check with an office of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service before leaving the U.S. to make sure you have all the necessary papers to return to the U.S.” Information is available here.

Upon returning to the United States, the U.S. government says that all travelers must present a valid passport, though other forms of identification may be acceptable, depending on the traveler’s circumstances. Legal residents must present a valid, nonexpired Green Card. Information can be accessed here. ■