These pages are intended to provide general information regarding U.S. Consular Services in Canada available to American Citizens, Canadian Citizens, and Third-Country Nationals. We also provide access to the Visa Information Services Centre for those individuals who require an appointment at one of the U.S. Consulates in order to obtain a visa.
EMERGENCY CONTACT:
In Case of Emergency
If you are an American citizen with an afterhours emergency, please use the links above under Consulates to find telephone contact information for the U.S. consular office in Canada nearest to you.
As of September 1, 2010 all appointment services for non-immigrant visas -- tourist, student, work, temporary workers, exchange, etc. -- will be provided at no additional charge. Click here for important information on the new appointment system for non-immigrant visa applicants.
Effective July 13, 2010 several important consular fees will change, including the fees for U.S. passports and passport cards. For complete information visit our New Consular Fees page.
Application fees for U.S. visas have increased as of June 4, 2010. For applicants for visitor and student visas the new fee is US$140. For temporary workers and other "petition-based" visa applications the fee is US$150.00. Previously, all applicants paid US$ 131.00.
Most Canadian citizens do not need visas for travel to the United States. The exceptions are Treaty Traders (category E visas) or fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens (category K visas).
For applicants applying for visas at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and at the U.S. Consulates General in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto and Vancouver, the visa application fee must be paid in advance at any branch of Scotiabank.
For complete information, please visit our visa application fee page.
On January12, 2009, Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) became mandatory by theDepartment of Homeland Security (DHS). This online system is part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and all nationals or citizens of VWP countries who plan to travel to the United States for 90 days or less for temporary business or pleasure under the VWP need to receive an electronic travel authorization prior to boarding a U.S.-bound airplane or cruise ship.
Effective January 20, 2010, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security initiated a transition to enforced ESTA compliance, and VWP travelers who have not obtained approval through ESTA should expect to be denied boarding on any air carrier bound for the United States.
Note that ESTA is not required for citizens of Canada. Also, ESTA is not needed for entry into the United States via the land border.
To apply for an ESTA approval or for more information, please see www.CBP.gov/esta.
The US Embassy Ottawa now uses Twitter to provide you with short, concise updates from the Embassy, including consular services. Our screen name is usembassyottawa and you can find us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/usembassyottawa.
If you are an American Citizen in Canada, you may contact the Embassy or nearest U.S. Consulate directly. Use the links below for more information about consular services available to you.
If entering the U.S. by air, you must present a valid Canadian passport. If you enter by land or water after June 1, 2009, you must be prepared to present either a valid Canadian Passport or other WHTI compliant document. Persons 18 years and younger need only present a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship.
If you are a Canadian citizen, you do not require a visa to visit the United States for periods of less than 180 days.
Citizens of certain other countries do not require a visa to visit up to 90 days. Use the link below to find detailed information.
- If you do not possess a valid passport from a visa waiver country, or
- If you intend to visit longer than 90 days, or
- If you intend to work or study in the U.S.
Then you must qualify for the appropriate visa outside the United States. Detailed information is provided herein or at the website of the U.S. Embassy in your country of residence. Refer to the complete list of official U.S. Embassy Web Sites.
All visa applicants in Canada are seen by appointment only.
The fee for using this service is CA$8.55 payable by one of the following credit cards:
- VISA
- MasterCard
- American Express
If you require additional information, please call one of the following U.S. Embassy Information lines:
1-888-840-0032 from either the U.S. or Canada - you will be asked to provide your credit card number. CA$1.59/minute
1-900-451-2778 from within Canada - you will be charged CA$1.89 per minute
1-900-443-3131 from within the U.S. - you will be charged US$1.89 per minute
Many office phones and all pay phones are set to block calls to 900 numbers. If the 900 telephone service is not available to you, please use the 888 number above.
If it is not clear where to find the information you are seeking - either by using the main navigation menu at the top of every page or the Site Map then we recommend that you use the Search function linked below. Enter keywords and be directed to the pages which contain those words.
This web site is provided by the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa to provide comprehensive information on U.S. consular services in Canada. To visit the official U.S. Embassy Ottawa web site, please click below. Please beware of other web sites that purport to offer advice or expedited appointments for large fees. They have no connection with the U.S. government.
