On 11/11/2014 10:49 AM, Jari Arkko wrote: > > “We should meet in Canada or Mexico instead”. We keep meeting > quite often in Canada, and will probably do so more in the future. > But I also get mixed feedback on whether the Canadian visa process > is really easier. Just in case you find a datapoint useful: 1) IMO, it's a myth that getting a Canadian visa is easier than getting a USA visa. I should also say that it's also a myth that the immigration/bording-crossing for Canda is friendlier than entering the USA (it's probably the other way around) -- I just make this note because for some reason apparently it's widely assumed that Canada is friendlier. 2) At least the last time I got a USA visa, you had to get an appointment way in advance (two months or so)... so getting a USA visa could take 3+ months. OTOH, you can typically get a Canadian visa in 10 days (or less). i.e., time-wise, getting a Canadian visa is better. 3) You can now apply to the canadian visa online (you can submit scanned versions of your documents etc on their web site). This is really cool, particularly if you want to apply while your elsewhere (i.e., while traveling). 4) The canadian visa will never span longer than your passport expiry date. That means that if your passport will expire in two years, you recently-got multiple-entry canadian visa will also expire in 2 years. OTOH, the validity of a USA visa can span past your passport expiration lifetime. So in the last ten years or so I had to get 5+ Canadian visas, but only one USA visa. -- i.e., in this sense, getting a US visa is better. 5) When it comes to "requirements", the safe way to go is to give them: + an itinerary + property (flat/house) ownership certificate (if you can) + job certificate/income proof + letter of invitation + and, obviously, if you can show that you have travelled around, things typically are way easier (i.e., it's way harder to get your first visa with your first passport than you fourth visa with a stamped-all-around passport). Thanks, -- Fernando Gont e-mail: fernando@xxxxxxxxxxx || fgont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx PGP Fingerprint: 7809 84F5 322E 45C7 F1C9 3945 96EE A9EF D076 FFF1