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US Border Fees
American border officials collect a US$6 per-person fee, payable only
in US dollars, to issue an arrival/departure document, Form I-94. This
form is distributed to Canadian citizens and landed immigrants from
member countries of the Commonwealth and Ireland who are entering the
United States to study or work and to visitors from other countries.
The fee does not apply to Canadian citizens and landed
immigrants from member countries of the Commonwealth and Ireland who
are entering the United States on temporary visits for business or
pleasure, or to travellers arriving in the United States by air.
Crime and Punishment
In the United States, you are subject to US laws and regulations.
Canadian citizenship confers no immunity, special protection or rights
to preferential treatment.
If you are arrested in the United States, you have the right to speak
with a Canadian consular officer or to have the nearest Canadian
government office informed of your arrest, or both. Under Article 36 of
the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, arresting authorities in
the United States are required to inform Canadian citizens of this
right without delay.
Most US jurisdictions provide the services of a lawyer if you cannot
afford one. Do not make any special arrangements with the police or
prosecutors without the advice and guidance of your lawyer.
The civil and criminal justice systems in the United States differ
significantly from those in Canada. For instance, each US state has its
own criminal code, and sentences tend to be longer, especially for
crimes involving violence, drugs or “white collar” offences. As a
foreigner, you might have difficulty obtaining bail.
In many jurisdictions in the United States, there is only limited eligibility
for parole if you are convicted. Also, as a foreigner, you might have
limited opportunity while in prison for further education or training.
After conviction and settlement of all appeals, Canadian prisoners in
most (but not all) US jurisdictions can request transfer to a Canadian
prison under the Transfer of Offenders Treaty. The processing of
applications is lengthy, and many transfer requests are refused.
Canadian Consular Assistance in the United States
Foreign Affairs Canada has a number of Canadian government offices in
the United States. The Embassy is located in Washington, and there are
consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver,
Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Puerto Rico and
Seattle. The Australian Consulate General in Honolulu, Hawaii, will
assist Canadians in an emergency. At each of these offices there are
consular and trade officers (for business travel related to NAFTA)
available to help you.
Emergency Consular Services
Canadian government offices offer 24-hour assistance. Outside office
hours, a telephone call you make to a Canadian government office in the
United States will automatically be transferred to a consular officer
in Ottawa or you will be asked to leave a message for a return call. In
either case, there will be a prompt response.
If you leave a recorded message, make sure that it is clear and that
you provide a complete telephone number or contact address. In
addition, in an emergency, you can speak to an officer in Ottawa by
calling 1 888 949-9993, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Passport Services
Canadian government offices in the United States provide only emergency
passport services (for example, assistance for travel to a third
country in the event of a death in the immediate family).
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