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I'm from Mexico but worked in San Francisco for 4 years under a TN Visa. During that time I learned how to fly and obtained a PPL and then an IFR rating.

I'm now living in Boston getting a Masters Degree under an F1 Visa. I'm interested in flying into Canada. Canada requires visas for Mexican citizens, but a friend claims that there's an exception for pilots. I only want to check out Montreal, so I would be in Canada for 48-72 hours max.

What's a good resource to see visa requirements for pilots from different countries flying into countries other than their own?

Thanks!

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You should call the Embassy of Canada in Mexico for advice on your situation. They will best be able to advise a Mexican passport holder on their entry requirements. Their number is +52 55 5724 7900.

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    $\begingroup$ This is almost a link-only answer, but not quite... $\endgroup$
    – raptortech97
    Apr 15, 2015 at 1:14
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    $\begingroup$ Strictly speaking, I would consider this to be travel advice rather than aviation advice. $\endgroup$
    – Mark Micallef
    Apr 15, 2015 at 1:19
  • $\begingroup$ I don't see where you're going with that...? $\endgroup$
    – raptortech97
    Apr 15, 2015 at 1:22
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    $\begingroup$ @MarkyMark -- pilots get treated somewhat differently under immigration law for fairly obvious reasons, so I wouldn't call it completely off-topic here $\endgroup$
    – UnrecognizedFallingObject
    Apr 15, 2015 at 2:14
  • $\begingroup$ I can't speak for that specific case but I do remember a friend of mine flying to Russia from Germany (not Mathias Rust...). For a simple touch and go he wouldn't have needed any visa. But leaving the plane under whatever circumstances is immigration and thus requires all the papers any other immigration would. Furthermore: As a private pilote you do normally not qualify for the pilot visa as they are often restricted to the staff of airlines recognised as such by the respective authorities. $\endgroup$
    – Patric Hartmann
    Apr 16, 2015 at 9:59
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Canada's immigration website is quite clear: if your passport lists your nationality as Mexican, you need a visa to enter Canada.

In general, a visa for one country will not affect whether or not you need a visa to visit another country; in this case, your F1 does not change the fact that you need to get a Canadian visiting visa. I have no idea whether it would affect how easily or quickly you're able to get it, though.

Some countries, such as the US, have a special visa for air crews, and private pilots might qualify in some of those countries.

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    $\begingroup$ In some cases, the special visa is more than you need if you aren't a pilot (e.g. Canada-US, where Canadians don't normally need a US visa). $\endgroup$
    – cpast
    Apr 15, 2015 at 6:22
  • $\begingroup$ @cpast the State department website has a list of reasons why Canadian citizens might need a visa, and that list doesn't say anything about pilots needing visas... $\endgroup$
    – raptortech97
    Apr 15, 2015 at 22:18
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    $\begingroup$ I stand corrected for Canada. However, VWP countries aren't exempt from this visa; an airline exec from the UK going to a conference in the US needs no visa, but a British pilot flying an airliner there does. $\endgroup$
    – cpast
    Apr 16, 2015 at 18:08

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