Air China Passengers can transit to US through Vancouver without Canadian Visa

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The Canadian government has announced that passengers with US Visas on Air China flights with connecting flights to the US via Vancouver no longer have to have transit visas. On 1 February 2012 Canada awarded Air China with Transit Without Visa (TWOV) and China Transit Trial (CTT) status.

Under this program, Chinese citizens and nationals of other visa national countries with valid US visas who are in direct transit through Vancouver International Airport on their way to and from the US are no longer required to obtain a Canadian Temporary Residence Permit. This will not affect Citizens of countries such as the UK, Australia, and nationals of a number of other Countries who do not need to obtain transit or visitor visas anyway when traveling through or to Canada or the US.

There are only five international airlines with connecting flights through Canada that have received such status.

"Being the first and only mainland Chinese carrier to be invited by the Canadian authorities to join the Transit Without Visa and China Transit Trial program is a distinct honor for Air China, our management team in China and Canada," said Zhigang He, general manager for Air China in Canada.

In order to be eligible for Air China's TWOV and CTT status at Vancouver International Airport, passengers on the airline must have a confirmed airline ticket to leave for the US on the same day that they arrive at Vancouver airport.

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