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I'm an Irish citizen visiting the US on the Visa Waiver Program. I have been on the east coast of the US for the summer traveling and sightseeing.

On the first of August I plan on going to Canada to travel around there for a while. My flight home to Ireland is from the US and I want to go and see the Mayweather and Mcgregor fight on the 26th of August in Vegas.

Is it possible for me to return to the US as my 90 day VWP entry expires on the 24th of August?

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  • Welcome to the site! I edited your post to fix the confusion between VWP and ESTA (VWP is what lets you into the US without a visa; ESTA is a security clearance to get on the plane). I guessed that you're an Irish citizen -- could you correct that if you're not? It might make a difference to the answer.
    – David Richerby
    Commented Jul 13, 2017 at 22:48
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    Please let us know how it went (the immigration, not the fight).
    – DJClayworth
    Commented Jul 14, 2017 at 0:08
  • The least ambiguous approach is to reenter the US on the 25th.
    – phoog
    Commented Jul 14, 2017 at 2:34

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There is no official rule preventing you from doing this, but for non-residents of Canada, the VWP clock continues while you're there in order to prevent visa runs.

However, given how long you'll be in Canada for, it should not be a problem to re-enter if you can present a confirmation of the return flight as well as paperwork proving you'll attend the Mayweather and McGregor fights. You may not be given a full 90-day period of stay though.

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Maybe? I got a new 90 days having only been in Canada for four. But I didn't need it (my journey was New York - Niagara Falls NY - Toronto - Chicago - Long Beach - San Francisco, over a period a bit over two weeks). I guess if you need it they might be more sceptical.

I did actually have drama re-entering the US at Toronto Airport. The computer was fine, and (I think) was the one to give me the new 90 days. My original entry stamp at JFK was wrong though (the wrong year). I even asked the CBP people at JFK baggage claim and they told me not to worry. Maybe I should have insisted.

By the book, re-entry from Canada should not give a new 90 days. It MIGHT (and did in my case). Do NOT rely on that.

If https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/ shows your exit from Canada, and especially if you re-enter the US by air and use an Automated Passport Control machine, you MIGHT get a new 90 days (as I did). No promises.

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  • I gave a personal experience answer (I got a new 90 days at Toronto Airport preclearance having left the US at Rainbow Bridge) to say that is POSSIBLE to get a new 90 days. But you are not supposed to get that.
    – Simon Rose
    Commented Apr 19, 2020 at 18:50
  • If you ARE going to try this, I suggest re-entering by air and using the machines. It also might help if Canada really exited you (check on i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94).
    – Simon Rose
    Commented Apr 19, 2020 at 19:15
  • "you are not supposed to get that": the regulation actually says "may" be readmitted for the balance, which seems to leave it to the officer's discretion (or error) to grant a new 90 days. But maybe you got the full 90 days because your prior admission appeared to be more than a year old?
    – phoog
    Commented May 27, 2021 at 22:45
  • Mine was about a WEEK old. Plus the COMPUTER had given the new 90 days, not an officer. (I used the APC machine at Toronto.) I think because at Rainbow Bridge I was exited (this is in my I-94 record, or at least was, it might have been purged) so when at Toronto preclearance I was given a full new entry.
    – Simon Rose
    Commented May 28, 2021 at 23:11
  • I can't edit my earlier comment but I want to add this. I don't think this would have applied if I had reentered from Windsor or elsewhere on land. I think they would have strictly applied the 90 days from JFK had I re-entered on land. I re-entered by air for two reasons - (a) reusing my ESTA and (b) the flight was just over £100, so it was not worth trying to go by bus or train.
    – Simon Rose
    Commented May 28, 2021 at 23:40

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