Visiting Canada

Canada welcomes over 35 million visitors every year, and Toronto is one of the hottest destinations for international conferences. Agile Alliance and our event planners Elastic Communications & Events are committed to making your travel experience to Agile 2008 Conference stress free. We are pleased to provide the following important information on border entry requirements. This information may change between now and the conference, so please verify requirements from your location well prior to travel. Where possible, we provide links to authoritative sources on-line. We strongly recommend that you contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada for information regarding entering Canada.

Hotel

Please book your room at the conference hotel via our web pages. Alternatively, reservations can be made by phone on 1-, please mention that you are registering for this Agile Alliance event. You do not have to provide a registration code to book your room.

Booking Flights

Air Canada is the Official Canadian Airline of the Agile 2008 Conference. Discounted fares can be accessed at www.aircanada.com and entering the promotional code “FQJDJ6B1”. Alternatively, a 5% discount off the lowest applicable published air fares on American Airlines can be accessed at www.AA.com and entering promotion code “A8988AW”. The travel period begins Friday, August 1, 2008 and ends Monday, August 11, 2008.

Post Conference Tours

Toronto is a fabulous city blessed with a perfect balance of historic charm and cosmopolitan energy. It is a city that is popular as a convention destination. To enhance your enjoyment of Toronto, The Agile Alliance has partnered with Welcome to The City Tours to offer you tours after the conference around Toronto and to Niagra Falls. Tickets for the tours will be available for pick up at the Registration Desk. As space is limited, advanced registration is advised.

Visitors from the U.S. -- U.S. Citizens

AIR TRAVEL

As part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, effective January 23, 2007, all U.S. citizens traveling by air to and from Canada are required to have a valid passport to re-enter the United States.

LAND AND SEA TRAVEL

The following summarizes information available on the Department of Homeland Security’s website. U.S. citizens need to present either (a) a passport, passport card (available in spring 2008), or WHTI-compliant document; or (b) a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.

U.S. PASSPORT AND WHTI COMPLIANT DOCUMENTS

• U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air, land or sea between the U.S. and the aforementioned Western Hemisphere countries – Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, The Caribbean Region.
• The Passport Card: Passport card applications are currently being accepted in anticipation of land border travel document requirements. Based on current projections, we expect to begin production of the passport card in June, and be in full production in July. We will provide additional updates as available. Once in production, the passport card it will only be valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.
• WHTI-Compliant Travel Documents for U.S. citizen travel via land or sea, as of January 31, 2008:
  • Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)
  • State Issued Enhanced Driver’s License (when available)
  • Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)
  • U.S. Military Identification with Military Travel Orders
  • U.S. Merchant Mariner Document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business
  • Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card
  • Form I-872 American Indian Card

• For further information see U.S. Customs and Border protection.

If you are a dual U.S./Canadian citizen, you should always present yourself as a Canadian citizen when entering Canada and as a U.S. citizen (with U.S. passport) when entering or leaving the United States. Be sure to read the latest information about traveling to Canada at:

• Tips for Travelers to Canada -- U.S. Department of State
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Visitors from the U.S. -- non-U.S. Citizens

If you are a permanent resident of the U.S., you must present your "green card". If you are a temporary resident of the U.S. (anyone who carries a Temporary Resident Card, Form 1-688, or Employment Authorization Card, 1-688A or 1-688B), you must carry a passport and may also require a visa depending on their country of citizenship.

If you are a citizen of another country entering Canada through the U.S., you must also carry a valid passport and may require a visa, which you should obtain from a Canadian Embassy or Consulate outside of Canada. People in this category should check with an office of the U.S. Citizenship and Naturalization Service before they enter Canada.

Visitors from Europe

If you hold a passport from a European nation, you do not require a visa to visit Canada. You need a valid passport, a return ticket, and sufficient funds to support yourself and your dependents during your stay in Canada. European visitors to Canada who wish to visit the U.S. on their trip must possess valid passports to be admitted; residents of Portugal are further required to have a visa.

Visitor from Other Countries

You may require a visa to enter or travel through Canada. To see whether you require a visa, visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada for more information on visa requirements.

We do not issue formal invitation letters for regular conference attendees. However, we can arrange to do this for speakers who are presenting sessions in our program. If you have questions please contact