US Citizens & US Permanent Residents (Green Card Holders)

If you are a US citizen or a US permanent resident (Green Card Holder) and you have received your CAQ, you can apply for your study permit online or in person at a Canadian Port of Entry (airport or land border) upon entry to Canada.

You must have a valid study permit in order to start your studies at McGill – a CAQ alone is not sufficient.

Contact us if you are worried that you will not obtain your CAQ and study permit in time for the start of your program.

Case 1: Applying Online

If you wish to apply for your study permit online, please consult our detailed web page on applying for new study permit online as an international student.

Case 2: Applying at a Canadian Port of Entry (POE)

Your Port of Entry is your first arrival point in Canada – either a Canadian airport or Canadian land border.

If you want to apply for your study permit in person at a POE,

1. You are not required to fill out any immigration forms
2. You must travel with the documents below:
   1. US passport or proof of US permanent residency
   2. CAQ
   3. Letter of acceptance from McGill (available on your Applicant Portal)
   4. Photocopies of your proof of financial capacity
   5. Proof of an immigration medical exam: required only if you need/want to work in a job where public health must be protected – e.g. required for Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Education students, if you want to babysit, work in a hospital or other healthcare setting, etc.
   6. Co-op work permit letter: required only if your program includes a mandatory internship – e.g., Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Materials Engineering Co-op, Bachelor of Mining Engineering Co-op, etc. You must provide a letter from your department confirming that you have a mandatory internship. See the Required Documents section of the Co-op Work permit web page for more information. 
   7. If you are a minor and under 17 years of age (or you turned 17 less than one month before the start of your program), bring copies of your custodianship documents.
3. You must pay:
   1. The processing fee of $150 CAD (CAD or US cash, debit or credit card accepted)
   2. The biometrics fee of $85 CAD only if you are a US permanent resident and you have not provided your biometrics in the past ten years (unless exempt)
4. Before you leave your Port of Entry, verify that
   1. Your name, date of birth, and gender are all correct on your document and 
   2. You have "on-campus and off-campus" work provisions under the “Remarks” section at the bottom of your study permit.
5. After you arrive in Canada, send copies of your CAQ and study permit to McGill’s Legal Documents.

If you still have questions, contact us, join our pre-arrival webinars and Q&A sessions or consult our FAQs for new students.

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