Land Border Questions / Ties to Canada

[ralyse 31]

I'm wondering if anyone has an experience with something like this. I'm very fortunate because my fiance is only about 5 hours away in Michigan and has the freedom to come here quite often. Last time he visited, he took some bags of my stuff back in his car (Just DVDs and books, only like 4 grocery store bags full) and a table. The Border officer didn't even ask him about what was in his car.

He'll be here again this weekend to take me to the medical and I was hoping to send significantly more stuff back in his car. (Winter clothes, board games, more books, some yarn and crochet stuff...) Not enough that it would look like he was moving an entire apartment, but enough to fill the back of his SUV.

I understand it's up to the specific border officer, and he has no intention of lying if they ask him what's in the car, I just wonder what would occur if he wasn't allowed to bring my stuff across. Would they confiscate my things? Would I be able to get them back? Would he be allowed to turn back? (My roommate's mom lives in Sarnia, if this happens she's said we can just store my stuff at her place.)

I'm hoping someone has experience with this, I have nowhere to live as of the end of July and will be on a friend's couch so I need to have as much of my stuff with my fiance as possible to avoid paying a lot of storage costs. (Fortunately, I have no furniture other than a bookcase and the table he already took).

We always cross via the Blue Water Bridge at Sarnia/Port Huron, if that's relevant.

At the same time, I'm looking for recommendations for ties to Canada, since I'm hoping to get to a camping trip in Minnesota in July. I won't have a lease or a job, and I've never so much as been asked for ties before, but I want to be prepared. It will be me and my fiance, again through Port Huron and we'll have my computer and camping stuff with us. I've heard mention that people have used their visa interview appointment as a tie, so I'm planning to bring a printout of that. Otherwise, I'm not sure what I could use. (I've got a good backup plan if I get denied, as I'm aware it could be quite likely especially with my lack of ties and the fact we'll have my desktop in the car with us.)

So those are my two inquiries, I'm hoping someone can help me out!

[canadian_wife 1,818]

My husband took 2 bags for me back to the US via land when he came to visit. The CO pulled him over and searched his car. When he identified his stuff vs. my stuff the CO let him cross but warned him not to 'import' any more of my things. The CO said that if he tried again, he would not be allowed to enter the US with the stuff and would have to 'dump them' somewhere before he is allowed to enter

Now, this is 2nd hand from my husband as it didn't happen to me. I assume they would not let your fiance in if they thought he was moving you down 1 car load at a time

that was my experience, hopefully others will share

Good luck

[ralyse 31]

My husband took 2 bags for me back to the US via land when he came to visit. The CO pulled him over and searched his car. When he identified his stuff vs. my stuff the CO let him cross but warned him not to 'import' any more of my things. The CO said that if he tried again, he would not be allowed to enter the US with the stuff and would have to 'dump them' somewhere before he is allowed to enter

That's what I'm hoping will be the case, if there's any trouble... hence arranging with my roommate's mom in Sarnia. I'm well aware there's a likelihood he'll be denied, I'm just hoping to avoid my stuff getting confiscated. Thanks so much for sharing!

Edited June 16, 2011 by ralyse

[Nata20102011 6]

Hey there,

As for ties to Canada, I always bring bank information, bills (cell phone counts too!) and a letter of employment.. even if you aren't employed you could bring your storage rental agreement or even a "lease agreement" from your friend? Just an idea

[Lise+Michael 13]

Hey there,

As for ties to Canada, I always bring bank information, bills (cell phone counts too!) and a letter of employment.. even if you aren't employed you could bring your storage rental agreement or even a "lease agreement" from your friend? Just an idea

Michael also lives 5 hours away in Minnesota, every single time he/we cross into the USA they look in the back of the truck and have opened bins (he keeps a big bin in to put groceries etc to prevent from moving to the front of the truck). We talked about him bringing some stuff but won't chance it knowing they check. For ties to Canada, I wonder if you brought your packet 4 letter with your interview date? There is no way you would miss that and obviously would need to come back to Canada. I need to go one more time too, we need 5 days for our marriage license and with my interview being Aug 23rd and the lenghty time it seems to print our visas I won't have much time to POE. argh......Even though I have flights/hotels I have looked for an early appt...no luck and now they say there are no available appointments

Edited June 16, 2011 by Lise + Michael

[decocker 7,198]

last summer, i visited my (then) fiance in montreal via 10 hour car ride -once in june and again in august when we had our interview..BOTH times i brought an entire trunk full of his stuff in order to get the cheapest upack unit possible once the actual moving time arrived. both times crossing i had minimal harassment from our lovely usc border guards. they asked why i had the stuff, what was in the boxes. i told the truth - my fiance gave me this stuff to take home and it was mostly books and vhs tapes - bs like that. at the second crossing in august, the border guard made me pop my trunk and he looked around. afterward he told me congrats on my engagement and he was fairly nice. i was shocked they didn't question me further.

i say, if the items are given to your fiance, to take home - what's the big deal? how can the border guards legitimately question that? i would go for it...

[Sweetcheeksss 91]

Last summer, my hubby was crossing back into the US with four items of mine:

1) Winter coat

2) Evening gowns (2)

3) Winter boots

The border guard searched his vehicle and when they determined that he had been in Canada visiting me and that he was taking those things back to his house in anticipation of me getting my visa they told him he had to turn around and either throw/give away/get rid of those items, after which he'd be allowed to cross. This was thru the Blaine WA crossing, I was already at the airport in Vancouver and through the security area.

I couldn't come back thru and make my flight soooo he ended up giving my clothing to Goodwill.

.

After which, he turned back and CROSSED WITHOUT THE BORDER GUARD EVEN CHECKING TO SEE IF HE HAD GOTTEN RID OF MY CLOTHING!! Yeah that's right - he did that all for nothing cause no one checked on his way back in. Bleh

[Krikit 1,164]

There's a famous story on here of one Canadian couple. They had packed up a U-Haul prior to her actual POE. He kissed her goodbye and drove 3 hours to the border. They refused to allow him to bring her belongings in so he had to drive back an hour to find a storage unit, unload everything, then drive back to the border so he could cross to get to work the next morning. The following weekend he went back to the storage unit, reloaded, then drove another few hours to drop everything back at her house.

[April&Adam 5]

My fiance takes CAR LOADS of stuff back and forth all the time via the Peace Bridge in Port Erie. Most of the stuff I order for the wedding is sent to the US, so he brings it to me...I fancy it up and then send it back with him. I've also sent a few personal things, like my coffee machine, shower gifts and things that we've received and he's never once had a problem. He always tells them what he has, and they usually just laugh at him and send him on his way. My family also crosses a lot (like once or twice a week) at the Bluewater Bridge, and we don't usually have a problem there either. My mom has brought my wedding and bridesmaids dresses back and forth a few times even. I really just think it depends on the dollar value of stuff and the border agent you get...but I would save the clothes until you, yourself cross.

On a complete random side note, are medicals are the same day in TO...so I will see you there!

[Krikit 1,164]

The Peace Bridge is definitely more used to the situation than other crossings.

[SapphireDreams 71]

I'd probably send back everything except the clothes to be safe. That way he can always claim the stuff as both of your stuff.

As for your camping trip and ties, I think you should be fine to show you have an interview for the K1 upcoming, and perhaps bring the trip information like any receipt of the campground or anything you have showing you're just going on a vacation.

[Krikit 1,164]

Oh, sorry. Ties: Visitation FAQ's

[ralyse 31]

Thanks so much everyone, this is exactly the type of info I wanted to get! I'll definitely resist the urge to send clothes, then, and I'm glad to know that worst case scenario he'll just have to drop the stuff off at my roommate's mom's place.

Thanks everyone!!

[ralyse 31]

Just spoke with my fiance, he took his SUV absolutely packed with my stuff (Including three tubs of obviously women's clothing). They took him to secondary to search it, and he told them exactly what was going on (That my lease is up a week before our K1 itnerview and I really don't have anywhere to store it). He told them he had already arranged to leave it at my roommate's mom's place in Sarnia if he was refused and that is apparently what made up the officer's mind to let him through. They didn't tell him not to do it again, but reiterated to him that it will always be up to the officer's discretion. They told him they believed his story, he showed them the printout from the CSC site confirming my interview date and said he had clearly done his research on what to do if he was refused.

So, I'm quite happy to say he just got about 75% of everything I own across the border with minimal issue Not that I doubted it, but it's so true that being honest with the border officers is *always* your best bet, it seems.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Just spoke with my fiance, he took his SUV absolutely packed with my stuff (Including three tubs of obviously women's clothing). They took him to secondary to search it, and he told them exactly what was going on (That my lease is up a week before our K1 itnerview and I really don't have anywhere to store it). He told them he had already arranged to leave it at my roommate's mom's place in Sarnia if he was refused and that is apparently what made up the officer's mind to let him through. They didn't tell him not to do it again, but reiterated to him that it will always be up to the officer's discretion. They told him they believed his story, he showed them the printout from the CSC site confirming my interview date and said he had clearly done his research on what to do if he was refused.

So, I'm quite happy to say he just got about 75% of everything I own across the border with minimal issue Not that I doubted it, but it's so true that being honest with the border officers is *always* your best bet, it seems.

Good to know that he was prepared - I had my husband take a few things, but never alot. I had to pack an entire apartment up anyway, plus a teenager so a few boxes weren't going to make much of a difference.

Psychologicially it really makes you feel like something is happening after all the months of waiting