Take a chance on travel

[jedinite 0]

Just want to know what you guys think of traveling to the US before getting your CR-1. I've posted that it's best just to stick around and wait for the visa rather than chance it. But if you are going to travel to be well prepared with documents proving that you are returning to Canada.

So anyways, I'm considering traveling to the US this weekend to surprise my wife for our Anniversary, which is Saturday. But I don't know what to do.

I am working in Canada, and I have a business and family up here so I'm not exactly a "flight risk." Has anyone attempted to travel to the US to visit their spouses during the visa process? If so how difficult was it and what sort of proof did you bring with you?

Oh, another piece of information I should mention to you all, is that I probably will be flagged since i had to fill out a "withdrawal of entry" form for when I was attempting to get my TN-1 Visa renewed last year, hence why I am in Canada and now waiting for the CR-1 Visa process. So I won't exactly slip-under the radar like a lot of people that haven't traveled to the US yet and went 100% the legal route.

Thanks for the input guys and gals.

[Krikit 1,164]

As long as you are prepared, I say go for it. By "prepared" I not only mean being able to prove your ties to Canada, but also prepared to be denied entry.

Good luck!

[jedinite 0]

As long as you are prepared, I say go for it. By "prepared" I not only mean being able to prove your ties to Canada, but also prepared to be denied entry.

Good luck!

Not sure if I want the disappointment of being denied. Has anyone been successful at visiting the US while awaiting a visa?

[Flames9_RN 358]

Yes MANY have been successful. I did it montly from Halifax to DC, never had a problem!! Yes some have been denied for various reasons. Some didnt have any ties to Canada, maybe the POE officer was ajerk, or maybe eventhe Cdn was being a jerk, yes hard to belive,lol My advice:

1) Always tell the TRUTH. never lie to the POE officer

2) Be confident in ur replies

3)keep ur response short and to the point, dont tell ur life story!!

4) look the POE officer in the eye when speaking to them. They are looking for people lieing and have been trained to find them!

5)pack light! No job resumes with you

6) Bring ties to Canada (letter from employer when ur expected back at work, lease, etc etc)

7) Always be polite, being rude isnt going to get ya anywhere, and could make things worse!!

8) have a plan in case u do get denied (be polite) It wont harm ur visa application if ur denied,that is if ur polite and didnt lie! Refer to #1

Best of luck

[jedinite 0]

Yes MANY have been successful. I did it montly from Halifax to DC, never had a problem!! Yes some have been denied for various reasons. Some didnt have any ties to Canada, maybe the POE officer was ajerk, or maybe eventhe Cdn was being a jerk, yes hard to belive,lol My advice:

1) Always tell the TRUTH. never lie to the POE officer

2) Be confident in ur replies

3)keep ur response short and to the point, dont tell ur life story!!

4) look the POE officer in the eye when speaking to them. They are looking for people lieing and have been trained to find them!

5)pack light! No job resumes with you

6) Bring ties to Canada (letter from employer when ur expected back at work, lease, etc etc)

7) Always be polite, being rude isnt going to get ya anywhere, and could make things worse!!

8) have a plan in case u do get denied (be polite) It wont harm ur visa application if ur denied,that is if ur polite and didnt lie! Refer to #1

Best of luck

Thank you much flames9. It's my wife and my 1 year anniversary this weekend and it would be great to see her for that. My sister-in-law works for WestJet so she can get me on a pretty economical flight on standby, so I'm lucky for that. I'm going to see if she can get me a flight. I'm kind of excited now.

[aravis227 1]

As long as you are prepared, I say go for it. By "prepared" I not only mean being able to prove your ties to Canada, but also prepared to be denied entry.

Good luck!

Not sure if I want the disappointment of being denied. Has anyone been successful at visiting the US while awaiting a visa?

Yup...we're waiting for our K-1 visa and Dennis has visited me in the US twice since we applied. Both times he had tons of evidence of ties to Canada (all the stuff in Flames' list), but they never asked for it. They just talked to him and let him go.

[jedinite 0]

As long as you are prepared, I say go for it. By "prepared" I not only mean being able to prove your ties to Canada, but also prepared to be denied entry.

Good luck!

Not sure if I want the disappointment of being denied. Has anyone been successful at visiting the US while awaiting a visa?

Yup...we're waiting for our K-1 visa and Dennis has visited me in the US twice since we applied. Both times he had tons of evidence of ties to Canada (all the stuff in Flames' list), but they never asked for it. They just talked to him and let him go.

Awesome! I'm totally pumped to visit my Wifey!!!! Cross your fingers for me prz

[k34 0]

Yep, I go to see my sweetie a couple of times per month, and then am also across the border for other reasons another 3 or 4 times per month. I carry with me a well organized little binder of all of the appropriate paperwork, tabbed so that I can find stuff without risking pissing off the delicate flower that is a border patrol officer

In the binder I have a current letter from my employer, most recent pay stub, Deed for my house, house insurance renewal letter since it was recent, copies of all papers related to the visa application. Also I always take a picture of my cats at the door, with my address showing, so I can show it to them on the camera, with the date showing and tell them that "look... these two cats are waiting for me to come home". Haven't had to pull that one out yet, but it will be ready if it's ever needed

[SapphireDreams 71]

I've always gone back to visit since filing and didn't have any issues. I brought a letter from my employer and they didnt look at it.

I'm going to Orlando in a couple weeks and then will probably visit again after that.

The key is having a return ticket, so make sure you have a flight back. I wouldn't do a standby on the way back - that might cause you a bit of heartache because its not a 100% guarantee you have a flight on the way back...

Edited August 29, 2008 by SapphireDreams

[Flames9_RN 358]

Having a return ticket is required, but in the eyes of a POE officer, prob doesn't hold a lot of weight as evidence, as most people know that a round trip ticket is often cheaper than a one way ticket!! But if u dont have that return ticket, for sure its going to raise their suspicion.

[Carlawarla 1]

As long as you are prepared, I say go for it. By "prepared" I not only mean being able to prove your ties to Canada, but also prepared to be denied entry.

Good luck!

Not sure if I want the disappointment of being denied. Has anyone been successful at visiting the US while awaiting a visa?

Yup...we're waiting for our K-1 visa and Dennis has visited me in the US twice since we applied. Both times he had tons of evidence of ties to Canada (all the stuff in Flames' list), but they never asked for it. They just talked to him and let him go.

Awesome! I'm totally pumped to visit my Wifey!!!! Cross your fingers for me prz

They don't have an icon for crossing my fingers, but here's hoping! Let us know how you make out.

[Izoom 0]

I understand the POE officer has to be suspicious of everyone, but look at it this way:

Why would someone put the $ and time into the visa process...and then immigrate illegally?

Personally, that individual would deserve a slap across the head for just throwing money away

like that.

[jedinite 0]

I understand the POE officer has to be suspicious of everyone, but look at it this way:

Why would someone put the $ and time into the visa process...and then immigrate illegally?

Personally, that individual would deserve a slap across the head for just throwing money away

like that.

I agree with you there. I haven't got a confirmation letter from the NVC yet so I hope they can look me up in the system and tell that I am in the process of obtaining my CR-1.

I don't have property in Canada so I'm hoping my incorporated business, my work pass with my picture on it and some letters and an invitation to my brother's wedding in a month suffice for proof that I have something to come back to.

If I didn't have to fill out a withdrawal of entry for my TN application last year I wouldn't even sweat it, but I'm sure once they swipe my passport they will see my record of attempted entry come up.

I booked my flight for tomorrow and coming back next week so I hope this surprise for our anniversary works out.

[Krikit 1,164]

I agree with you there. I haven't got a confirmation letter from the NVC yet so I hope they can look me up in the system and tell that I am in the process of obtaining my CR-1.

Bring your NOA's. Happy travels!

[jedinite 0]

Update:

I made it down to visit my wifey for our Anniversary! So was so elated to see me, especially since she wasn't expecting me at all. I completely surprised her that she was crying when she saw me and she wouldn't let go.

So here's what I brought with me to make it down here:

Various letters proving current address, i.e. bank letters, government letters, bills, etc

A current copy of my work contract, shows a commitment date and the client I am working for

My work pass

My incorporated business papers, glad I brought this because on my contract it refers to my business not my name

An invitation to my brother's wedding in a month, which is to be held in Canada

I was asked the following:

When my anniversary is

How long I intended on staying

What step in the visa process I was in? My big problem before was that my wife and I both hadn't decided where we wanted to live, so neither of us filed for a visa. I think actually having made a decision and filing for the visa works in your favor as long as you still intend on staying in your home country or some place outside of the US until you've officially been approved.

If I got my visa tomorrow what would I do? I answered truthfully, and said I would workout the rest of my contract out in Canada. That was probably a trick question so I'd advise against saying you'd just stay down there, it proves that you have no ties to Canada.

He gave me a entry card, which I'm suppose to return to the airline when I leave the US. He actually dated it for Feb 2008. I'm really happy that I was able to come back down to visit. And my wife just got the AOS and DS-3032 forms in the mail the same day I arrived, so thus far this has been a perfect visit.

Thanks again for everyone's input.