American visiting Canadian girlfriend for a week

[Rhiannercakes 14]

I've been denied before.

I tried to stay in the US permanently not knowing it was illegal without the proper visa.

I was pulled to secondary, talked to the officer, gave some info and signed a withdrawal of admission.

It was no big deal. It's on my passport files now, but still isn't really a big deal. (now that I applied for a visa to fix my mistake )

You'll be fine visiting though. My fiance visited me while we were waiting for our NOA2.

[Road 2 Peace Arch 0]

Hello!! Just joined the site after perusing for a while and I must say there is a wealth of information here and I would like to thank everyone for a great site!

Anyhow, I met a great Canadian girl online a while back and she has already came to visit me here for 2 weeks, everything is going great!

I am planning to visit her in Toronto around the holidays (its her birthday as well). Im a thorough sort of person and have been reading up alot on crossing the border and what not, but have also found a lot of horror stories of being denied entry when attempting to visit ones significant other (granted most Ive seen where problems trying to come to the USA but a fair share of trying to get to Canada as well).

My GF didn't have any real problems when she came to see me, they did send her to secondary for extra questioning. I guess the return ticket and the fact she has kids in Canada that her mom was watching during her trip was sufficient for the guards. They did hassle her because she only had 100 Dollars but she told them she had money coming into her account soon (which was true) and no further problems.

My intent is strictly to visit as I plan to go through all the proper channels to Immigrate to Canada eventually. (Got some things I need to take care of here first). I'm curious as to how to prove to the Canadian border folks that my intent is simply to visit and not to stay illegally.

I will be flying into Pearson and will have a return ticket for what thats worth.

Thanks!

The US/Canadian "Nexus" program is the "Cure" where it's allowed. It's only available at a few airports and border crossings and I have no idea if the Toronto airport is one of them. The card takes about a month to be issued to you once you apply for it and go through the background checks, processing and interview. It's a bit of a hassle to get but it really cuts down on the BS at the border and really not much of a line to wait in.

I used the Nexus card again on my trip (driving) to Vancouver last weekend. It was a breeze going through Canadian control-no line up and no questions, just flashed the card at the machine reader and the border guard waved me through. Coming back was a differant story. I breeze right up to the NEXUS booth, well almost. Right ahead of me is a retired Canadian guy about 70 years old who was stuck there because he was trying to shoe horn his land yacht (RV) while also towing a car at the same time into and around the security poles. The Nexus lane is usually on the farlest outside lanes requiring you to do a last minute somewhat tight turn before entering no-mans land and the border officer booth. So, there he was practically jack knifed and trying to unhitch his car bla bla. By golly he had a Nexus card and was going to use it no matter what he was driving accross, rather than wait in the normal lanes where there is more clearance. I was directed by the US Customs officers to cut into the lane next to me since the NEXUS lane was now effectively shut down for an hour. You can imagine how much fun it was for me to swing my own car back into the normal line up with people looking at me as if I was now cheating them out of their place in line....

[Hugglebuggles 60]

My USC only had issues the first time he came over to visit (our first meeting) through the Windsor/Detroit border. We were picking him up in Windsor and bringing him home, so he didn't know my exact address and I guess that had the border official concerned. He also didn't have any hotel itineraries as he was staying with me and my parents.

I got a surprise phone call from the officer in question while Ben was sitting in secondary. She asked who I was, was I expecting anyone to visit, who he was, etc etc. She probably asked on three separate occasions whether or not I was comfortable with him coming to visit. Took about five minutes, and then he was allowed on his way.

That was prior to VisaJourney... now we just come prepared with documents proving intent on visiting, etc. I still get hassled when I head down to Florida for a couple of weeks here and there (and have been pulled into secondary each and every time), but bearing all pertinent documents/keeping my answers to the point has helped.

This happened to me to when my fiance crossed to see me for the first time! But for me it was a two second conversation... she just asked If I was expecting a visitor from the US and I said yes and she hung up the phone. I found it very strange but interesting they would actually bother to call... but 10 minutes later he texted me and said he got through!

So to the OP, don't be surprised if they ask you strange questions and/or ask you the same thing over and over again. Or call your girlfriend... (actually, I have only heard of this happening... twice now)

[Sam and Ben 2]

My USC only had issues the first time he came over to visit (our first meeting) through the Windsor/Detroit border. We were picking him up in Windsor and bringing him home, so he didn't know my exact address and I guess that had the border official concerned. He also didn't have any hotel itineraries as he was staying with me and my parents.

I got a surprise phone call from the officer in question while Ben was sitting in secondary. She asked who I was, was I expecting anyone to visit, who he was, etc etc. She probably asked on three separate occasions whether or not I was comfortable with him coming to visit. Took about five minutes, and then he was allowed on his way.

That was prior to VisaJourney... now we just come prepared with documents proving intent on visiting, etc. I still get hassled when I head down to Florida for a couple of weeks here and there (and have been pulled into secondary each and every time), but bearing all pertinent documents/keeping my answers to the point has helped.

This happened to me to when my fiance crossed to see me for the first time! But for me it was a two second conversation... she just asked If I was expecting a visitor from the US and I said yes and she hung up the phone. I found it very strange but interesting they would actually bother to call... but 10 minutes later he texted me and said he got through!

So to the OP, don't be surprised if they ask you strange questions and/or ask you the same thing over and over again. Or call your girlfriend... (actually, I have only heard of this happening... twice now)

I hadn't ever heard of this happening either! (Good to know that I'm not the only one now.)

I found it to be quite odd... and very lucky that I decided to answer my cell. At the time, I was on a very poor minutes package and rarely ever answered if it was a number I didn't recognize. Was quite lucky that I had done so, though.

My thought was that, perhaps, Ben offered up a little too much info at the border when asked... perhaps my age, or that we hadn't met yet. Who knows.

[neiks 19]

I got a surprise phone call from the officer in question while Ben was sitting in secondary. She asked who I was, was I expecting anyone to visit, who he was, etc etc. She probably asked on three separate occasions whether or not I was comfortable with him coming to visit. Took about five minutes, and then he was allowed on his way

Actually, this is done quite often. I have done this numerous times myself. Espcially, if it is a first time meeting. And, yes there have been cases where the person I called did not know that the person was coming to "vist' nor was that "visitor" welcome!

[Sam and Ben 2]

I got a surprise phone call from the officer in question while Ben was sitting in secondary. She asked who I was, was I expecting anyone to visit, who he was, etc etc. She probably asked on three separate occasions whether or not I was comfortable with him coming to visit. Took about five minutes, and then he was allowed on his way

Actually, this is done quite often. I have done this numerous times myself. Espcially, if it is a first time meeting. And, yes there have been cases where the person I called did not know that the person was coming to "vist' nor was that "visitor" welcome!

I was actually quite impressed - though surprised - with the phone call, as were my parents at the time. I just didn't know it was something they did, and I hadn't ever come across such experiences on the forums here.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I got a surprise phone call from the officer in question while Ben was sitting in secondary. She asked who I was, was I expecting anyone to visit, who he was, etc etc. She probably asked on three separate occasions whether or not I was comfortable with him coming to visit. Took about five minutes, and then he was allowed on his way

Actually, this is done quite often. I have done this numerous times myself. Espcially, if it is a first time meeting. And, yes there have been cases where the person I called did not know that the person was coming to "vist' nor was that "visitor" welcome!

I was actually quite impressed - though surprised - with the phone call, as were my parents at the time. I just didn't know it was something they did, and I hadn't ever come across such experiences on the forums here.

Yeah, agreed. Its nice to know the CBP is willing to go that extra mile. If a crazy pedophile from the internet was coming to visit me unannounced I would probably have appreciated that phone call a little more Looking back I understand the suspicions. He drove up to the border and announced he was going to meet a girl he met on the internet, had a car with CO plates and a NC drivers license, was nervous, didn't have any plane tickets or hotel reservations... But all went well.

[neiks 19]

Yeah, agreed. Its nice to know the CBP is willing to go that extra mile.

I know it's hard for some people to believe on here, but a Border Service Officers job is to look out for and protect the country and it's citizens. They aren't just there to "harrass people" lol!

[trailmix 77]

Whaaaaaaat!!

Actually I think it's pretty nice that they bother to call. It does seem above and beyond to look out for people in that way, but it's also nice.

It was kind of funny, when we crossed the border coming back in to Canada a couple of months ago - the guy looks at my Husband's Canadian PR card and says 'how long have you been out of the country' - he replies '15 months' - the guy looks shocked and says something like '150 months'??

It was just funny. Who would say 150 months.

[Smelgafeld 0]

I got a surprise phone call from the officer in question while Ben was sitting in secondary. She asked who I was, was I expecting anyone to visit, who he was, etc etc. She probably asked on three separate occasions whether or not I was comfortable with him coming to visit. Took about five minutes, and then he was allowed on his way

Actually, this is done quite often. I have done this numerous times myself. Espcially, if it is a first time meeting. And, yes there have been cases where the person I called did not know that the person was coming to "vist' nor was that "visitor" welcome!

Well it won't be a first meeting and she definitely knows im coming! (Shes harassing me to come sooner in fact but financially i can't swing it till then). One question though, she will most likely be there at the airport to greet me, and as of now has no cell phone.. would they be able to page her to confirm? Or should i just have her stay home in case they want to confirm?

[neiks 19]

would they be able to page her to confirm? Or should i just have her stay home in case they want to confirm?

I don't know for sure what they would do at an airport. I work land border. I wouldn't tell her to stay home and not meet you though for that reason. I'm sure they have a way of finding that person if they need to either by paging them or having someone to find them.