Canadian citizen coming to USA

[bevie 0]

I have been traveling back forth between Canada and US for over 5 years, for the same reason - to get to know my partner before taking it to the next level. At first i went for 10 days, then 2 1/2 months. A couple three month stays. My last few have been six month trips. I've never been denied but i have been grilled on both ends. I've found as long as you are honest and show that you do have a return ticket they usually let you stay for that amount of time.

[kindafamous 0]

Oh good point, Flames9_RN!

Technically, she is allowed 6 months at any one visit as a maximum. She is also expected to spend an equal amount of time out of the US as in the US so that means 6 months out of the US as well. She could turn around - and if the guards allowed her entry - return to the US a few days or weeks later after spending 6 months in the US already but then she faces both the situation Flames9_RN mentioned - she would lose her health coverage in Canada (you have to be physically present in Canada for 6 out of every 12 months in any given year) and she would then have to file proof of closer ties to Canada with the IRS or would have to file a tax return as a deemed 'tax resident' in the US. So, you really don't want to have more than a total of 6 months outside of Canada in any 12 month period. The other issues that Danu mentioned are also important - it is always up to the discretion of the border guard when you present yourself at the US border whether they will allow you entry and for how long - even if you have a visa. It would probably be better to plan on shorter trips and try for a maximum of 6 months within a year rather than do the whole 6 months all at once.

Kathryn

I am indebted to you...you have been so helpful...I cannot thank you enough! This is all really starting to make sense to me now... all this good information is slowly revealing to me what it is we'll probably do. The idea of several shorter trips makes more sense so that we have less time apart in the long run. Maybe two months at a time...take a month off and do another two months...will that be ok with the authorities? Of course as an American citizen I can travel to see her as well once in a while during the times she is there! Guess I have to get my Passport!

How long can this situation go on...indefinitely? I doubt it. Don't the border guards eventually look at her Passport and see mulitple trips to USA over time? Or does that not matter...

TH

[Sam and Ben 2]

You don't need to state that you have the intention of doing another visit in the upcoming months when she crosses over for this particular visit. Her intention, as far as you and they should be concerned, is to cross on xx day and leave on xx day.

Though her passport will bear no markings in regards to her visit(s) (unless issued an I-94), when her passport is scanned they will see a record of visits. From the experience of many of us here, as long as she has the proper evidence of her return to Canada, she should find no problem with a second, third, etc visit. I made several visits to my fiance throughout the past year, ranging from two to five weeks at a time, with only a month or two inbetween. It's less about the number of visits and more about simply making sure her visits combined don't overcome the 183 day allowance as a visitor.

[antda 13]

Hi Kindafamous,

Lol...If it makes you feel any better...

Back in my old "long distance relationship/dating" days with my then boyfriend (now husband) and I...

He "lived-in visited" me in Canada every few weeks (I couldn't go to the US at the time, due to other reasons)....averaging two weeks in Canada, and then two weeks back in the USA....for several years....no problems... (we lived close to each other though...only a few hours drive away....so that was possible...but yeah, I think it drove the border guards crazy too him going over the border so often..lol...)

And when it was my turn to visit the USA...well...problems there on my end....and in the end I eventually visited, married, immigrated, and stayed in the USA...(that's another story..see my vj timeline for more info)....

It all worked out for the best though all these years...We really did get to know each other...

And eventually decided that marriage was the best for us too...

So yeah, I encourage you and your loved one to visit each other as often as you can, and in the meantime, "get to know each other" and see what options are available for you too....

Just make sure you have "ties to Canada and/or the USA" and you both are ok travelling between the borders there...

Hope this helps too. Good luck on the rest of your journey too..

Ant

Edited January 2, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[trailmix 77]

Hi,

No one can say that any trip will be 'ok with the authorities' - it's an unanswerable question.

She can do this indefinately - and it is 180 days vs 6 months (just to clarify). Some people here have done this for years. Honestly it is really 100 % up to the border guard on the day - yes that seems kind of random and unstructured - and that is exactly how it is. Your best hope is to answer each question honestly, never try to circumvent a question - if you are upfront about everything then you may not have a problem - but there is no guarantee that one day you will not be denied entry.

Good luck

Edited January 2, 2010 by trailmix