Name change on passport for visiting

[bmc 7]

Hello!

I tried to make sure this wasn't asked elsewhere- but I didn't find a similar topic. Sorry if there already is one!

My husband and I are preparing the beginning of our immigration journey. I am Canadian and he is American, we live in border towns and are able to visit a few times a week. I have always said "visiting my boyfriend" when crossing with no serious issues and am a NEXUS card holder.

We married in early October and are preparing our process.

I want to know if changing my last name on my passport and NEXUS card and saying " visiting my husband" is a good idea or not. Will it make visiting more of a challenge for me?

I live with my parents but have a career, etc. just not a lease.

Thank you for your guidance!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Hello!

I tried to make sure this wasn't asked elsewhere- but I didn't find a similar topic. Sorry if there already is one!

My husband and I are preparing the beginning of our immigration journey. I am Canadian and he is American, we live in border towns and are able to visit a few times a week. I have always said "visiting my boyfriend" when crossing with no serious issues and am a NEXUS card holder.

We married in early October and are preparing our process.

I want to know if changing my last name on my passport and NEXUS card and saying " visiting my husband" is a good idea or not. Will it make visiting more of a challenge for me?

I live with my parents but have a career, etc. just not a lease.

Thank you for your guidance!

Welcome to VJ!! Lots of info here! Rule #1-NEVER LIE!!! A simple lie can make ur life miserable. A denied entry is not a big deal! Being Banned is a totally different story!! One can visit during the CR-1 process--I did it monthly--and so have many others! Not a huge deal. The huge deal could be you saying visiting "your BF" when he isn't ur BF, but ur husband! Why--as your now lying!! Why should a POE officer believe anything you have to say? So from now on--don't lie!!

ALWAYS have proof that your going to return to Canada--IE letter from employer, utility bills, etc etc!! The onus is on YOU, that your going to return--not on the POE officer!! Most likely it will go well!! You can state you have started the CR-1 process (which they may have no clue of) and that your not going to do anything that will jeopardize it. Just never lie!!! Best of luck

[CanLee 5]

My wife and I also live in border towns. We dated for about 1-1/2 years prior to being wed this past May. We also crossed back and forth every weekend during that time. After having been wed I phoned the closest US border office and inquired on my status in their eyes. Due to the fact he didn't believe I had strong enough ties to Canada he advised that he would refuse me entry. Having received that info I never went down for about 4 weeks but rather my wife came up every weekend.

Finally I decided to try the next closest crossing and being completely honest with them I had no issue and have never had an issue since. I have also never had to provide any documentation at all however I do carry a copy of my DS-260 confirmation. In my mind, my history of travelling back and forth every second weekend for over the last 2 years should be enough to have any border guard with common sense realize I am coming home. Unfortunately it seems some seem to lack that attribute and you never know who you will get.

Ultimately, yes, tell the truth! Do not lie as that can potentially come back and bite you. Will it make it harder? You may initially encounter a slight increase in scrutiny but if you have history of crossing regularly I suspect common sense will rule and you should not encounter issues. The career also helps.

[bmc 7]

Thank you for your help.

I have been crossing regularly for almost 4 years and have only occasionally had a very stern border guard tell me that I can't "stay". Which is fine, I always come back within 2 days or less for work!

Its just so helpful to hear that other people do the same thing so that I can prepare myself. It would be very disappointing to be denied entry but I would definitely like to be honest when I'm crossing.

I guess I'll see what happens when I go over and say I'm going to visit my husband!

[Krikit 1,165]

Hello, and welcome to VJ.

If you are going to adopt his name as your last, and your passport is about to expire anyway, now's the time to get it changed. The reason is that your Greencard will be issued in the name which is on your passport. It's pretty easy to update your information for the NEXUS pass as well. Just wait until you get the new passport first, though, because they'll need the new number.

If it's at all helpful, my NEXUS pass is in my married name and my passport is in my former name. They were fine with that at my NEXUS interview.

[CanLee 5]

As Flames pointed out, it's a good idea to carry with you whatever evidence you can to prove your intent to return just to be safe. Employment letter, cell phone contract, etc. But given your initial post I suspect you're crossing at PR which leads me to believe you'll have no issues. There is another member crossing there close to completion of the process.

[The Mean Lady 604]

I have been visiting my "husband" in canada for 2 years now... and as a whole for over 3 years now.

I stay here for months at a time and ALWAYS say i'm visiting my husband.

Honestly, this is my opinion based on experience with MY husband (who is red flagged at the US border)

The canadians don't care when I come and go and they usually just want to know my plans for the future and I've always been honest.

When my husband visits the US, we always get pulled in but over the years of us always being honest and having proof of ties (ALWAYS TRAVEL WITH YOUR TIES!), they've been better and better about letting us over.

Never lie about your marriage. As long as you're always honest about your future plans, and you ALWAYS TRAVEL WITH YOUR TIES, you shouldn't have any issues.

[The Mean Lady 604]

My wife and I also live in border towns. We dated for about 1-1/2 years prior to being wed this past May. We also crossed back and forth every weekend during that time. After having been wed I phoned the closest US border office and inquired on my status in their eyes. Due to the fact he didn't believe I had strong enough ties to Canada he advised that he would refuse me entry. Having received that info I never went down for about 4 weeks but rather my wife came up every weekend.

Finally I decided to try the next closest crossing and being completely honest with them I had no issue and have never had an issue since. I have also never had to provide any documentation at all however I do carry a copy of my DS-260 confirmation. In my mind, my history of travelling back and forth every second weekend for over the last 2 years should be enough to have any border guard with common sense realize I am coming home. Unfortunately it seems some seem to lack that attribute and you never know who you will get.

Ultimately, yes, tell the truth! Do not lie as that can potentially come back and bite you. Will it make it harder? You may initially encounter a slight increase in scrutiny but if you have history of crossing regularly I suspect common sense will rule and you should not encounter issues. The career also helps.

Just an FYI, given something small you mentioned, if you were denied at a border, do NOT just attempt to go to another border and cross again. They all share the same information (even between flights and driving). I further learned this by watching a guy get denied because he lied about being denied access on a flight out of toronto.

Also, if you know you're getting denied, don't be afraid to ask to speak to a supervisor.

Twice, this has saved me... and one of those times, it was my husband crossing for our wedding!

[bmc 7]

Thank you everyone!

All of your experiences and suggestions are amazing.

I just got a letter from my employer to serve as my proof of returning for work today so when next I cross, I will use "husband"!

He came over to visit me this evening for the first time since the wedding and used wife - the Canadian border only asked if he had plans to stay - no other questions! I don't think I will be so lucky going across through the US customs, but I shall hope it is not terrible.

Does asking for a supervisor really work? I'm not sure I would be brave enough to ask!

[CanLee 5]

Does asking for a supervisor really work?

I spoke with a Canadian citizen setting up a flower shop in Washington and she was harassed by customs virtually every time she crossed during the process. She was inside the one time and broke into tears. Someone came along and asked what was wrong. After explaining the situation, he handed her his card and said if you ever have issues again, let me know. It was a Supervisor and she was carefree after that.

So yes it "can" work but you would need to provide a concrete case in your favor.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I spoke with a Canadian citizen setting up a flower shop in Washington and she was harassed by customs virtually every time she crossed during the process. She was inside the one time and broke into tears. Someone came along and asked what was wrong. After explaining the situation, he handed her his card and said if you ever have issues again, let me know. It was a Supervisor and she was carefree after that.

So yes it "can" work but you would need to provide a concrete case in your favor.

Setting up a business---and visiting are two very different items.

[The Mean Lady 604]

I spoke with a Canadian citizen setting up a flower shop in Washington and she was harassed by customs virtually every time she crossed during the process. She was inside the one time and broke into tears. Someone came along and asked what was wrong. After explaining the situation, he handed her his card and said if you ever have issues again, let me know. It was a Supervisor and she was carefree after that.

So yes it "can" work but you would need to provide a concrete case in your favor.

I hope you don't mean you need a concrete case to ask for one?

Mine was not nearly anything like this situation.

It began by bringing my bf(at the time) over for 2.5 months.

He did not have a job (because I told him not to bother to continue looking if he was coming to stay for 2.5months) and he also lived on a second building on his dad's property. They were denying him due to no ties and I was in tears because how was I supposed to know if I ever wanted to marry the man if we spent no real time together.

I asked to speak with a supervisor and explained the situation to him and his exact response was 'OH LET THE LOVERS GO!' (maybe he was in a good mood lol) anyways, it resulted in an I-90 (and several thereafter).

Honestly, that whole situation was terrible and has ruined any experience for us now in the 3.5years since.

He's red flagged, we always get pulled in, and they told us it will continue on for at least 5 years since the initial incident (yay only 1.5 left!) but by then he should have a visa lol.

Since then, I've spoken with the same supervisor a few times when he was going to get denied again and they're usually very accommodating. If your officer is having a bad day and is going to deny you, it can't hurt to ask the supervisor. Being denied by both of them isn't going to make it worse (I know, I've had it happen when my particular officer wasn't on duty). I think my husband has been denied a total of 4 or 5 times now (you'd think they'd stop taking his finger prints).

[CanLee 5]

Setting up a business---and visiting are two very different items.

FULLY agree! Strictly provided as evidence that supervisors can effect change.

[CanLee 5]

I hope you don't mean you need a concrete case to ask for one?

No, more along the lines of if you don't the super will just side with their agent anyway. But you provide some interesting insight. I was always under the impression that once you were refused entry, it was actually illegal to even try again or is that only if they tell you a waiver is required?

[The Mean Lady 604]

No, more along the lines of if you don't the super will just side with their agent anyway. But you provide some interesting insight. I was always under the impression that once you were refused entry, it was actually illegal to even try again or is that only if they tell you a waiver is required?

It's only illegal to enter if you were deported or, yes, they tell you you'll need a waiver.

But even then, if you need a waiver, and you don't have one, you'll just be denied... nothing really happens.

I watched that happen right in front of my eyes with the guy that lied about the toronto denial.

They told him he needed to get a waiver and denied him again.

They did threaten my husband with deportation once, which was a complete joke.

And I don't mean a funny one, I mean a ridiculous one. That woman was off her rocker.

I don't think we tried to cross again for like 9 months.

They told us in general not to try to enter again after denial for at least a few weeks.

Edited October 19, 2012 by KDubovik