June 2013 FILIERS

[kc247 22]

Haha I definitely enjoy the random conversations! I'm sure we all think about the whole visa thing enough as it is!

[pro_star 52]

That's for sure! and since we're now in the "WAIT!! You can do nothing, YOU KNOW NOTHING (jon snow)" phase...

[pro_star 52]

oh my goodness look what I found.

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/Canada#Inside_Canada

[kc247 22]

Haha I was JUST coming on here to ask if anyone was planning on trying to visit the US while their application is pending, and it talks about it right on that page.

I'm unsure yet whether I will try... I was scared enough going through customs when I went to visit in May before we even sent the petition!

[pro_star 52]

LOL I've always been a bit "special" going through customs. It's always "going to go visit friends" (fair enough, Jesse's not the only one I know out there...thanks to the car forum I met him on, I've got a whole crew of Californians it's awesome. (ninja edit...I've just always been paranoid, hearing the horror stories, I don't want them going NOPE! NO COMING TO THE STATES FOR YOU! Though, really, between working for scary lawyers and having the mortgage, I probably would have been okay...DO NOT LIE TO POE GUYS/GALS!!!)

I probably will...haha fly into calgary, we'll road trip together!

Another thing that I just found out...that I never knew...we can apply for EI when we're down there. We won't get the payments until after the AOS and we can legally work down there...but...that might help some financial burden right there.

I'm being driven insane by mosquito bites. YAAAAAAARGH.

Edited June 13, 2013 by pro_star

[kc247 22]

We can apply for EI?? That is good news!! I never knew that!

Yeah when I went in May, I said I was visiting my brother (he goes to school in Utah), & I wasn't lying..I WAS going to be visiting him at some point! It just sounded better than 'I'm visiting my boyfriend', and I was lucky enough to get a really nice customs man & had no troubles. I just know I will get super stressed out because I can't just say that next time haha. He is coming to visit me in August, I am thinking of going in October but I'm not sure yet..it's expensive to fly there & with having to go to Montreal not too long (hopefully!) after that..we will see!

[pro_star 52]

Yeah, at least SLC seems to be a bit of a hub (at least here anyway)

I just laugh though, one time he came back with me (we were in Utah for a friend's wedding...and he was going to fly back to Cali from Calgary - thank goodness I brought his itinery for that, they were asking for it!), they gave me next to no questioning, but Jesse...oh man.

"Do you have any guns or ammo with you? Are you planning on getting a gun up there? Are you sure you're not importing a gun?" lol.

[pro_star 52]

oh ps. KC, about travelling with the dogs, I know I've taken peach cross border before - it honestly depends on who you get. I've heard some horror stories where you can't have opened bags of dog food, need proof of vaccine (I'd want to have this anyway JUST IN CASE) but...with me they just waved us through when we went to visit. If we road trip down again, I'll let you know, and if I end up moving ahead of you for whatever reason, once again, I'll keep you posted

again, just make sure your pup's vaccinations are up to date, and see if theres anything in Utah that may be a danger there, but no big deal in Nova Scotia, that you may want to get him immunized for beforehand as well. (example...heartworm. BIG FREAKIN DEAL in Ottawa...out here in Alberta...they don't bother with it, but I did end up getting some heartguard or some such for when we did our road trip to Ottawa...I'm trying to remember, I think she got some too for when we went to Park CIty as well. If all else fails, call or email a vet's office local to your hubby to be and ask them what their standard immunizations are for dogs.)

[kc247 22]

Yes good point about the heartworm! We don't do anything for that here, I do keep him up to date on his yearly vaccines & his rabies shot, but I never thought about the heartworm. I will definitely keep that in mind when the time comes! I hope we don't have any issues..my parents are worried they will want to see him at the border or something, he is a nice dog but he is a German Shepherd & quite territorial, so he doesn't do well when strangers come up to the car announced (but is fine away from the car!), but we will worry about all that whenever the time comes.

[pro_star 52]

Well, they never asked to meet Peach, she just hung out in the back of the car (though he did ask me to roll down my windows...tinted rears lol)

Generally, they stay in their booth and you stay in your car...if, for whatever reason they ask to search or come up to the car, they're usually understanding with "the dog's a bit stressed, do you mind giving us some space and one of us can take him over for a spot of grass, and then you can do what you need to do"

course, where did I cross? coming down I crossed through...umm...let me google that...haha. Piegan was the way down, Sweetgrass was the way back. Piegan they asked to roll down windows, didn't ask for papers. Sweetgrass, Jesse got grilled on guns, guy barely looked at Peach.

[kc247 22]

Yeah I suppose it depends on who you get. But I would think it would be reasonable to ask to be able to take the dog away before they came near the car. I'm sure it would all go fine! I stress about things way too easily! I have only ever driven through to Maine once years ago, & to NY but that was on a bus, so I don't have a whole lot of experience on the whole land border thing!

[pro_star 52]

Deep breath, I've only done the land crossing myself once...but.

Just like any profession, you'll have good border guards and jerks, and even then they can have good days or bad. Just use some of that Canadian charm we're famous for you'll be fine. Just remember to be polite, don't lie but you don't need to tell them your life story either.

(course that's also the story of our lives with this visa stuff...yikes!)

[kc247 22]

Ahh yes, our Canadian charm. Works everytime!

[India23 22]

Hey thanks so much for explaining beavertails and poutines.. BOTH SOUND YUMMY! BTW just to chime in on your conversation, I drove up to Toronto 2 years ago with my best friend (who's Indian) We had NO PROB getting into Canada but coming back into the states was nerve racking! I'm a USA citizen and my friend is an Indian citizen. They asked us so many questions. They asked how I know my friend and why we were in Canada and what we bought. They even searched my trunk.. I was so nervous! I guess it looked suspicious for an American citizen to be with an Indian citizen??? no idea why.. just ridiculousness!!! So it can def be nerve racking even for an American citizen.. but I'm sure you guys will be fine. They make it so hard for us to see our loved ones. My fiance (also Indian citizen) was denied a tourist visa almost a year ago. So he's NEVER been able to visit me here in the states and it really sucks!

[kc247 22]

Oh wow that really sucks he has never been able to visit you!! :(