Question about crossing the border with approved visa to initiate GC processing and immediately drive back

[Raj23 0]

Hi all,

Thank you all in advance for viewing and possibly answering my questions.

I'm a Canadian citizen and have my approved visa in my passport

My wife lives in San Francisco

I live in Montreal

I previously worked in the US (a few years back) and have a SSN that has the “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION.” on it.

I'm currently working in Canada for a Canadian company, we have US employees as well.

I may have a chance to work (transfer) in the US with my current employer.

I would have to be terminated in Canada 1st then transfer to the US (around Mid march)

Before this can happen, I need to show proof that I can legally work in the US

I reviewed the paperwork and visa contents that I received from the consulate, everything seems to be in order.

I guess I'm just getting paranoid that if I fly out in March that something might be missing

I was thinking of driving to the US border (in advance this week), have them review my paper work and if all goes well, get my ADIT (admission) stamp, which from my understanding entitles me to work until i get my physical GC, and then drive back to Montreal and then show my employer the ADIT stamp and then plan to fly out in March.

I will call the border in advance to speak with an immigrant supervisor to get their take on what I'm trying to do

Has anyone tried this before?

I'm also curious about the SSN, I assume as soon as I have proof that I can work in the US i should go to the SSN office and remove the “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION" ?

In the DS-230 form - we answered No to create a new SSN, and provided the SSN that I have.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! Everyone is GREAT HERE!!

[aleful 1,905]

hi

you won't be getting a GC

as per your post it looks like a work visa

is it your employer that has filed for a work visa or what type of petition was it?

[Raj23 0]

i have the immigrant visa that is placed in the passport after visa approval (once they send it back from the US Consulate)

once i pass POE and have the customs official verify my paperwork (passport and manila envelope) - this is where the process of the GC is initiated.

i wanted to drive to the border, cross the border, initiate that process, drive back and work things out with my employer then fly out in a month.

just to be clear: my employer is not sponsoring me - i was not expecting a GC to be produced based on an employer. Thank you

[bendinlar 16]

Sounds like a plan to me. Been talked about catching a flight back to whatever country your from, then flying back to finish things up, like it took longer than expected to sell the house, etc., and the visa is about to expire...

In theory, no problem. I say go for it.

[Happytobe 164]

I have read other threads about doing this on a CR-1/IR-1 and it is an option for you, from my previous readings. Pretty much as how you are explaining it.

[Canerican 242]

If you have been through the CR-1/IR-1 process then when you cross the border you will receive the stamp with your immigrant visa in the passport. If your immigrant visa is a CR-1/IR-1, it will most likely say something like, "Serves as temporary GC for one year" which means that you can travel back to Canada to wrap things up then come back to the US. In terms of your SSN, you would probably need to go to the SSN office and show them the required visa, etc (http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10096.pdf) and fill out a SS-5 and they will send you an SSN without the "Only Valid With DHS Authorization." It will take about a week to get the new SSN card. If I am incorrect in any way someone pls correct me.

[Raj23 0]

THANK YOU ALL for your insight and advice. You all rock!

I went to the border tonight.

The CBP office was wondering why I was going through the border and not doing this through the airport.

I advised him that I had an opportunity with my current employer & they needed proof that I could legally work in the US and showed him my offer letter and he didn't say anything after that.

He then took my fingerprints and completed his paperwork and gave me back my passport with the admission stamp with CR1 hand written

The only thing I noticed (after the fact ) was that I didn't have an Alien registration # underneath the CR1 as seen in the following thread

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/181547-i-551-stamp-for-cr1ir1/

within this forum, there were 2 others that didn't have this alien registration # written underneath the CR1

1 out of the 2 didn't have an issue

I hope it won't be an issue..... anyone fall into the same scenario?

Thanks again ALL -