Confused about POE?

[canadafiance 4]

You can't call the Montreal consulate. You can only email them. They can be slow to respond (took them 3 business days to respond to us once *Iwantedtoscream*) so I would recommend emailing them as soon as possible. You'll pick up your passport from Loomis, not from the Consulate, so Loomis won't be able to help much.

Best wishes.

i just emailed them. I tried calling NVC too but they never answer. I am so nervous now.. I hate this, I always feel like something is too good to be true.

[Vicky&Fritz 33]

Nothing to panic about. They do respond, typically between 10am-Noon, EST. Whatever happens, you've been approved, so they'll do what they can to help you.

[canadafiance 4]

Again, seriously don't worry. The likelihood that you're even going to encounter the same officer is low, and the chances that that man has been reprimanded are high. This was only intended to give you *information* so that you could try to cross every i and dot every t just in case you encounter some idiot, and IF you encounter some idiot, know what to do and know that above all, everything is going to be ok.

I am seriously regretting trying to help now.

You're trying to help and make sure I am prepared which is very sweet and awesome. Unfortunately, you have told the world's biggest worry wart in history about what could happen haha.

I am sure it will be okay, i am sure they sorted out the situation. I am leaving within a month of being issued my visa so I hope they dont have a problem. If they do - I will scream for a supervisor and for them to call the consulate. But I am pretty sure I wont have to do that.

[Pennycat 880]

You're still fine. Being denied entry isn't permanent, especially for something DUMB like the CPB officer being an idiot. It's not like CBP will take away your visa. No matter what you will be fine.

Seriously, calm down.

You're more likely to get flagged if you're going through POE like a ball of nerves. This was literally not supposed to be a scare story, but a "FYI: this happened recently. Probably won't happen to you but just in case see if you can extend that petition or if not, have a game plan". You're treating it like a meltdown crisis that it MOST CERTAINLY IS NOT.

[Vicky&Fritz 33]

Again, nothing to freak out about. They do respond. Like Catherine said, there's a strong possibility you won't have the CBP officer. That was one incident on these forums, and there are many Canadians who pass through with no issues.
I'm a huge worrier and control freak too. But with this process there are many things we have to let go of. There's always a chance something bad could happen, but there's as much of a chance that everything will go swimmingly. Panicking solves nothing, but if something does go wrong, you deal with it head on.
So take a couple deep breaths, smile, and know that nothing will happen that can't be fixed.

[canadafiance 4]

You're still fine. Being denied entry isn't permanent, especially for something DUMB like the CPB officer being an idiot. It's not like CBP will take away your visa. No matter what you will be fine.

Seriously, calm down.

You're more likely to get flagged if you're going through POE like a ball of nerves. This was literally not supposed to be a scare story, but a "FYI: this happened recently. Probably won't happen to you but just in case see if you can extend that petition or if not, have a game plan". You're treating it like a meltdown crisis that it MOST CERTAINLY IS NOT.

i would really enjoy not being denied entry haha im sure i'll be fine, i did all i can do at the time with the info - email the consulate.

[Pennycat 880]

You're trying to help and make sure I am prepared which is very sweet and awesome. Unfortunately, you have told the world's biggest worry wart in history about what could happen haha.

I am sure it will be okay, i am sure they sorted out the situation. I am leaving within a month of being issued my visa so I hope they dont have a problem. If they do - I will scream for a supervisor and for them to call the consulate. But I am pretty sure I wont have to do that.

Good, ok so there's your game plan *just in case*. Always better to know of potential problems and have a plan than get surprised by them (like that poor OP in the other thread). And again, better to happen when you're still in driving distance of the place it can get fixed (Toronto to Montreal) than to have just flown from China to have it happen at a US POE and need to fly back (!!!). But seriously, it won't happen. And for all you know, the consulate started automatically extending the validity of the petitions ever since (I heard Manila does that, for example).

i would really enjoy not being denied entry haha im sure i'll be fine, i did all i can do at the time with the info - email the consulate.

Yeah of course. But doing what you can do to avoid it and planning for the "what if" is better than being surprised by it, no? And being in a position to take care of it *easily* if it does, by some terrible fluke, happen. You are fine. You're in a good position.

[canadafiance 4]

Good, ok so there's your game plan *just in case*. Always better to know of potential problems and have a plan than get surprised by them (like that poor OP in the other thread). And again, better to happen when you're still in driving distance of the place it can get fixed (Toronto to Montreal) than to have just flown from China to have it happen at a US POE and need to fly back (!!!). But seriously, it won't happen. And for all you know, the consulate started automatically extending the validity of the petitions ever since (I heard Manila does that, for example).

Yeah of course. But doing what you can do to avoid it and planning for the "what if" is better than being surprised by it, no? And being in a position to take care of it *easily* if it does, by some terrible fluke, happen. You are fine. You're in a good position.

i emailed MTL requesting to extend the validity of my petition and explained the situation that someone else at the border was denied even though their visa was valid.

They responded: As long as you enter within your visa's validity, you should not have any problems at the border.

I know that sounds good.. but they didn't extend my petition's expiry date. I will just print this interaction to have in case they say something.

[NinjaMax 14]

My visa hasnt been issued yet and my petition is expired, is it a good idea to email them before hand and tell them to fix it? Im in AP right now for a missing document which im sending in any day now. Im also going through pearson airport.

[heo luoi 206]

Prepare, be aware and relax. Don't freak out until you have to. :reading:Freak out to vent frustration after something bad happens...doing before nothing happens is pointless.

Edited November 5, 2015 by heo luoi

[ricnally 258]

That person who was denied because of an expired petition should not even have offered to show the petition. The petition has nothing to do with it. you don't need to offer it up. You just need the valid visa. The officer got confused cuz they were given an expired document. The whole mess could have easily been avoided.

[NinjaMax 14]

That person who was denied because of an expired petition should not even have offered to show the petition. The petition has nothing to do with it. you don't need to offer it up. You just need the valid visa. The officer got confused cuz they were given an expired document. The whole mess could have easily been avoided.

He did not show a petition

The Petition Expiry date is written on the Visa itself

[ricnally 258]

He did not show a petition

The Petition Expiry date is written on the Visa itself

Not on mine.

[Sukie 1,460]

When you land all you do is the normal thing - walk to customs, give them your passport and envelope and they will mayby ask you a question or two and then send you to a different room where they will enter some information into the system, might get a question here too (I didn't, just got my passport back and was free to go) it really isn't that different from entering with a visitor visa. (At least it wasn't for me coming in to JFK) there might be a line in this second room btw, my entry took about 2,5hrs (2hrs waiting in line to get to customs then other half hour waiting in this other room)

Sarahnick - Canadians who are immigrating to the US actually go through the immigration process IN CANADA (if they are leaving from certain airports). So she'll be going through the process before she actually flies. There are only a couple of places where US-preclearance happens, and Toronto is one of them...

Sukie in NY

[NinjaMax 14]

Not on mine.

did you go through montreal or vancouver?