Anyone activated a K-visa at Sarnia?

[Jashley820 0]

Has anyone gone through Sarnia when activating their visa? I'd love to hear how it went!

[Mephys 2]

Are you going through Port Huron ? Cause i am planning on going through customs there as well on April 16 or 17 th. We will drive from Montreal to Sarnia, sleep there, and then leave Sarnia to Chicago the next day.

Mephys

[Jashley820 0]

Are you going through Port Huron ? Cause i am planning on going through customs there as well on April 16 or 17 th. We will drive from Montreal to Sarnia, sleep there, and then leave Sarnia to Chicago the next day.

Mephys

Yeah, that's what we're looking to do this weekend. I've heard the CBP at Sarnia are friendlier and less aggressive than at Detroit. We'll see!

[Jeremy + Kristy 0]

I cross this POE nearly every day. They are very friendly on both sides there. Although, there are one or two customs agents I don't really care for. I asked an agent the other day about temp EAD and they give them there, too.

That's what really makes this process frustrating is that I live in Port Huron and my fiancee in Sarnia, we're physically less than ten miles apart, but still have to go through this same process. Although, I guess I'm lucky that I get to see my honey five days a week.

[mozplay 29]

They may be more friendly in Sarnia but ... you get the EAD stamp in Detroit! Just so ya know!

Mo

[CutienPurg 0]

I cross this POE nearly every day. They are very friendly on both sides there. Although, there are one or two customs agents I don't really care for.

We cross at Sarnia/Port Huron too. LOLOL I think I know the 2 you're talking about........one we call Barney Fife and the other guy has a heavy Russian-like accent.

Barney likes to remind you that " you ARE crossing an International border" and pulled me in for an agricultural inspection because i had 2 bananas on my dashboard.

accent guy gets more preoccupied with the fact the bicycle ur transporting may be an import and pays no mind to the vehicle full of children that may or may not be yours.

Otherwise they are all great.....both ways.

[Jeremy + Kristy 0]

I cross this POE nearly every day. They are very friendly on both sides there. Although, there are one or two customs agents I don't really care for.

We cross at Sarnia/Port Huron too. LOLOL I think I know the 2 you're talking about........one we call Barney Fife and the other guy has a heavy Russian-like accent.

Barney likes to remind you that " you ARE crossing an International border" and pulled me in for an agricultural inspection because i had 2 bananas on my dashboard.

accent guy gets more preoccupied with the fact the bicycle ur transporting may be an import and pays no mind to the vehicle full of children that may or may not be yours.

Otherwise they are all great.....both ways.

Yup, those are the ones. Although, I still have no idea what that one's accent actually is. It's more so that his voice doesn't match his body-type or something.

[misa 2]

accent guy gets more preoccupied with the fact the bicycle ur transporting may be an import and pays no mind to the vehicle full of children that may or may not be yours.

That made me laugh out loud.

[Jashley820 0]

They may be more friendly in Sarnia but ... you get the EAD stamp in Detroit! Just so ya know!

Mo

Hold on!! Time out! This is news to me....when I cross and activate my K1...I can get a temporary EAD right then and there? I thought I had to apply for that after we get married and file AOS. If someone could clarify that for me, that would be great!

If they will give a K1 holder EAD...will they only stamp it in Detroit, or can you get it at Sarnia too?

I am so unbelievably excited that I might be able to work right away...I've been off for 10 months waiting for this process to happen!!

[Mephys 2]

I cross this POE nearly every day. They are very friendly on both sides there. Although, there are one or two customs agents I don't really care for. I asked an agent the other day about temp EAD and they give them there, too.

That's what really makes this process frustrating is that I live in Port Huron and my fiancee in Sarnia, we're physically less than ten miles apart, but still have to go through this same process. Although, I guess I'm lucky that I get to see my honey five days a week.

They DO give the EAD stamp ???

Can you ask them again just to make sure ?? loll No thats wonderful if they do, I guess I will give it a try and ask when I pass

It sucks for you and your fiancee that you are so close but so apart at the same time. 10 mile. Wow. What a pain in the A$$ just to move 10 miles away. But yeah lucky you that you see her all the time! No stress there for money, plane tickets, time, etc.

Im glad to hear about that POE!

Mephys

Edit

Anyone of you around Sarnia that knows a nice place not too expensive to stay for the night not too far from Port Huron? we plan on passing the customs in the morning the next day. Thanks

Edited March 27, 2007 by Mephys

[mozplay 29]

Anyone of you around Sarnia that knows a nice place not too expensive to stay for the night not too far from Port Huron? we plan on passing the customs in the morning the next day. Thanks

There's tonnes of little motels in Sarnia off of .. oh geez, I am having a total brain fart. I'll look it up for you - regardless most are clean but seriously no frills! Just someplace to lay your head for the night.

[payxibka 10,045]

Hold on!! Time out! This is news to me....when I cross and activate my K1...I can get a temporary EAD right then and there? I thought I had to apply for that after we get married and file AOS. If someone could clarify that for me, that would be great!

If they will give a K1 holder EAD...will they only stamp it in Detroit, or can you get it at Sarnia too?

I am so unbelievably excited that I might be able to work right away...I've been off for 10 months waiting for this process to happen!!

They are speaking of the 90 day temporary stamp... NOT the EAD you must apply for after the K-1's 90 work authorization period expires (which is what you are thinking of)...

[mozplay 29]

I cross this POE nearly every day. They are very friendly on both sides there. Although, there are one or two customs agents I don't really care for. I asked an agent the other day about temp EAD and they give them there, too.

They DO give the EAD stamp ???

Mephys

Mephys and Jashley

I can't say this loud enough but YES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO GET THE STAMP! YAY STAMP!

Apparently a while back, you could get the stamp at almost every POE. Nowadays though, it seems as though this is something that is quickly becoming a thing of the past. JFK and Dulles both give the stamp, but if you fly from Canada you clear customs before you even leave the country, so those options are no good to Canadians.

Jen and Darcy got the stamp at Detroit last year and I got it this year. Till now, I believed it to be the only CAN/USA border POE that gave the stamp. Now I hear about Sarnia. All I can say is 'call first'. Detriot's reply when I called was that they give it if you ask for it.

For me, I needed to work. When we began this process we naievely thought that we would be done with the whole K-1 process in 30 days or so. Yeah, I know, I can laugh now. So with that bit of misinformation, I decided to not return to my job in September (worked in a school) and to move with David here in the States. Well, by the time we figured out the timeline was wrong, the wheels were in motion, so we went ahead as planned.

David is a student so money is tight, and I am a workaholic, so my nerves were frayed. I needed to work. I didn't care if it was a job in McDonald's. I just needed to work. So I drove the extra 4 hours to cross at Detriot and I'm very glad I did.

Many will tell you that the Stamp is not worth it because it only allows you to work for 90 days and even if you file for EAD/AOS the second you land in the US (you have to get married first mind you) it is unlikely with today's timelines that you will get your EAD card before the validity of your stamp runs out.

Me, I didn't care. When my stamp runs out, I'm going to take a couple of weeks off work until the card comes and if it doesnt' come and I have to leave the job, well ... at least I got to work for a couple of months. (I ended up getting a rather nice job with an organization I was volunteering for.)

So that's my story. Do with it what you will. If you have been working up until you cross the border then a 3 week vacation/acclimation period may be good. But as I said - I hadn't worked since last June. 6 months was just too much time off.

Now... if I was a Trump or a Marcos or some other multi-millionaire then maybe I'd be singing a different tune ....

Monique

[Jashley820 0]

I cross this POE nearly every day. They are very friendly on both sides there. Although, there are one or two customs agents I don't really care for. I asked an agent the other day about temp EAD and they give them there, too.

They DO give the EAD stamp ???

Mephys

Mephys and Jashley

I can't say this loud enough but YES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO GET THE STAMP! YAY STAMP!

Apparently a while back, you could get the stamp at almost every POE. Nowadays though, it seems as though this is something that is quickly becoming a thing of the past. JFK and Dulles both give the stamp, but if you fly from Canada you clear customs before you even leave the country, so those options are no good to Canadians.

Jen and Darcy got the stamp at Detroit last year and I got it this year. Till now, I believed it to be the only CAN/USA border POE that gave the stamp. Now I hear about Sarnia. All I can say is 'call first'. Detriot's reply when I called was that they give it if you ask for it.

For me, I needed to work. When we began this process we naievely thought that we would be done with the whole K-1 process in 30 days or so. Yeah, I know, I can laugh now. So with that bit of misinformation, I decided to not return to my job in September (worked in a school) and to move with David here in the States. Well, by the time we figured out the timeline was wrong, the wheels were in motion, so we went ahead as planned.

David is a student so money is tight, and I am a workaholic, so my nerves were frayed. I needed to work. I didn't care if it was a job in McDonald's. I just needed to work. So I drove the extra 4 hours to cross at Detriot and I'm very glad I did.

Many will tell you that the Stamp is not worth it because it only allows you to work for 90 days and even if you file for EAD/AOS the second you land in the US (you have to get married first mind you) it is unlikely with today's timelines that you will get your EAD card before the validity of your stamp runs out.

Me, I didn't care. When my stamp runs out, I'm going to take a couple of weeks off work until the card comes and if it doesnt' come and I have to leave the job, well ... at least I got to work for a couple of months. (I ended up getting a rather nice job with an organization I was volunteering for.)

So that's my story. Do with it what you will. If you have been working up until you cross the border then a 3 week vacation/acclimation period may be good. But as I said - I hadn't worked since last June. 6 months was just too much time off.

Now... if I was a Trump or a Marcos or some other multi-millionaire then maybe I'd be singing a different tune ....

Monique

I have been off work for 10 months....so yeah, I am itching to do something!! I ALSO naively thought that the K1 would come through in 5 months, so I left my Marketing job in June thinking I would have the K1 by the end of July. It's good that we can laugh about it now!!

I will definitely call Sarnia tomorrow and ask about the stamp!

Thanks for the info!!

[Mephys 2]

I have been off work for 10 months....so yeah, I am itching to do something!! I ALSO naively thought that the K1 would come through in 5 months, so I left my Marketing job in June thinking I would have the K1 by the end of July. It's good that we can laugh about it now!!

I will definitely call Sarnia tomorrow and ask about the stamp!

Thanks for the info!!

Tell me about it!

Mo: i can relate on the 30 days K-1 thing.....haha Last year I was wondering if I should get ready for easter....2006 But anyways I will be working until 4 days before I move and I might need a break I think we need the SSN with the stamp to be able to work right ?

Mephys