Ties to the US

[Jeremy + Kristy 0]

Since I live in a border town, and my fiancee lives only 7.4 miles away from me, I actually get to see her quite often; a little too often. I, the USC, got pulled in to Immigration on the Canadian side.

I was very pleasant, and the CIBP officer was, too, after a while (she started off a little stern, but since I was so polite and understood everything, she warmed up). She said, you cross quite often (5x a week), do you have anything that shows me that you're not living here? I explain that I do not, and that we are in the process of filing for a K1 visa to bring my fiancee to the US. She asked me various questions about where I worked, and that just "confused" her even more. "So, you work in Detroit, live in Port Huron, and almost every day you then come over here too?" (That's about an hour and fifteen minute commute) Well, yeah. I love my fiancee and want to see her as much as possible, and make enough money to support my soon to be family. Not my words exactly, but my point. She asked if I have anything that shows that I work where I do, and I had my work ID card, but that was not substantial, enough.

She asks me if I own or rent, I tell her I own my own house in Port Huron. And, she has me write my fiancee's name address and phone number on one side of a small piece of paper, and my name address on the other side. she then goes in her back office and has me sit back down for a bit. I'm assuming at this point she's basically checking a phone book to see if I'm right/telling the truth. She comes back and asks more about my fiancee's living arrangement, and I tell her that she owns a home with her mom, and are both listed on the mortgage, and she also asks me her mother's name.

At one point, I forget exactly when, she also asks me about when my fiancee and I met, when we got engaged, and when the wedding is. I told her September, January, and once Kristy gets her visa, respectively. She asks me how long that's going to be, and I tell her, truthfully, I have no idea, right now it's sitting with USCIS in California for a couple of months, and it's even slower once it gets to the Department of State level and goes to the consulate in Montreal

Finally, she explains what she's going to do, and we come up together with a list of items that I'll need for my next reentry. This is to include my NOA1, my mortgage papers, and a recent paystub. She gives me a "Visitor Record," valid until tomorrow, even though I stated that my fiancee and I are planning to go to the States later today, and tells me to come back to the immigration office when I leave Canada again.

All in all, pretty painless, but it took about 45 minutes all told.

This probably doesn't apply to many people here, as usually we worry about the fiancee coming here to the States and showing ties, but it can happen the other way, too, but, probably, to very few people.

Edited April 14, 2007 by Jeremy + Kristy

[neiks 19]

Happens more than you think. I have issued 100's of visitor record and I work at a small POE. Probably is a pain in the butt but that's the price that is paid sometimes for the privilege of travelling between the US/Canada. I can speak for both sides as a POE officer and as a US visa applicant.

[DeadPoolX 9]

Jeremy,

You're not alone in that boat. I'm the USC and I rarely travel to visit my Canadian fiancee. It's not because I don't want to do so (I really do), but I can't usually get away nor can she in order to make the time for our visits. So we usually have a grand total of two weeks twice a year for the entire year to see each other.

Both times I have visited my fiancee, she was then my girlfriend. The first time I visited her, it was in Edmonton. That went smoothly. I was basically waived through with very few questions asked. The second time, however, was a whole different ballgame. This was in Vancouver for Christmas and I was there to not only see her, but her family as well. The Customs & Immigrations officers nearly had a heart attack and initiated a Chinese Firedrill when I mentioned I was visited my girlfriend.

I was immediately send to secondary inspection. The officer there looked at and talked to me like I was some sort of criminal, holding an M-16 and carrying a suitcase full of heroin and cocaine. All in all, she was fairly rude and told me point-blank that she would decide whether or not I entered the country. I, on the other hand, was polite and respectful. The very last thing I wanted to do was say something wrong.

I was interrogated about everything -- my work, my finances, my trip plans, my relationship, and so on. Not one detail was left unearthed. Fortunately for me, I had arrived at the airport around midnight, so there wasn't anyone else there at that time, and so I didn't have other people breathing down my neck at the time. Of course, that could've been a negative as well. Perhaps if there were other people, the officer might not have spent as much time with me specifically. I don't know for sure though.

Finally, after all was said and done, I was allowed into Canada. It was a very scary experience and one which I think was way overdone. All I said was "girlfriend" and everyone freaked out. I didn't say I was planning on marrying anyone nor did I say I was intending to immigrate. Truth be told, my fiancee and I are going to live in the United States, not Canada. So really don't see the problem. I suppose they didn't know that though, but the point is that there was no need to get so worked up about it all.

Neiks,

Because of my incident, do you think a "visitor's record" was issued to me? They didn't say anything of the sort to me. I was merely allowed on my way after the interrogation was completed. The next time I am crossing into Canada will once again be in Edmonton, not Vancouver, so will that make a difference? Will they know about my crossing into Vancouver last year? Will that affect my ability to make it into Canada this summer? Once again, I was fully allowed into Canada -- I didn't break any laws. I was just questioned a whole heck of a lot.

[misa 2]

My husband came to Canada twice: once to visit me in Toronto and once to accompany me in Vancouver. He brought ties to the U.S. (letter from employer, car papers, apartment lease, pay stubs and all my immigration paperwork) both times. He was pretty much waved through in Toronto with no question. In Vancouver he was asked a few questions but was admitted without problems.

[Jeremy + Kristy 0]

Because of my incident, do you think a "visitor's record" was issued to me?

The Visitor's Record was a physical document given to me that I then relinquished when I went back to the US yesterday. It's very official looking, in fact, I think it's printed on the same stock as a visa is.

Funny thing, though, when i came back to Canada today, I was questioned briefly at primary, and not told to go to the immigration office. I did anyway, and when I gave my paperwork to the agent inside, she had a hard time figuring out why I was there. "You weren't told to come in here? Why are you here exactly?" I explained twice that upon my next reentry I was to bring the documentation requested. She then put it into the "system" that I voluntarily gave the documentation, and that was it. she barely glanced at what I presented. NOA1, W2, recent paystub, Title Papers to my house, recent mortgage bill, and passport.

[KarenCee 3]

My husband came to Canada twice: once to visit me in Toronto and once to accompany me in Vancouver. He brought ties to the U.S. (letter from employer, car papers, apartment lease, pay stubs and all my immigration paperwork) both times. He was pretty much waved through in Toronto with no question. In Vancouver he was asked a few questions but was admitted without problems.

I wonder how much this has to do with the POE and the mood of the CBP (no offense Neiks). I went through Halifax the few times I flew into Canada to visit my now husband. The first couple times which were several months apart were ok. The few times after that were a bit more stern and the last time I was questioned quite heavily. On the way out the last time I flew out I was treated with humiliation. I was searched...bodily...after failing their "screening" three times. I never found out what they were looking for...and they found nothing. My daughter was watching this whole scenario with a look of horror on her face...she was only 6 at the time. Fortunately they didn't search her. This was done out in the open with everyone else looking on. The ONLY thing they would tell me was that I was a "random" search.

[misa 2]

That sucks. But were you physically searched by CBP or TSA security? I thought that CBP only searched when you are pulled into secondary.

Edited April 15, 2007 by misa

[CutienPurg 0]

"it's a random search" "it's a random inspection" I think that's just what they say so you have no defense and dont argue.

[DeadPoolX 9]

"it's a random search" "it's a random inspection" I think that's just what they say so you have no defense and dont argue.

This might be a little different than the searches and inspections performed by Customs & Immigration, but...

TSA has a process called "SSSS" that can appear on your boarding pass after either printing them out or getting them from the ticket agent/ticket kiosk at the airport. Basically, what this means is that you are going to go into a seperate line at security and undergo a higher level of screening -- your body will probably be searched and your bags will be looked through, at the very least.

What does "SSSS" stand for? No one really knows, unfortunately. I'm a member of the FlyerTalk Message Board and no one there can truly figure out what it means and yet, a number of people have had it happen to them. Some people have come up with nicknames for it, most of which are ridiculous.

How can one get "SSSS" stamped on their boarding pass? Well, there are a number of ways: Paying in cash, booking a week before the flight time, choosing a one-way ticket, being part of a select demographic, your name is on the "selectee list" or it can just happen at random intervals. Oh, and just who gets the "SSSS" mark really makes no sense either. I've seen and heard reports of one member out of an entire family getting hit with "SSSS" while the rest were fine; little children have been slapped with "SSSS" on their boarding passes while their older siblings and adult parents haven't been. So there's really no logic behind it.

I know coming back from my first visit to see my fiancee, I was screened quite heavily and my carry-on was searched. I don't know what they were looking for, but whatever it was, after about five minutes, they were content that my bag was "clean" and therefore fine to allow on the plane. I think it was a random check, to be honest, since my name is rather uncommon and I (thankfully) didn't have "SSSS" on my boarding pass.

[Tinker 0]

In reply to the "SSSS" post. I always fly down to see my fiance. I always have a flight cancelled or delayed!!!!!! I asked the TSA one time, she asked me if I had a change to my ticket , when I told her yes, she said it's because everyone that doesn't purchase their ticket 14 days in advance, or, has a flight change, has their ticket coded for the security check.

I just assume I'm going to get checked anyway *sigh*, use to get checked even on the boarding inspections. lol

[zyggy 9]

I have one question

Why on earth have you not applied for Nexus by now.... If you would have applied for it, you would not have had these problems...

But yes, it does work both ways...

[DeadPoolX 9]

I have one question

Why on earth have you not applied for Nexus by now.... If you would have applied for it, you would not have had these problems...

But yes, it does work both ways...

Hmmm... actually, that's a good idea. Maybe I'll apply for NEXUS. I think I was orignally getting NEXUS confused with CANPASS, which is why I didn't think it applied to Jeremy. But looking into NEXUS more, it does work for air, land and water entries. I wonder if it'd make my entrances into Canada (as few and limited as they are...) any easier.

Zyggy, do you know how someone from the U.S. (who lives a long way from Canada in Texas) would go about applying for NEXUS? I can't just hop on a plane and fly to Canada to enroll in NEXUS. Aside from the cost and my limited time, that'd be a bit much to expect.

Do they perform phone interviews? I could definitely do that. I'm not sure if e-mail interviews are done, but if such a thing exists, perhaps that could work as well. Whatever that wouldn't require me to be physically in Canada at the time -- except when I next fly there for my visit.

Anyway, this NEXUS program would probably serve Jeremy a bit better than even me. To look into it, here's the NEXUS website.

[DeadPoolX 9]

You know... now that I look at these two programs more closely (CANPASS and NEXUS), I think CANPASS would better suit me. Of course, it's a little late for me to apply for it, considering I'll be heading up to Canada in May.

Oh well. I doubt I'd be able to make it to an interview anyway, as it seems they also want U.S. citizens to be in Canada for the interview at one of the designated airports. I can't do that. Not until May, anyway and that's the start of my vacation, so the entire point of having CANPASS would be moot.

If I'm getting this all wrong, someone please tell me, but according to the CANPASS website, it seems that's what Canada is saying...

[zyggy 9]

I have one question

Why on earth have you not applied for Nexus by now.... If you would have applied for it, you would not have had these problems...

But yes, it does work both ways...

Hmmm... actually, that's a good idea. Maybe I'll apply for NEXUS. I think I was orignally getting NEXUS confused with CANPASS, which is why I didn't think it applied to Jeremy. But looking into NEXUS more, it does work for air, land and water entries. I wonder if it'd make my entrances into Canada (as few and limited as they are...) any easier.

Zyggy, do you know how someone from the U.S. (who lives a long way from Canada in Texas) would go about applying for NEXUS? I can't just hop on a plane and fly to Canada to enroll in NEXUS. Aside from the cost and my limited time, that'd be a bit much to expect.

Do they perform phone interviews? I could definitely do that. I'm not sure if e-mail interviews are done, but if such a thing exists, perhaps that could work as well. Whatever that wouldn't require me to be physically in Canada at the time -- except when I next fly there for my visit.

Anyway, this NEXUS program would probably serve Jeremy a bit better than even me. To look into it, here's the NEXUS website.

CANPASS is a waste... don't bother to apply for it...

You need to fill out the application form and send it to the Nexus Center in Niagara Falls.. it doesn't matter where you are in the US, they all go to Niagara Falls...

You actually have to show up for an in person interview, but you can schedule the interview for any time that you want, if that's the next time that you happen to be in Canada, that's okay...

Edited April 16, 2007 by zyggy

[girl 37 7]

You may qualify to participate in NEXUS if you are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada or the U.S. and have lived in one of these countries continuously for the last three years.

So does this mean new residents don't qualify because we haven't lived in the US continuously for three years?