Relationship Dissolved - Please help! Questions Re: Crossing US Border as a Canadian Citizen

[Erica & L 52]

Hi everyone,

 

I was a frequent poster in this forum 10 years ago when myself and my now ex partner were going through this process. Unfortunately our relationship ended in 2018.

 

I apologize if there is another thread on this but I'm having trouble navigating this site now... it all looks so different!

 

In October 2018 my relationship ended and I moved back to Canada. In late November/early December 2018 my friends and I went for a day trip through Peace Arch Land Border (Vancouver) where I was pulled into secondary for not presenting my Green Card with my Canadian passport at entry. I honestly didn't realize I had to do this if I was using my Canadian passport as idenification. I let them know I just hadn't had a chance to mail the Green Card back with the appropriate forms and they offered to do that there for me. The whole process was about an hour of me

signing paperwork and answering questions at a counter, no private interview although I suspected it was all still filmed. I don't recall ever getting any type of receipt and just assumed if applicable it would be mailed to me when I gave them my updated address.

 

In summer 2022 I crossed the land border without issue, but in January 2023 when travelling by air to Florida I was given a pretty difficult time by one of the officers, it almost seemed like he couldn't find proper records of me giving up my Green Card back in 2018. I really didn't think he would let me through but he did. I'm going again to Florida in January and I'm paranoid it will be a similar interaction.

 

I got formally divorced at the end of 2022 and I have remarried to a Canadian Citizen in September of this year. Should I bring any of that documentation with me? Is there someone I can contact directly to get a receipt of some kind from 2018?

 

Thank you!

 

Erica

[Ontarkie 14,345]

~~Moved to Tourist Visa, from IR1/CR1 P&P- the OP although not needing a tourist visa would like to visit after surrendering the GC.~~

[Erica & L 52]

Oops thank you for moving me!

[Lil bear 4,271]

You need to do an FOI request and see what is on file. But that won’t help your entry in January 

With hindsight, your January 2023 experience should have prompted  that  ..

 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 01:38 AM by Lil bear

[garebear397 69]

Could you send in a I-407 now? And mark that you no longer have the physical green card. I know in theory it has already been submitted, but maybe doing it again will get you a confirmation.  

 

I am not sure if you will get a response in time for your trip or not, but when we sent in my wife's they received the form on the 11th and we got an email on the 14th that it was received and confirmed abandoned...so it only took a couple days. She has used that email a couple times since for B-2 visas or when entering the US. 

 

 

[Erica & L 52]

18 hours ago, Lil bear said:

You need to do an FOI request and see what is on file. But that won’t help your entry in January 

With hindsight, your January 2023 experience should have prompted  that  ..

 

 

 

 

I have had some medical issues and didn't anticipate being able to travel for the forseeable futue, but this was a surprise trip now that I've made some improvements. Also being that I was able to travel over the land border fine in 2022, I didn't know if I just lucked out and got an officer who was more of a hard-### than the time before and it was a one off experience versus an actual issue.

 

I will look into an FOI request regardless, thank you.

[Erica & L 52]

12 minutes ago, garebear397 said:

Could you send in a I-407 now? And mark that you no longer have the physical green card. I know in theory it has already been submitted, but maybe doing it again will get you a confirmation.  

 

I am not sure if you will get a response in time for your trip or not, but when we sent in my wife's they received the form on the 11th and we got an email on the 14th that it was received and confirmed abandoned...so it only took a couple days. She has used that email a couple times since for B-2 visas or when entering the US. 

 

 

 

I don't know if I still have my alien # or my USCIS account number anywhere... unfortunately things did not end well in my relationship and I left abruptly with only my clothes and cats. My documents all stayed with my ex partner. Maybe I can try calling the USCIS. Thanks!

[Lil bear 4,271]

1 minute ago, Erica & L said:

 

I don't know if I still have my alien # or my USCIS account number anywhere... unfortunately things did not end well in my relationship and I left abruptly with only my clothes and cats. My documents all stayed with my ex partner. Maybe I can try calling the USCIS. Thanks!

I would try searching your email and computer files. 

[Erica & L 52]

Email for sure, they kept my previous laptop so I have no record of those things anymore sadly.

 

I feel like it ultimately will be fine I just didn't plan for this trip and so of course I feel a little anxious, especially since I put being able to travel so far out of my mind the last few years and didn't really think much into it since they still let me in. I know it's their job to be critical and put you on the spot to make sure you provide solid information and answers, but from what I remember it was just hard to read him and the way he was asking questions made it seem like he couldn't see the information on his end, but maybe that was just my interpretation. I feel like surely there is no way they don't have records from my 2018 entry into the US? Especially being pulled into secondary.

 

Do you think it would be helpful for me to bring my divorce documents? To prove this relationship is fully dissolved and therefore the GC would no longer be valid anyways?

12 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

I would try searching your email and computer files. 

Email for sure, they kept my previous laptop so I have no record of those things anymore sadly.

 

I feel like it ultimately will be fine I just didn't plan for this trip and so of course I feel a little anxious, especially since I put being able to travel so far out of my mind the last few years and didn't really think much into it since they still let me in. I know it's their job to be critical and put you on the spot to make sure you provide solid information and answers, but from what I remember it was just hard to read him and the way he was asking questions made it seem like he couldn't see the information on his end, but maybe that was just my interpretation. I feel like surely there is no way they don't have records from my 2018 entry into the US? Especially being pulled into secondary.

 

Do you think it would be helpful for me to bring my divorce documents? To prove this relationship is fully dissolved and therefore the GC would no longer be valid anyways?

[Erica & L 52]

Oops not sure how that got in their twice...

[OldUser 7,144]

1 minute ago, Erica & L said:

prove this relationship is fully dissolved and therefore the GC would no longer be valid anyways?

This is not how it works. If you're LPR, divorce to US citizen doesn't terminate LPR status or invalidate GC.

Edited Thursday at 06:26 PM by OldUser

[OldUser 7,144]

3 minutes ago, Erica & L said:

the way he was asking questions made it seem like he couldn't see the information on his end, but maybe that was just my interpretation.

USCIS and CBP ask questions even if they have answers to them. They ask questions to confirm the answers and your identity and also to catch you lying / misrepresenting which then becomes an issue.

Edited Thursday at 06:28 PM by OldUser

[Lil bear 4,271]

6 minutes ago, Erica & L said:

Email for sure, they kept my previous laptop so I have no record of those things anymore sadly.

 

I feel like it ultimately will be fine I just didn't plan for this trip and so of course I feel a little anxious, especially since I put being able to travel so far out of my mind the last few years and didn't really think much into it since they still let me in. I know it's their job to be critical and put you on the spot to make sure you provide solid information and answers, but from what I remember it was just hard to read him and the way he was asking questions made it seem like he couldn't see the information on his end, but maybe that was just my interpretation. I feel like surely there is no way they don't have records from my 2018 entry into the US? Especially being pulled into secondary.

 

Do you think it would be helpful for me to bring my divorce documents? To prove this relationship is fully dissolved and therefore the GC would no longer be valid anyways?

 

Email for sure, they kept my previous laptop so I have no record of those things anymore sadly.

 

I feel like it ultimately will be fine I just didn't plan for this trip and so of course I feel a little anxious, especially since I put being able to travel so far out of my mind the last few years and didn't really think much into it since they still let me in. I know it's their job to be critical and put you on the spot to make sure you provide solid information and answers, but from what I remember it was just hard to read him and the way he was asking questions made it seem like he couldn't see the information on his end, but maybe that was just my interpretation. I feel like surely there is no way they don't have records from my 2018 entry into the US? Especially being pulled into secondary.

 

Do you think it would be helpful for me to bring my divorce documents? To prove this relationship is fully dissolved and therefore the GC would no longer be valid anyways?

Did you complete the ROC process or leave before that went through. If before then your failure to complete it would have rendered the 2 yr GC expired and your LPR status abandoned. 

Edited Thursday at 06:32 PM by Lil bear

[Erica & L 52]

25 minutes ago, OldUser said:

This is not how it works. If you're LPR, divorce to US citizen doesn't terminate LPR status or invalidate GC.

Fair, but would proof that I have built my life back here over the last 6 years, including paying taxes, obtaining MSP,

owned a home/property and remarried a Canadian citizen not render the LPR status invalid regardless? 

Edited Thursday at 06:52 PM by Erica & L
Typo

[Erica & L 52]

21 minutes ago, OldUser said:

USCIS and CBP ask questions even if they have answers to them. They ask questions to confirm the answers and your identity and also to catch you lying / misrepresenting which then becomes an issue.

That's true, which obviously he let me through and so did the previous officer (just without all the questioning) so surely my information that I provided and file should have matched up or I imagine he would have escalated it further?