About crossing the border (just visiting)

I visited US many times, and the questions were almost the same:
*reason of the trip?
*how many days will you stay there?
*where r you living?
..
I was never asked to give any prove of rental, or job, or money,..it was all the time showing passeport and answer questions.

Yes, but did you ever say, "visiting a boy/girlfriend" and "I plan to stay for up to six months" as the answers to those questions? If you do expect them to grill you.

I told them once I was merely going to visit a friend for a week and I got a real grilling when they found out it was a she. "Are you staying with her?" "Do you plan on extending your trip?" And they also grilled me about my income and what she did for a living, etc.

If you say: "I'm staying for six months" then they basically automatically assume you have immigrant intent unless you have some significant evidence to the contrary.

-- Thu May 28, 2009 11:04 am --

What would be ideal for us would be for me to live down there with him. I'm guessing the only way to do that with any permanence is with marriage? I'm just wondering how long of a process that is and how much of it I would be spending in Canada.

Basically, yes, you'd have to get married. You can stay for up to six months in a calendar year as a visitor, you just need to make sure you have evidence of ties to Canada and proof of funds basically. Even request an I-94 with a six month departure date on it.

If he sponsors you it takes about seven to eight months at present provided you get the paperwork right the first time, usually best to get married first, because you have to apply for AOS as well if you go in as a fiancée. www.visajourney.com has a lot of info on marriage-based immigration to the US.

Thanks for the info and the link. If I stay down for 6 months do I have to wait 6 months before I can go back? If I got a job for a month before I left would that even count as a tie to Canada? I could probably get my employer to write up that I would have a job once I return to Canada. I don't know if that would really prove that I have ties here. The last time I went to the border the officer did seem to want to let me stay for the 3 months I was asking, but unfortunately I didn't have proof that I could pay for my stay so I was limited to 3 weeks. Would requesting an I-94 look better in my case? There's lots of options for dealing with this, I'm just wondering which way is best. I could get a job for about a month, and ask to stay for 3 weeks. I could prove I have money for a longer stay and try that, explaining why I would want to stay longer but there's no way I wouldn't be returning to Canada. Any more suggestions? The info I've gotten so far has definitely helped

Thanks for the info and the link. If I stay down for 6 months do I have to wait 6 months before I can go back?

Six months in a calendar year, six months max per visit, so you can't for example enter in July and stay to the following June. Basically 183 days in any given year total (or 180 depending on who you're talking to).

If I got a job for a month before I left would that even count as a tie to Canada?

Not if you left the job.

If you don't have proof of sufficient funds you're going to have problems, if you don't have proof of ties to Canada you're going to have problems. Simple as that really. Requesting an I-94 can help allay their fears about immigrant intent, but if you haven't got proof of funds or proof of ties then it's academic.

Some people may be able to fudge some of this, the reason why you need to be careful is because they've previously been suspicious and it will be in your entry record.

And just wondering, is it this hard for Americans to come to Canada?

I was at the border today, saw this first-hand with the guy next to me at immigration. What they are looking for is a 'letter of invitation' from their Canadian friend(s), gf, bf, whatever. Because the WHTI takes effect Monday, a passport is required (they want to make the the USC can get home) and they asked the guy to bring back those items and his birth certificate. Needless to say, they turned him back to the US, he was coming to visit a Canadian with only a DL and no real proof of funds for his stay or invite letter.