same old border stuff

I have a friend who is currently looking into moving across to Canada to be with her boyfriend. From what I know she spoke to an immigrations person on the phone and she said to just come on over with her boyfriend that's what she was doing also (her boyfriend lived in buffalo) She's run into some problems with that as far as crossing the border to return to see her friends (like me!) and family. She's been trying to get ahold of immigration to figure out with to do. She was told to be sponsered by her boyfriend at the border and that's all he told her, then later crossed another bridge and they told her that she couldnt be sponsered unless they got married. People keep running her in circles and she just needs help. I'm trying to help her also due to her going crazy she just wants to be with the guy she loves. So were excersing all of our options. Any numbers,advice,anything would be greatly appreciated. It seems the immigration line is always busy and the immigration website runs you all over the board.

Thanks guys.

http://roadtocanada.com/

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/index.asp

They don't have to be married, but they have to be in a "common law" relationship and that's defined as so many years together.

I find it a bit hard to believe the CBSA simply said "come on over" (but then again, they've told me some nonsense in the past), if she's a US citizen she can only stay for up to six months, she needs to apply for change of status to get permanent residency. Her boyfriend will have to sponsor her: http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/immigrate/ ... ly-who.asp

It's not some casual process where he can apply at the border, it does take some time.

CIC told me and my husband the same thing. And technically a partner/spouse of a Canadian citizen *can* just come across the border and apply from within. If you look at the Road To Canada forums poeple do it all the time completely legally. However, if you have all your worldly goods with you when you show up at the border, they may well deny your entry. Its up to the particular whim of the border official you happen to happen across when you get there.

the only problem she's having is just trying to come over and visit him. Her mom is sick so she pretty much takes care of her and doesnt really works o shes able to come over whenever her family decides to give her a break. so the border official said that she came over to much.? The road to Canada forums are providing a lot of good information-thanks.

Yep, a lot of people will be told eventually that they're spending too much time not in their own country, and border officials will be suspicious that they've taken up "defacto" residency, without having gone thru the legal channels to do so. This is of course frowned upon. Once a notation has been made on your profile, every time they scan your passport or haul you into interrogation they'll see how often you travel, and when the last time was you were suspected of travelling too much! Eventually they will tell you that you'll need a visa of some sort to come back.

And it can happen in either direction, a Canuck going to the US, or an American going to Canada. I've even read Americans with Brit partners being barred from entering the UK after a few trips.

That's ridicioulus. Weird how these systems work huh?
Well, I believe she's going to be doing the visitor's visa and try to work some things out from that end of the stick.

That's ridicioulus. Weird how these systems work huh?
Well, I believe she's going to be doing the visitor's visa and try to work some things out from that end of the stick.

then it could be good