Visiting the USA (non business)

[chettana]

Always, always, always, tell the truth. I am in a similar situation, however, I drive across. If something ever goes wrong and you get denied, you get flagged and they will continue to do routine checks. If you have nothing to hide, then there shouldn't be an issue. As with the other posts mentioned, proving you will be coming back to Canada will help you. I've been dating my boyfriend for about five years now and have been going through this. I have been denied a few times, and if you ever do get denied, make sure you remember what you were denied for. If it ever comes up again, they will expect you to recall details of why you were denied. If you can't recall, or make a false statement, they will deny you again! haha, its a long and messy process, but hey, thats what we have to put up with I guess!

[Reba]

The CBP's job however is to assume that any and everyone who is crossing their borders intends to stay illegally, so it is up to the traveller to prove otherwise.

[Steven]

Like I'd want to stay illegally. Not to be rude, because I like visiting the USA, but I don't want to live there. I love Canada, can't help it!

This is a concept they do not understand. America is the best country in the world. Therefore you must want to stay there if you can. This is how they think.

If you ever get sent to secondary inspection at Sweetgrass, do not speak to them until spoken to. There are no signs at the counter telling you to wait (or anything else for that matter), they just sit there and ignore you, just sit down until someone calls you. Most of them live in the trailer park next to the border crossing, you're not dealing with the brain trust.

It's always a shock to me when I drive down to Montana, Alberta is all cultivated in that area and green, as soon as you cross the border you feel as though you've been teleported into an episode of the X-files, just endless fields of yellow grass as far as the eye can see. Calgary has a larger population than the entire State.

[ms1980]

I know they're just doing their job, I mean.they have to protect the borders, it's their role. I'd ask lots of questions too if I was in their position.

I guess this whole discussion just makes me bummed out, how it's all in someone else's hands - possibility of getting denied despite having all the ties in the world to Canada and being honest to a fault, etc, etc. Which is a shame, as I do care about him a lot but it's still a new relationship.

Oh well, not much I can do at this point but just see what happens.

[Reba]

Zackly. You'll never know if you don't try.

Mr. Dressup taught us all that!