crossing american/canadian border

[Spacy]

Do they stamp the passeport when you cross the border from the US to Canada? I have a green card and I'm in Geneva now. I'm going to Canada first then to the US. If I go to the canadian airport I'll get an entry stamp on my passeport and I want an exit stamp too. Can I get this stamp if I go back to the US by car? Or should I take again the plane and get an exit stamp from the airport?
Thank you for helping me.

[TheRealCanadian]

Originally Posted by Spacy

If I go to the canadian airport I'll get an entry stamp on my passeport and I want an exit stamp too. Can I get this stamp if I go back to the US by car? Or should I take again the plane and get an exit stamp from the airport?

You can certainly ask the POE to stamp your passport, but why?

[wik]

Originally Posted by TheRealCanadian

You can certainly ask the POE to stamp your passport, but why?

Some people who travel frequently use the stamps from current and old passports to provide a timeline for exits and entries for things like citizenship applications. Writing down every in and out date can be a pain...

[Spacy]

Exactly! When I will apply to citizenship I need to have proofs of my entries and exits on my passeport. If I have an entry to Canada without any proof of exit how can I prove in the interview that I'm still resident in the USA? Are you sure they can stamp me on the border?( Cos I never went to Canada by car and I don't know what happens on the border)

[Y.M]

Hello
I can't understand..why do they need to see your passeprot at the interview of the citizenshipe..Arn't everything got recorded in their system when you out and enter the boarder?.......What is if you lost your passeport for example,how you gonna prove you were in the States?

[Spacy]

I don't know, that's why am asking!! When you get out from the american airport, they don't register your exit, so I dont know if it's the same on the american/canadian border!

[TheRealCanadian]

Originally Posted by Spacy

Exactly! When I will apply to citizenship I need to have proofs of my entries and exits on my passeport. If I have an entry to Canada without any proof of exit how can I prove in the interview that I'm still resident in the USA? Are you sure they can stamp me on the border?

You don't need "proof"; you just need to provide all of your exit/entry dates on the N-400. I've travelled to Canada and back several times and never received any stamps; lots of Canadian Green Card holders do so every day.

Just write the dates down.

[Y.M]

Originally Posted by Spacy

When you get out from the american airport, they don't register your exit

I don't have much experience regarding this issue as i didn't get out from America since i had my GC but what i thought ..that they record your exit when you get out of the airport..Arn't They?...Otherwise how are you going to prove how long have you been outside if you didn't have your old passport?

[Spacy]

They don't register your exit at the airport! I do have my old passeport,but I thought that I have to have a stamp on my passeport to prove my entries and exits. They're telling me it's not necessary..so I don't know! Having an entry to Canada without an exit may sound suspicious.. I can't prove that I didn't stay more than 6 months there...writing it down can be enough?

[Scottfla]

When you re-enter the United States, you will receive an entry stamp in your passport. Therefore, you can prove that you re-entered the United States on that day. i.e., you were no longer in Canada.

[Y.M]

So Guys ... as they don't record your exit while you are leaving an american airport ..and only stamp your passport during your reentery....So you can go stay in your home for years and just come back with new passport from your home contury..so they won't konw how long have you stayed outside the usa!!!!!!

That is not logic...there is something i am missing here...............................i really cant understand.........if they don't record your exit and you had a new passport during your interview (for example lost your old one). how they gonna prove howlong have you stayed outside the State.

[query11.]

At the time of the interview for citizenship they go through your passport to make sure dates on application you declared are correct...
They might not stamp your passport at the time fo departing u.s soil....but when u enter a foreign country they stamp your passport on admission..this is taken into consideration and then you have the stamp at the poe while heading back to states...
for the op,sir u need to make sure they stamp your passport...they have to oblidge to your request.make sure they do...

[query11.]

if u loose your passport they are going to take your word...i have a friend who went through this situation.

[C R S]

Originally Posted by Y.M

... how they gonna prove howlong have you stayed outside the State.

The onus is on you to prove that you meet all the requirements. The folks at USCIS don't have to prove a thing! Luckily for you, they typically tend to take your answers at face value unless they feel that something doesn't quite add up.

[query11.]

yup and tehn on a worst case scenario...u have ur credit card statements/cell phone bills which prove as to what part of the world u were in...
i mean u r going to have something which proves ur presence here..maybe that snap from ur last visit to the strip club...

[wik]

Originally Posted by Y.M

So Guys ... as they don't record your exit while you are leaving an american airport

I believe that exits are recorded by the airlines and that information is passed on to the USCIS. It certainly happens with people with I-94s (they take the I-94), and there are other posts on this board that says the same happens for GC holders. I travel frequently to Asia on business, and I am always asked by the airlines (in this case United and Singapore Air) if I am a resident of the USA when I am LEAVING the USA, and I show them my passport and GC. They swipe/enter data from both.

[Y.M]

That makes sense for me

[Spacy]

Do I need my passport to cross the border or Green card is enough?

[ginnu]

Originally Posted by Spacy

Do I need my passport to cross the border or Green card is enough?

keep both

[Spacy]

I have one last question: I don't understand something! If you cross the canadian border from the U.S and then you come back, how are they supposed to know how long you have been in Canada? You can stay more than six months there if americans don't check your exit from the US!
Do they ask you questions when you enter Canada like "how long have you been outside outside the U.S?" etc...

[ginnu]

Originally Posted by Spacy

I have one last question: I don't understand something! If you cross the canadian border from the U.S and then you come back, how are they supposed to know how long you have been in Canada? You can stay more than six months there if americans don't check your exit from the US!
-------------if you enter Canada with GC then you can stay only 6 months in Canada

Do they ask you questions when you enter Canada like "how long have you been outside outside the U.S?" etc...
-----------------when you enter Canada the Canada immigration dont ask "how long have you been outside outside the U.S" but when you enter US then US officer at POE askes""how long have you been outside outside the U.S"

[Spacy]

Yes but how would he know I didnt stay more than 6 months? There is no stamp on the passeport saying I went out, nor an americain checkpoint before entering Canada!

[ginnu]

Originally Posted by Spacy

Yes but how would he know I didnt stay more than 6 months?
----------who is that "He"?
There is no stamp on the passeport saying I went out, nor an americain checkpoint before entering Canada!
--------- do you mean that when enter Canada from US you dont get stamp ? yes you dont get stamp if enter Canada by border post. if asked by US immigration you have to give proof that you were not out of US more than 6 months.

[rajmash]

hi
my experience is limited to newyork/vermont borders......(guess not much difference for other POEs)

i always give GC and driving license ONLY. - both US and canadian side

scenario 1:
the canadian agent can scan ur green card too ( dont ask me how - i have seen them doing it) - and top of that they type something
questions vary :
how long ur going to stay in canada ( almost always)
where do u live (almost always)
where r u going
where r u statying
who are u meeting
when is the last time u visited canada
what do u do for work
where were u born
(some customs related questions : like r u bringing alcohol/tobacco/gifts..)

scenario 2:
subset of questions above - but no scanning of greencard


US SIDE: (98% they scan ur GC) - never asked passport
when did u leave US
where do u live
where do u work
whose car is it
how long have u been PR
(if u are with soemone - how do u know him/her)
(custom related Qs - bringing meat/vegetables etc)