Visiting Canada

[hopeofgc]

Gurus,
We are thinking of driving to Montreal, Canada and we got the GC recently. I have some questions.

1) How do i enter the Montreal, Canada POE (me driving from NY) through land via Detroit/Windsor or Port Huron/Sarnia ?

2) I have the I-94 attached. Where do i surrender the I-94?
I'm assuming driving to Canada means that i wouldn't have to go through US POE, instead i directly hit the Canada POE, correct? That means i wouldn't return the I-94. Pls read the below link and says not returning the I-94 could pose serious problem.

http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs....i=&p_topview=1


3) I also have an Candian immigrant stamp on my passport as well as Candian PR Card. I got them back in 2004 - have been to Canada just once. However, i don't want to surrender my Canada PR during my trip to Canada this time. Probably, in next visit in 2008 to Canada i would consider surrendering my Canada PR card.

So, at Canada POE, i am planning to show the US GC though, but what if they see the Canada immigration stamp in my passport and ask for Canada PR card then what should I say? Is there anything that I should worry about? Are there any specific questions that can be asked about these?



Thanks for your responses

[TheRealCanadian]

Originally Posted by hopeofgc

1) How do i enter the Montreal, Canada POE (me driving from NY) through land via Detroit/Windsor or Port Huron/Sarnia ?

Why on earth would you go through Detroit or Sarnia when you can just take I-87 straight north? Besides, there's no POE in Montreal.

I have the I-94 attached. Where do i surrender the I-94?

Give it to Canada Customs and Immigration.

Pls read the below link and says not returning the I-94 could pose serious problem.

It could pose a problem for a non-immigrant. You, being a Permanent Resident, by definition cannot overstay.

However, i don't want to surrender my Canada PR during my trip to Canada this time. Probably, in next visit in 2008 to Canada i would consider surrendering my Canada PR card.

Surrender the card. You're not residing in Canada anyways. Permanent Residency shouldn't be treated as a border crossing card.

[Triple Citizen]

That will be a long drive Open up a road map and look closely. NY state borders Ontario and Quebec. Depending on where you are in NY, your route would take I-81, I-87 or I-I90.

Originally Posted by hopeofgc

We are thinking of driving to Montreal, Canada and we got the GC recently. I have some questions.
1) How do i enter the Montreal, Canada POE (me driving from NY) through land via Detroit/Windsor or Port Huron/Sarnia ?

[hopeofgc]

Originally Posted by TheRealCanadian

Why on earth would you go through Detroit or Sarnia when you can just take I-87 straight north? Besides, there's no POE in Montreal.

=====>> Well, my question at what place (name) i would hit the Canada Customers and Immigration? I know i could take I-87 all the way up to Canada, but i want to know the place name where i hit the CA immigration point.


Give I-94 to Canada Customs and Immigration.

=====>> Oh i can give I-94 to Canada Customs and Immigration? Is that ok?
I thought I-94 purely belongs to US for tracking the person arrival/departure in US.



Surrender the card. You're not residing in Canada anyways. Permanent Residency shouldn't be treated as a border crossing card.

======>> Well, the reason i don't want to surrender my Canada PR card now is that i need to close my bank account, which is currently dormant, in Canada. Because i have called up bank in Canada and they insisted i should make a in-person visit to bank, any of the branches in Canada and provide the proof of Id as well. I guess my proof id in Canada would my Canada PR, correct? Yeah i guess i can provide my passport as one of form id, but just in case if they insist for
Gov of Canada issued id.

---------

[Triple Citizen]

You will know when you get to the actual border. There will be signs, buildings, probably a few toll booths and surely an actual Canadian Customs booth. Once I crossed from a small Maine rural road into Quebec. The border post comprised of a single story house in the middle of the road with barriers blocking lanes in both directions. I had to stop my car, get out of it, walk up and ring a bell. A minute later someone opened the door, scanned my passport and handed it back to me. By the time I got to my car, the barrier had been lifted and I entered Canada.

[TheRealCanadian]

Originally Posted by hopeofgc

Well, my question at what place (name) i would hit the Canada Customers and Immigration? I know i could take I-87 all the up to Canada, but i want to know the place name where i hit the CA immigration point.

It may be Port Champlain, but I don't really remember. Because it doesn't really matter what it's called. You know when you get to the border.

Oh i can give I-94 to Canada Customs and Immigration? Is that ok?
I thought I-94 purely belongs to US for tracking the person arrival/departure in US.

The I-94 instructions I believe say to give it to Canada Customs when entering Canada by land or sea.

Well, the reason i don't want to surrender my Canada PR card now is that i need to close my bank account, which is currently dormant, in Canada. Because i have called up bank in Canada and they insisted i should make a in-person visit to bank, any of the branches in Canada and provide the proof of Id as well.

Use a US drivers' license, your Green Card, a passport, etc. etc.

Yeah i guess i can provide my passport as one of form id, but just in case if they insist for Gov of Canada issued id.

They won't, because they cannot. There's no requirement that you must have Canadian-issued ID in order to open a bank account.

[hopeofgc]

Originally Posted by TheRealCanadian

It may be Port Champlain, but I don't really remember. Because it doesn't really matter what it's called. You know when you get to the border.



The I-94 instructions I believe say to give it to Canada Customs when entering Canada by land or sea.



Use a US drivers' license, your Green Card, a passport, etc. etc.



They won't, because they cannot. There's no requirement that you must have Canadian-issued ID in order to open a bank account.

Thanks TheRealCanadian for your response. I certainly appreciate your help.

[hopeofgc]

Originally Posted by Triple Citizen

That will be a long drive Open up a road map and look closely. NY state borders Ontario and Quebec. Depending on where you are in NY, your route would take I-81, I-87 or I-I90.

Yes, based on the directions, i need to take I-87 through to enter the land to Canada.

[hopeofgc]

Originally Posted by Triple Citizen

You will know when you get to the actual border. There will be signs, buildings, probably a few toll booths and surely an actual Canadian Customs booth. Once I crossed from a small Maine rural road into Quebec. The border post comprised of a single story house in the middle of the road with barriers blocking lanes in both directions. I had to stop my car, get out of it, walk up and ring a bell. A minute later someone opened the door, scanned my passport and handed it back to me. By the time I got to my car, the barrier had been lifted and I entered Canada.

ok thanks for sharing your experience. So, scanned your passport and US GC as well? Wouldn't just scanning GC is not enough? Ooops you are a US citizen so
make sense in scanning your passport.

I would certainly appreciate your help.

[wtnginatl]

Originally Posted by hopeofgc

2) I have the I-94 attached. Where do i surrender the I-94?

Since you are a greencard holder, You don't need to worry about I-94's. It doesn't apply to you anymore. Just keep it as a souvenir.