I flew from the west coast to Buffalo and used the shuttle to get into Canada. What happened, though is that I was denied entry because I didn't have a return flight ticket to California (it was a day of tougher inspection, according to Canadian immigration themselves).
So the shuttle driver drove me back to the US border. This officer took the document from the driver (my passport and the denial doc from Canada). He did some checking and said that I should go to their immigration office. I was a bit surprised, as I am a US citizen now - why would they want to inspect me further? He made it sound like a routine thing (for people who got denied entry to Canada).
Anyway, I went to the border building, waited a while, and then was called. The office I talked to was very friendly, asked me what happened, showed some sympathy. Then he asked me if I was every denied entry to the US back in 1995!
I was a bit confused. He saw my face and said that it was indeed a very long time ago to remember. But then I remembered what happened - it was a bit of misunderstanding leading to the second inspection. Back then I was visiting my family and unfornately I said I wanted to learn English and the officer was like, "you don't have a F-1 visa!". I tried to explain - that I didn't plan to enroll in any institution and I was just saying that by staying in the US I was hoping I would improve my English. Anyway, eventually they let me go with 3 month stamp.
I told this story to the officer and he even chuckled and said that the US immigration was a bit unreasonable back then. Then he asked me when I got my citizenship, what my status was since 1995, whether I was out of the status at any time. When I answered his questions, he said he 'obviously' has no problem since I am a citizen... I almost asked him then why I was brought in, but I held my tungue. He was nice enough.
He called me a cab so that I can go somewhere I can use Internet and buy a returning ticket. He even checked whether the cab would be taking a credit card, because I told him I might not have enough US dollar cash. Everything worked out beautifully after that.
Anyway, I wanted to share this story because (1) obviously one's becoming a US citizen may not end all US immigration woes and (2) I was surprised they had more than decade old information retrievable at the border.
As for the Canadian immigration, I learned my lesson and I will buy returning tickets or something that would show my departing date, even when I cross the border by car. I've been visiting Canada for almost 9 years and I never had any incident when I was not a US citizen. It is ironic that I had a problem when I was a US citizen.
So the shuttle driver drove me back to the US border. This officer took the document from the driver (my passport and the denial doc from Canada). He did some checking and said that I should go to their immigration office. I was a bit surprised, as I am a US citizen now - why would they want to inspect me further? He made it sound like a routine thing (for people who got denied entry to Canada).
Anyway, I went to the border building, waited a while, and then was called. The office I talked to was very friendly, asked me what happened, showed some sympathy. Then he asked me if I was every denied entry to the US back in 1995!
I was a bit confused. He saw my face and said that it was indeed a very long time ago to remember. But then I remembered what happened - it was a bit of misunderstanding leading to the second inspection. Back then I was visiting my family and unfornately I said I wanted to learn English and the officer was like, "you don't have a F-1 visa!". I tried to explain - that I didn't plan to enroll in any institution and I was just saying that by staying in the US I was hoping I would improve my English. Anyway, eventually they let me go with 3 month stamp.
I told this story to the officer and he even chuckled and said that the US immigration was a bit unreasonable back then. Then he asked me when I got my citizenship, what my status was since 1995, whether I was out of the status at any time. When I answered his questions, he said he 'obviously' has no problem since I am a citizen... I almost asked him then why I was brought in, but I held my tungue. He was nice enough.
He called me a cab so that I can go somewhere I can use Internet and buy a returning ticket. He even checked whether the cab would be taking a credit card, because I told him I might not have enough US dollar cash. Everything worked out beautifully after that.
Anyway, I wanted to share this story because (1) obviously one's becoming a US citizen may not end all US immigration woes and (2) I was surprised they had more than decade old information retrievable at the border.
As for the Canadian immigration, I learned my lesson and I will buy returning tickets or something that would show my departing date, even when I cross the border by car. I've been visiting Canada for almost 9 years and I never had any incident when I was not a US citizen. It is ironic that I had a problem when I was a US citizen.
. I agree, these arent innocent questions. These guys go through serious training (ex cops, military) in asking innocent looking questions.