Almost denied entry as visitor to go meet spouse with TN in USA

M

Mike Walt

New Member
So my spouse found a job as a Nurse in the USA. He received his TN Visa a month ago and we have been living separately ever since he left. I decided to apply for a leave without pay from my work (I am also a Nurse), in order to meet with him for 3 months in the states.

I crossed the border by car. After a short discussion with the officer, he referred me to secondary. They inspected my vehicle and its contents and they asked me to go wait in the office.

Once in the office, I was asked a thousand questions about why my spouse decided to get a TN visa, how long we've known each other, how long have I been a nurse.

To sum it up, he was ready to refuse me entry to the US on that day based on the fact that I had "Dual Intentions" ...... In other words, the officer thought that I was going there to visit and work.

The officer said: "Lets make this very clear, while you are in the US you are NOT to interview or apply on positions for RN"

He let me thru....

But it raises some questions. Why can't I pass an interview when I'm in the country as a visitor?
What stops me from interviewing for a job while I'm in the USA, fly to Canada and apply for a TN at the border? Would the DHS know that I have done an interview in the USA while I was just "visiting"?


Thanks
 
because they don't want you coming into the country and trying to take jobs away from Americans its different if your in Canada and doing it but the simple fact of there allowing you to come in and do it is a no no but at the same time i don't see how they would know if you applied for a job or even had a interview other then the fact of you saying it.
 
It is ok to interview in the US *but* when you enter the US, you have to tell the CBP officer that you are going there to interview. The entry that they then grant to you is not of a casual visitor but a business visitor. I am not doubting your intentions but think of it from the officer's POV ...
  1. you likely told the officer you are going to meet your spouse
  2. you told the officer you are going for 3 months
  3. you are going to the US on leave without any pay
  4. you and your spouse share the same profession that made the officer even more suspicious while taking into account points 1 through 3
Had you been going for a week or so with proof that you'd be back to a pre-existing job in Canada, they'd let you in without any issue (assuming you are admittable).

Q for you -- if your spouse is on TN, why didnt you get TD? that'd ensure you dont have to worry about these things...
 
The officer suspected a 3-mo visit on a LWP is more of a 'looking for a job' trek to the US. A spouse working in the same field in the US just added to the suspicion, which you seem to prove by raising questions to that end.
Might wanna keep in mind those thousand questions and your responses were recorded by the Officer
 
Ignore the threats of the officer.
You were completely allowed to enter on B2, and if you weren't he should not have let you, so he did -- because you were.

You have a place in Canada, and meet every requirement for B2. However, to make things easier, you may want to ask for TD, which would allow you even to live in US. the guy's mouth-breathing nephew probably lost his job that day so he was pi$$ed off.
The thingy about telling you not to look for work was pure BS -- obviously. Feel free to find a job if you wish, just like your spouse did - -and 100's of others who do while visiting US -- and whi then legally obtain work authorization by returning to border.
 
nelsona said:
Ignore the threats of the officer.
You were completely allowed to enter on B2, and if you weren't he should not have let you, so he did -- because you were.

You have a place in Canada, and meet every requirement for B2. However, to make things easier, you may want to ask for TD, which would allow you even to live in US. the guy's mouth-breathing nephew probably lost his job that day so he was pi$$ed off.
The thingy about telling you not to look for work was pure BS -- obviously. Feel free to find a job if you wish, just like your spouse did - -and 100's of others who do while visiting US -- and whi then legally obtain work authorization by returning to border.
Click to expand...

Ok, I like this answer much better.

I didn't apply for a TD right away because, as per my husband, things weren't going too too well at work, and he wasn't sure he was gonna keep the job (he actually suspects he will get fired)

But, thanks for your help. So, do you think I should be worried about what the angry officer ''could'' have been typed into my file? Would this hinder me from getting a TN for myself in the future, if I decide to want one also?
 
Of course not. Getting TD doesn't commit you to anything. If TN goes away, so does your TD, but who cares? You live in Canada.
 
Welcome to Trump's 'Murica! Just like Nelosna said, the officer was BS'ing you big time! I bet my bottom dollar the CBP officer you ran into is a Trump fan. They are in desperate need for RN's here. What the heck is that officer smoking?! There will be more incidents like this in the next 4 years. So don't take it personally and do what you gotta do.
 
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