Border Crossing Experience

siddiqi101

Registered Users (C)
Does anyone have recent border crossing experience? Would you mind sharing. I am looking for what questions did INS ask you ? DId they hand you out the the Visa requirement list when tyou were crossing borser?
I am H1-B approved with PR of canada, wondering if one with e same background can share their border crossing experience. Every comment is appreciated.
Is valid I-94 is good enough for border crossing?
 
I am planning to go to Detroit for Eid. Not sure right now. I dont know if Eid is a sufficient reason to convince the INS.
 
Let us know about your experienced with border crossing? I wish you a good luck? Are you PR fo Canada, just visiting USA.
 
Me and my wife cross the border 5 times a week between Windsor and Detroit - tunnel or the bridge. We show them our passport, I797 and I94 as both of us live in Windsor and work in MI on H1B. We have been doing this for the past 8 months.

Few weeks ago, they handed out flyers notifying of visa requirement for Cdn PRs of commonwealth nationalities. Now they have stopped. We do not worry about it since we have a stamped visa in our passports for the past 3 months if they do ask for one. We got our visas since our company attorneys suggested to do so.

As far as questions that the border fellas ask, it varies and makes up for an interesting experience everyday. We have experienced one rude female so far among the plenty at the US and Cdn booths. So, you can see its not at all bad.

Questions we have been asked:

1. Citizenship
2. Purpose of travel
3. Status in Canada and show documentation.
4. Is "she" going to work too? (refering to my wife)
5. Anything to declare?
6. Any alcohol, tobacco, firearms, etc?
7. Is that your daughter (refering to my wife!!!!)?
8. Whose car are you driving?
9. How are you both related? (we have different last names)
10. How long were you gone? (Q from canada)
11. Where do you live?

We have been, three times to be precise, lucky winners of "Random search" at the Cdn crossing and were sent to secondary inspection for a quick search of our car. They also verified our documents on their computer. They mentioned that it happens since we are frequent travelers across the border.

I have been sent to sec insp. once at the US side since I had automotive samples and they had to check it out.

I also drive a company vehicle (with MI plates) using a Commuter's Conveyance Permit issued by the Canada customs.

We were once refused entry into Canada since my wife was driving a MI rental car. We had to go back to US, drop the car off and return with our car. That was a pain in the butt!

We usually get more questions on the US side if I drive my MI company car since they are want to know what I was doing in Canada. I, now just tell them before they ask that I am driving a business vehicle and live in Windsor.

Hope this helps.
 
What Country of citizenship you currenlty hold? i ma really surprised that they have not pulled you for finger printing. Thanks for the update.
 
Any news lately?

I am a Canada PR, and working in US on H-1. Plan to go back to apply for PR card next Jan. Not sure if there are problems while I entering Canada/US Border.

Also I landed in Canada 4 years ago, and I lived there for only 6 mons and had 1 year return permit approval. So is my PR status still valid?
 
We went to canada on this thanks giving wekend. The officer at US POE saw our I-797 aprovals and told us go in. I have valid visa till 2004 but my visa on passport expired 3 years back!!!!
no problem u can go come happily.

carry ur approvals and also employment verification letter incase and paystubs in case if requried. dont show them unless if he/she ask you

good luck
 
Hi canus,

You were saying
" I have valid visa till 2004 but my visa on passport expired 3 years back"

wht do you mean by that?

anass
 
As long as u have valid approvals u r okay .while going also carry employment verification letter and paystubs. If they ask u specifically open otherwise dont open

good luck
 
Hi,

I changed my employer recently...i got new i797 approval. my old visa stamp in my passport valid upto july 2003. but i dont know my previous employer is cancelled or not? can i go to india and come back to usa without stamping?

anass
 
I think that is wrong. They can cancel your H1B but they can not cancel your visa.. check this link..you don't need new visa sta,p.

http://travel.state.gov/revals.html

"Please note that you do not require a new visa merely because you have changed employers and received a new I-797 petition from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). If your current visa is still valid, you may reenter the US with that visa as long as you are in possession of a valid I-797, even though the visa contains the information from your former employer.
"
 
I think you should just get a new VISA samped just to be safe. It only takes a day...If you are a resident of CANADA not to worry...
 
At the POE they will check ur status of VISA by EAC# , if u change the employer and previous if they inform to INS abt VISA(H1-pettion) cancelation ur VISA no longer valid for travel purpose.

But ur in US if u change the employer , u can work for that employer without VISA in ur passort

This is waht i learned from lawyer

good luck
 
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