Border Crossing Experience

your H1B approval is your H1B STATUS and ayour passport stamp is your H1B visa. Your employer can cancel your STATUS not visa. Again, please read:
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.
"
 
Patel,

What ever you saying is right...but if u look at the word
"If your current visa is still valid, you may reenter ....."
Its quite confusing...I am not sure, whether visa stamped on passport and h1 approval are link together...

Do you have any friends/ heard from somewhere related to this POE issue?
 
Say, you were working for company A, and got a H1-B stamp in your passport valid till 06/2003, and you quit company A, and join company B with a new H1-B approval valid past 06/2003, you can travel safely without obtaining a new visa stamp. All you need is the new approval notice from (i-797) from company B, Employment verificartion letter from Company B, and most recent paystubs from company B to reenter.

Even if company A has cancelled your H1-B, your Visa stamp in your passport is still valid, and can travel without any problems.
 
Quick question

I would appreciate if I can get this thing straightened out.

Here is my scenario.

Worked for the companyA for two years and H1B stamp in passport is valid till 2003

Filed for an H1 transfer from CompanyB

Right now I am in Canada for two months and the new H1B is in process

Question::
Can I travel to US with CompanyB I797 and the old H1B stamp?
I presume that companyA might have cancelled my H1B

Appreciate your response gurus.
 
Just I talk to my lawyer..he is telling visa and h1b is link together..ie. if they cancelled the h1b, the visa also automatically cancelled. Since stamping is somewhat risk in india compared to USA, am worring to stamp in india.
 
if they cancelled ur visa (h1-b pettion), ur visa is no longer valid to travel in and out.
If ur visa is with Company A,you are not working with Company A and the Company A is not cancelled ur visa , still u can enter with that visa ,but it is not 100% Guarnatee that they will allow u inside at POE while coming back from india.

But if ur visa on passport is not expired , u can renew ur visa in US itself , eventhough they cancel ur H1
 
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Can anyone please verify about the VISA requirement for Canadian PR. Is it going to be effective after Dec 15,2002? Please comments...
 
My Opinion on PR and VISA

Please note, this is strictly my opinion...I have read many reports talked to border officers, even went to consulate and got a VISA in Toronto myself. Recent remarks by Canadian government and all that is going on I feel they will implement this rule right after the holidays are over. They want to avoid delays at the border during hoildays and will probably just anounce the same in the new year. My advice just get the damn thing and be done with it... it does take a day and $100, but it is not worth worrying too much...and more over you will avoid the rush later...and they will rarely refuse one...again just my opinion...
 
Hi,

I am new to this list.

I am a Canada PR, landed in 1999. then I am working in US on H1-B until now.

I plan to go to Toronto for MapleCard Application. I have valid I-797 and I-94. But I am not sure if there is any problem when I come back through US border? What are the questions are they usually ask? and what kind of documents shall I prepared?

Thanks in advance.

BTW I am chinese.
 
Today I received this message from one of the lawyer.... Hope will use for some of our guys..

As the other poster pointed out, it is permissable to travel on a valid H-1B visa with the name of a former employer as long as you can document that you remain in H-1B status with a new employer. When traveling in this situation, it is best to have your I-797 approval notice with I-94 card, a letter from your current employer documenting that you are still employed by that employer and a current paystub as further evidence of current employment with the new employer.

Also, I wanted to point out that while former employers can cancel your H-1B petition, they cannot cancel your H-1B visa.

Regards,

Marc A. Topoleski, Immigration Attorney
M.A. Topoleski & Associates PLC
20700 Civic Center Drive, Suite 170
Southfield, MI 48073
Phone: 248-663-2267
Fax: 248-663-4029
Email: marc.topoleski@matopoleski.com
 
I am in similar situation as other posts on this site. I have H-1 visa and Canada PR. I will be driving from Detroit to Toronto and will be coming back in two days. Need to apply for PR card and health card. Does Canadian side give hard time entering at their post? what kind of questions they ask? Also coming back if anyone has experiences recently with US side? Do I have to tell US POE that I am a canadian PR, do they give hard time coming back to US..fingerprinting, pix..

Also, DO I have to surrender my I94 leaving US? I have been to Canada before but that was by Air, this time I will be with my freind who will be driving. Please share your experiences if you can.

Thanks
Dan
 
nkan780,
Will you please let us know about your trip experienced after you are back from Canada. When you are leaving for Canada? I think as long as you have valid I-797 you will be OK. I need to travel to canada as well to apply for my Maple leave card soon. Let us know.
 
I went on 12/22/02 to Canada for obtaning PR.

Canadian Border Questions/Answer
--------------------------------------------------

Guy a custom checkpost (I am in my car at this point)
Q. How u doing.
Ans Fine, thx how r u?
Q Good, this is first time u r going to Canada?
A Yes
Q U r here for stamping.
A (Confused), We have come for PR.
Q How many ppl in car?
A 4
(Hands over pink slip at this point, write 4 ppts on the slips)
Please park your cars and goto custom counter.

I park my car and then goto Immigration counter instead.
Lady officer
Officer : May I help you?
Me :Yes, we got PR and we are landing today.
Officer : OK, Please give me you landing papers and passports.
(I give the documents and passports)
Officer : I need to look at settlement funds.
(I show her the cashier check)
Officer : I have seen the check now you can take it back.
Officer : whats your address.
Me :U need address in Canada or US.
Officer : Address where u r going to stay in Canada.
(I told her the address and she noted it somewhere, She started stampng the passports at this point)
(Realising stamping is already done)
Me : I have to go back to US in next 2 days as We got very little reaction time and we have to finish up our current assignments, what we have to do?
Officer : Nothing. Please sign here (on Landing papers)
I sign the document.
Officer : Here is your copy of landing paper and passports. Please goto custom counter and u r all set.
Me : How about the PR Card?
Officer : You will get it in the mail.
Me : Do we have to fill any forms?
Officer : No, you are all set.

I goto custom counter, they took list of goods to follow from me and stamped it.
Next day I applied for SIN.(Took only 15 mins)

12/24/02
Crossing to US Border (Lewiston bridge I guess)
===================================
We are in car on booth. I hand over passports.
Officer : Where are you going Sir?
Me : New Jersey
Officer : Why are you going there?
Me : I work there.
Officer : You work there, when did you goto Canada?
Me : Day before yesterday.
Officer : Why did you goto Canada?
Me : To take PERMANENT RESIDENCY.
Officer : What do you do for living Sir?
Me : I am a software Engineer?
(At this time he comes close to my minivan, takes a peek inside the car while asking questions?, My son and daugter are sitting on back seats, looks at them)
Officer : Do you have any food or animals today?
Me : No.
(He has already seen cooler inside van and some food for kids lying on floor of van)
Officer : (In firm voice) You don't have any food with you?
Me : No except some items for kids which they might need on the way.
Officer : Have a pleasent trip Sir.
(Hands over the passports to me, did not look any other documents)
Me : Thanks, have a nice day.
( I start my jouney back to NJ happily)



Gentlemen a quick question.
I did not apply for HealthCard. Only thing I applied for is SIN. Is it OK or is there anything I missed that I whould have done? Please comment.

Thanks in advance.
 
Thanks for sharing the EXP
You have not missed any thing.
they have not taken your Photographs for PR Card, did you supplied to Buffalo? did you sign any form for PR card or the lady has put the information on PR card form?

I hope You landed in Toronto and you can only apply for SIN immidiatly after landing.
in Ontario you need to stay for 3 months after landing then Only you can apply for Ontario Health card and for Health card they need 3 Id's
 
They did not ask for any photograps. Neither did I sign any PR card form nor did they fill any PR card form(I don't know if they will do it later). I asked the lady if we need to fill any form and she said NO. She said PR cards are part of immigration process.
Realizing that they did not take photographs, I called their immigration office next day and here is the conversation.

Me : Good morning.
Officer : Good morning, How can I help you?

Me : We landed yesterday and I have some questions regardding that.
Officer : Sure, I will be glad to help you.

Me : According to your website we were supposed to bring a recent photograph for PR card but lady at border did not ask for it. I am not sure if you need this.
Officer : Does your landing papers had photograph on it?

Me : Yes
Officer : Then we don't need this.

Me : How does this work.
Officer : If landing paper has photograph on this , we use that for PR card.

Me : So you scan that picture and use for PR card.
Officer : Yes.

Me : Thanks.
Officer : Anything else I can help you with.

Me : Thanks and have a good day.
Officer : You too, bye now.
Me : bye.

I was also confused for this photo thing as I was not asked to bring any photos and my friend who got passports few days before me was asked to bring recent photographs. I had taken some photographs anyway after seeing this discrepency but nobody asked for these.

GINNU : Now if I go after 1 year. Again there will be 3 months waiting period for healthcard. What I have to do to reenter? Any suggestions?
 
“GINNU : Now if I go after 1 year. Again there will be 3 months waiting period for health card. What I have to do to reenter? Any suggestions?”

1 If you get your PR card at Canada address after 3-4 weeks, ask your friend/relative to send you by FedEx, you can reenter showing PR Card
For the health card you have to show 3 ID and proof that you were staying in Canada for 3 months, Apartment lease with other ID will be best.

go to www.google.com and search for OHIP health card and read the instruction for how to get OHIP card what documents you need to show when you apply for Ontario Health card with photograph.
 
Canadian Boarder

Since a lot of people on the forum landed 2 or 3 years ago and they need to go to Canada get the new Maple Card, could someone share the experience of entering Canada? Because after landed in Canada, they come back to US on H-1 and did not stay in Canada as required, they are wondering if Canadian custom will allow then enter Canada again. Experience about what kind of questions asked and how to answer them. Travel by bus, train, car? I think have to lie a little about how long you been in US question, otherwise, the officer will kick you out if you say you have worked in US for last two years. Just a guess. So, someone have such experience, please share it out. Thanks.
 
Actually working on H1 while PR of Canada is against the rules, but I guess the Canadian customs Guys realize there is not much work in Canada and are very flexible with it.


but Do the taxes.
 
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