Experience on Travelling to USA by road?

Priya75

Registered Users (C)
Has anyone travelled to US by road with a visa after March 17? Can you please describe your border experience? If you took any additional supporting papers? Were you checked/questions/stamped/given an I94 and how long is the duration of stamping?

Thanks
 
My experience is that it has been nothing different than what it was when I did not need a visa. I commute everyday across to work. To date, only once the guy ever checked to see if I had a stamped visa. They just ask couple of questions and off I go. Hope it certainly stays that way :)
 
dimple2001,

So the BCIS folks are checking to see if one has a valid visa stamp. how about automatic revalidation? If one has a valid I-797 with an i-94 which expires in 5/2004? Can she travel without a visa stamp?

Thanks
 
Hello Guy's-

I will mail my passports for Immigrant visa next week & hope will get them back with in weeks time along-with landing papers.
I am planing to re-validate my H1 visa from US & also planing to land Canada in June, 03.
I just want to apply for my SIN & Health Card & from this forum I undersatnd that I need to have a utility bill in my name for 3 months (min) so I can not apply for health card...is that correct????

My second Q is that if I come back to US or go to Pakistan & want to go back to Canada with my remaining family members will it be a problem for me to re-enter Canada?

Any experienced replies will be appreciated.

Regards,

Sali
sali@clopay.com
 
Originally posted by safdarali
Hello Guy's-

I will mail my passports for Immigrant visa next week & hope will get them back with in weeks time along-with landing papers.
I am planing to re-validate my H1 visa from US & also planing to land Canada in June, 03.

Since you are from Pakistan, and were subject to special registration, St. Louis might not revalidate your visa stamp. Check the US Immigration section. There were denials for visa revalidation from St. Louis for people who went through special registration. You will be asked to apply for your H-1B visa from the US Consulate in Pakistan.

I just want to apply for my SIN & Health Card & from this forum I undersatnd that I need to have a utility bill in my name for 3 months (min) so I can not apply for health card...is that correct????
YES. You will have to wait for 3 months from the date of your landing to be eligible for Health card. You need to provide proof of address in your name, like utility bill, bank statement, apartment/house lease.

My second Q is that if I come back to US or go to Pakistan & want to go back to Canada with my remaining family members will it be a problem for me to re-enter Canada?
If you have the PR card, then I don't foresee any problems. In regards to your remaining family members, there should be any issues, if they have PR status or a valid visa to enter Canada.

Any experienced replies will be appreciated.

Regards,

Sali
sali@clopay.com
 
dimple2001,

are you talking about H1 visa? i was enquiring regarding the B2 visa for landed immigrant to visit USA for short trip. is it the same procedure as yours?

thanks
 
Hi! Vault-

Thank you very much for your replies. The second Q, I asked is for myself in case of re-entry before getting PR card. Like I land on 1st June, 03 & leave Canada on 6th June, 03. Want to go back to Canada on 30th June, 03. In that case do I need to take a Visit visa from Canada consulate abroad? Will it be a problem for me to take a visit visa for re-entry?

2. Regarding your advise for my first Q, I will open a bank account & will be having bank statements for three months ( Will give my freinds address) with in three to six months I will try to find some job in Canada & move permanently.

Will appreciate if you advise me for my first Q above.

Thanks,

Sali
 
Originally posted by safdarali
Hi! Vault-

Thank you very much for your replies. The second Q, I asked is for myself in case of re-entry before getting PR card. Like I land on 1st June, 03 & leave Canada on 6th June, 03. Want to go back to Canada on 30th June, 03. In that case do I need to take a Visit visa from Canada consulate abroad? Will it be a problem for me to take a visit visa for re-entry?

(Once you land in Canada, your landing paper will be stamped "NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL". You will get a PR Card in mail to the Canadian address you provide when you land. You should ask your friend to send it over to you. You will not be allowed without the PR Card.)


2. Regarding your advise for my first Q, I will open a bank account & will be having bank statements for three months ( Will give my freinds address) with in three to six months I will try to find some job in Canada & move permanently.

(Just bank statements are not sufficient. You need to have utility bills also).

Will appreciate if you advise me for my first Q above.

Thanks,

Sali
 
Priya75 -

For B2s, I would think you will be asked the purpose and duration of your visit and a I94 given to that effect. There is a $6 USD charge for the I94. I don't think you will need any extra documentation other than, perhaps, a letter from the "host" you will be visiting and something to prove you live outside of US.

Questions at the border depends on the officer at the booth and the time of the day. I cross the border at 6.45 in the morning and so do a thousand others to be at work. So, the questioning is pretty light. I have been questioned more when I sometimes cross over on weekends.

Vault -

I believe you need a valid stamped visa to enter or re-enter the US irrespective of how long you have been outside the US. If you have a valid I797 and I94, you can use that as a basis to apply for a H1 visa.

(The above is valid for Cdn PRs in need of a stamped visa)

Hope the above helps.
 
Dimple2001,

I just hungup with the State Department (Visa office). They have confirmed that the automatic revalidation is no good anymore. I need to have a valid visa stamp in my passport to cross the border.
 
Hi! Vault-

Thank you very much for your detail reply to my Q's.

From your reply I think I can not come back to Canada untill & unless I had a PR card. Even I will not get a Single entry visa for returning to Canada because I have already given a PR status & awaiting PR card. (This is what I understood from your reply)

What happens if some one needs to go back to his/her native country in case of emergency & he/she wants to come back to Canada & his/her PR cards still pending arrival? or he/she needs the new pic's for PR cards because the pic's taken at POE were not as per spec's etc????

Thanks for your time.

Regards,

Sali
 
Hi Everyone,

My wife's cousin has taken appointment for visitor visa from Vancouver . She is an Indian and have Landed Papers. Her Father is Canadian citizen. She needs visa to visit us in USA. I am GreenCard Holder in USA. She is a student in Canada.
1. Does she need a letter from me to show it at the time of the interview? She has already visited us few times before March 17.
If yes, what should be the contents of the letter and who should it be addressed.
2. Any other required docs or precautions ?
3. What are the chances she will get the visa the day of interview (April 16)? Her flight is already booked for April 18.

Thanks
SUSOG
 
sali,

You wrote:

What happens if some one needs to go back to his/her native country in case of emergency & he/she wants to come back to Canada & his/her PR cards still pending arrival? or he/she needs the new pic's for PR cards because the pic's taken at POE were not as per spec's etc????

-----

I am still not resident of Canada, but my PR application was approved. Canadian Consulate sent me a letter which says:

"You should wait until you have your PR card to travel ourside of Canada. If you can't do this, you will have to apply for for a Travel Document (PR Abroad) before you re-enter Canada."

Hope this helps.

I am planning to enter Canada soon. From what vault writes it seems I need to have a Canadian address when I land just to get a PR. Or, can I inform them of my address later when I take an appartment on rent?
 
Travelling between US & Canada on weekends with US GC

Does anyone have experience of frequent travelling between canada and US by road with a US green card. I am planning to frequent canada to meet my wife once a month on weekend. I live and work in US. Your advice and experiences is appreciated.
Thanks all.
 
tz6ph0,

you shouldn't have any trouble whatosever trying to visit your wife in canada with your US green card.
although i believe your US GC is enough, but you can always carry the most recent pay stub if needed for further proof of your US residence.

hope that helps.
 
Originally posted by vault
dimple2001,

So the BCIS folks are checking to see if one has a valid visa stamp. how about automatic revalidation? If one has a valid I-797 with an i-94 which expires in 5/2004? Can she travel without a visa stamp?

Thanks


Hi vault,

My status history is B1-F1-H1B. My old passport only has B1 visa stamp and my I-94 based on B1 expired 6 years ago. Do I have to get new H1B visa stamp when I back from Canada with expired I-94 and valid I-797? Does anybody have the experience? What's the possibility that I can get the new H1B stamp at Toronto? Thanks.
 
Any experience using rental car at US border?

hello friends,

I will be travelling to Canada this week to pick up my PR card. I have a valid H1b visa stamp on my passport.

1. Does anyone know of any issues of crossing the border with a rental car? I am renting a car from Toronto to drop off at Buffalo. I have valid US driver's licence, but is there any problem at US customs about driving a rental car one way? Anything I should know about wheather the car should have US or Canadian plates?

2. I am just going for one day. Should I surrender my I94 to airline here in the US?

Thanks
 
For fc2000

Hi fc2000
I was in a similar situation to you in the sense that I was also a B1-F1-H1B person when I went to get my visa stamped in Toronto US Consulate for H1b.
Firstly I had gone a week prior to September 11th,2001 so things may have changed since then. Also I had long innings on F1 ie I came to US in Dec 1991 on B1 then changed to F1 then completed both Bachelors and Masters in US and then went on H1.

Bottom line is did you complete the entire course for which you changed to F1 ie do you have the degree to prove it was completed. If the course wasnt completed to point of degree forget about even applying you will most likely be rejected.

If course was completed there is a much higher chance of getting it. It also depends on your nationality and if you are from a deemed terrorist state.
Hope that helps
Best of luck.
 
Landing in Canada-Need Help ASAP

Hi All,

I am planning to Drive to Toronto from Buffalo for my landing and return to US after 3-4 days. My wife will accomapny me. Here is my situation, please let me know if we can land in Canada as planned-

I used to work for company A. I have a H1 B Visa Stamp on my Passport from this company which is valid until July 27, 2004. My wife has H4 with the same date. And our 1-94 is valid until July 2004.


In Oct’2003, I moved to company B from company A. They have filed for fresh Visa and I have received the H1b Approval Notice recently. I am planning to send my passport to St Louis for Revalidation later. (After we come back from Canada)

The Corporate Department of company A sent me the following message recently -- “His H-1 was cancelled, however, he will only be able to apply for a new visa stamp in his passport if there is only 60 days of validity left or it
has been expired for less than 1 year.

The visa stamp can be used with any company someone works for irregardless of whether or not their H-1 was cancelled”

Can any one explain the last paragraph?
Can we still use the Visa issued on this company for landing in Canada and return to US without any problem?

If YES Can We –

1) Drive to Canada on Rental Car? Take Two Way Rental? What should we tell the Immigration officer about the car?
2) Fill in the “Goods to Follow” now with the following – Car, jewelry, Computer etc
3) Show the I-94 to the immigration officer? Pros and cons of showing 1-94?
4) Is it ok to carry less money than specified in the Application? What form (check, Demand draft, cash) is the best? What are the pros and cons for selecting a particular form?
5) While retuning back to US can we carry the money with us or Do we have to deposit it in Canadian Bank.
6) What are the questions generally asked by US immigration while returning.


Would really appreciate if you could answer the above questions.


Thank You Very Much,
ck
 
My Experince by car in Canada

People,

I am from Pakistan, my wife Japanese and my child American. I took my personal car, bank statemnet $35,000, travelers checks $8000 and cash $7000 with me.

I drove from North Carolina, USA to Peace Bridge in New York with my wife and my 2 year old child.

At US border, they stamped my passport and we enter Canada.

NOW, at the border, the guy asked me these questions but didnot check any documents.

What is your nationality?
How many people in the car?

Once he learnd that I am here for "Landing", he told me to go park my car on the side and enter the immigration building. I did that.

Inside the building on right, there were 3 ladies in immigration windows and on the left of building, there were about 10 people in the custom windows. There was no one other travelers at that time, we were the only ones.

I gave our 3 passports and 3 landing papers only to the lady. She asked for doucments of proof of funds. I gave her bank statment and then she asked how much you have with you? I told her $15000, (7000 + 8000) she did not even ask to see the cash or the travelers checks. she stamped every thing and asked for address for PR card and I gave her the address. She said you will get your card in about 3 weeks and then she said Congratulations!! and told us to go to customs.

At custom counter, I told guy that I am NOT importing my car or any thing this time, but next time I will import it. This time I am here only for landing and going back to USA in the same car. He looked at my two sheets "list to follow" items and mentioned said that you have many guns. I said yes they are all my hunting guns. He adviced me to get proper paper work for guns and then he "entered" the exact description of my guns from my list into his computer along the info on my two cars. Later he printed that list and stamped that printed one and my copy of list to follow and gave it back to me. I noticed that he didn't care of any stuff I am bringing with me except for the guns and the ONLY things in the list he printed, were my guns with serial numbers and cars with VIN #. and that was it.......

No one even came out to see what car I was driving or to check/custom my car at all. Every thing went very smoothly and then. There only concern was my many guns and my two cars.

Next morning I went to SIN office and applied for the SIN #, they require passport, landing papers and address in Canada. Took less then 10 minutes
then I went to bank, open an checking accout, applied for credit card, got my two ATM cards and this whole process took 2 hours. Here in USA, bank account opens in less then 10 minutes but things are different in Canada, Too much time in just opening a bank accunt.

After bank I went to Health office for health card but they refuse me saying that i have to be here for 3 months before i apply for card. Also, they need some kind of proof that i am living here like rental lease, bank statment, cell phone bill etc.

I came back to USA in less then 24 hours. On my way to home, I was very happy and I treat myself with a new gun worth over $2100 and to bribe my wife, I bought her shoes for $150....Fair trade!!!!

let me know if I can be of any help....and may Allah Help all of you....
 
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