Toronto Border | Imamother

amother

Mon, Feb 04 2008, 2:27 pm

does anyone have an y tips I live in NY and need to travel back and forth to see my family in Toronto.

I only have a canadian passport and am not yet legal in the united states. I have heard stories where they find out you are married and do not let you back into the US.

Does anyone have experinces I can learn from or suggestions?

cindy324

Mon, Feb 04 2008, 3:59 pm

Are you in the US longer than 6 months now? If yes, stay put, because they will not let you reenter, as Canadian citizens only have permission to stay in the US for max 6 months out of the year. Don't go anywhere until you have your green card, or visa stamp in your passport.

If you're in the US less than 6 months, you can come and go as you please. I would advise you not to wear your wedding band or engagement ring while crossing the border, because they CAN and WILL give you a probem if you get a cranky BP agent. They will charge you with entering the country with intent to marry, misrepresentation for not disclosing the fact that you are married to a US citizen, and will NOT let you enter, and start a whole load of trouble for you, among them , not being able to return to the US for YEARS, and even then only if you have a waiver approved on your behalf, which is a long shot. I know it sounds extreme but YOU DO NOT want to tangle with USCIS.

jemappelle

Mon, Feb 04 2008, 8:33 pm

yes I know someone who's husband is canadian , married an american, and got caught, was stuck in canada...these stories are quite true, especially these days they are tightening security, no more crossing the border with a birth certificate...

cindy324

Tue, Feb 05 2008, 2:38 pm

Quote:

Yup, and you wouldn't believe the amount of time and $$ it takes to remedy a situation like that. When it comes to USCIS adjudicating applications, they're in no hurry. Usually in a case like above, the DH will most likely be stuck in Canada for anywhere from 9 months to 2 years!

brooklyn

Tue, Feb 05 2008, 3:30 pm

Cindy ,
When you cross the border you are dealing with Customs and Border Protection not Border Patrol(BP) unless of course you are sneaking across the border.

cindy324

Tue, Feb 05 2008, 4:30 pm

oops,sorry...never tried sneaking across the border yet, so no experience with them yet LOL

Anyhow, whichever you deal with, if they're having a bad day...chances are you're having a bad day.