I'm a Canadian citizen (dual citizen with the USA). I was born in Canada but moved to the USA in childhood and I recently moved back to Canada in order to be closer to my work. I purchased a house here.
So, my wife isn't Canadian. We were applying for spousal sponsorship when we found out that she might be inadmissible due to a shoplifting charge she got as a teenager (19 years old). Since it has been almost five years since the offense (she stole a $50 tank top and received a fine and a misdemeanor in the USA for it), we applied for a TRP until she can apply for rehabilitation and then sponsorship. We got it no problem. The TRP is good for a year and states that she can enter and leave Canada (it doesn't invalidate it if she leaves) and she can stay in Canada until the TRP is done.
Now, we have NEVER had a problem at the border we cross almost every day. She has all her bills in the USA, goes to school there, works there, and maintains an address in the USA. This past weekend we went to visit family in the USA and we tried crossing through a Canadian border we have never been to to get back to my place since it was closer to her parents and would have saved us time. Boy, were we wrong.
We were held there for about four hours. At first they just wanted to ask about why she had a TRP (which is normal) but then all hell broke loose. The officer started interrogating us about how much time she spends in the USA versus Canada. We were honest and we said she goes to the USA every day but sleeps about 100% of her nights with me because we hate being apart at night. That's when he told us to "Cut the bullshit" and "shut up about psychology". I started crying. I have a really bad anxiety problem and when men start to get aggressive towards me it makes me have panic attacks. He then told me to "stop crying" and that he "doesn't do well around cryers". He added that it doesn't matter if she maintains a US address, has work in the US, and goes to school there if she spends the majority of her nights with me she is technically living in Canada. Then he refused to give us updates. Shoved paperwork at my wife without telling her what it was (we had to talk to another office and ask him what it was). Then, he separated my wife in another room to talk to her. I told the supervisor what was happening and I guess he got talked to because when he came out of the supervisor's office he wouldn't make eye contact with us or talk to us.
We waited, three hours from home, for close to four hours. I had multiple panic attacks when we were told my wife could be excluded from Canada for up to five-years. We offered to show the officer her pay stubs and mail which show her US address (she rents a room to maintain a US address) and to prove that she has work there. He said we weren't going to convince him. Luckily, he told us that he was just turning us around and that we weren't ever going to convince him that she doesn't live illegally in Canada. He added something about not caring that we are a same sex couple (???). He made my wife sign a document that said she was withdrawing her attempt to enter Canada at that border. We drove the three hours home and crossed our usual border with no problem at all.
Now, I need to know, was this handled correctly? What the heck is going on? I was told she was fine to sleep over every night as long as she retained ties to the USA (since she has a TRP). Was he confused between a TRP and a TRV? Am I confused? I'm a nervous wreck that something bad is going to happen.
So, my wife isn't Canadian. We were applying for spousal sponsorship when we found out that she might be inadmissible due to a shoplifting charge she got as a teenager (19 years old). Since it has been almost five years since the offense (she stole a $50 tank top and received a fine and a misdemeanor in the USA for it), we applied for a TRP until she can apply for rehabilitation and then sponsorship. We got it no problem. The TRP is good for a year and states that she can enter and leave Canada (it doesn't invalidate it if she leaves) and she can stay in Canada until the TRP is done.
Now, we have NEVER had a problem at the border we cross almost every day. She has all her bills in the USA, goes to school there, works there, and maintains an address in the USA. This past weekend we went to visit family in the USA and we tried crossing through a Canadian border we have never been to to get back to my place since it was closer to her parents and would have saved us time. Boy, were we wrong.
We were held there for about four hours. At first they just wanted to ask about why she had a TRP (which is normal) but then all hell broke loose. The officer started interrogating us about how much time she spends in the USA versus Canada. We were honest and we said she goes to the USA every day but sleeps about 100% of her nights with me because we hate being apart at night. That's when he told us to "Cut the bullshit" and "shut up about psychology". I started crying. I have a really bad anxiety problem and when men start to get aggressive towards me it makes me have panic attacks. He then told me to "stop crying" and that he "doesn't do well around cryers". He added that it doesn't matter if she maintains a US address, has work in the US, and goes to school there if she spends the majority of her nights with me she is technically living in Canada. Then he refused to give us updates. Shoved paperwork at my wife without telling her what it was (we had to talk to another office and ask him what it was). Then, he separated my wife in another room to talk to her. I told the supervisor what was happening and I guess he got talked to because when he came out of the supervisor's office he wouldn't make eye contact with us or talk to us.
We waited, three hours from home, for close to four hours. I had multiple panic attacks when we were told my wife could be excluded from Canada for up to five-years. We offered to show the officer her pay stubs and mail which show her US address (she rents a room to maintain a US address) and to prove that she has work there. He said we weren't going to convince him. Luckily, he told us that he was just turning us around and that we weren't ever going to convince him that she doesn't live illegally in Canada. He added something about not caring that we are a same sex couple (???). He made my wife sign a document that said she was withdrawing her attempt to enter Canada at that border. We drove the three hours home and crossed our usual border with no problem at all.
Now, I need to know, was this handled correctly? What the heck is going on? I was told she was fine to sleep over every night as long as she retained ties to the USA (since she has a TRP). Was he confused between a TRP and a TRV? Am I confused? I'm a nervous wreck that something bad is going to happen.
