Daily commute (Detroit-Windsor) (H1b and Canada PR)

[abhi1701]

No issues. I brought 12-15 ft truck.

Great. Did you bring the Uhaul back to US to drop if off. Also when did you move to canada?? Are there any issues with daily commuting with H1B visa especially due to quarantine rules?

 

[harirajmohan]

Great. Did you bring the Uhaul back to US to drop if off. Also when did you move to canada?? Are there any issues with daily commuting with H1B visa especially due to quarantine rules?

I came back on same day after dropping everything in Windsor. I did not take any additional documents except passport hence he was questioning where is my I94 etc hence asked my driver license to see if i was staying in detroit.
So take your documents importantly(your file containing all documents so that if asked you can give).
I moved 3 years ago. But same rules. So dont expect someone to have been moved last week but there are many moved this year.
Quarantine: US doesnt follow. Canada does allow people who cross for work. As you are moving, you wont be part of quarantine - tell cbsa when asked about the duration (of a day to return to US to return the truck).

 

[abhi1701]

I came back on same day after dropping everything in Windsor. I did not take any additional documents except passport hence he was questioning where is my I94 etc hence asked my driver license to see if i was staying in detroit.
So take your documents importantly(your file containing all documents so that if asked you can give).
I moved 3 years ago. But same rules. So dont expect someone to have been moved last week but there are many moved this year.
Quarantine: US doesnt follow. Canada does allow people who cross for work. As you are moving, you wont be part of quarantine - tell cbsa when asked about the duration (of a day to return to US to return the truck).

Okay sounds good. Thanks Hariraj for the information.

 

[abhi1701]

My friend was able to cross the border with 26 ft truck in April 2020. I am planning to do the same on last week of Aug-2020. I don't see any issues with the size of truck

Thanks Sam. I am also planning to move sometime last week of August. Yet to find an accomomdation. Do you know if US phone numbers work in Windsor for the purpose of receiving/making calls? Data use is not an issue.

 

[harirajmohan]

Do you know if US phone numbers work in Windsor for the purpose of receiving/making calls? Data use is not an issue.

Yes, many of us have US numbers roaming in windsor for years.

 

[dry.00]

I came back on same day after dropping everything in Windsor. I did not take any additional documents except passport hence he was questioning where is my I94 etc hence asked my driver license to see if i was staying in detroit.
So take your documents importantly(your file containing all documents so that if asked you can give).
I moved 3 years ago. But same rules. So dont expect someone to have been moved last week but there are many moved this year.
Quarantine: US doesnt follow. Canada does allow people who cross for work. As you are moving, you wont be part of quarantine - tell cbsa when asked about the duration (of a day to return to US to return the truck).

Thanks for the info.
I have all my stuff in a U-haul storage in the US, and would like to move to Windsor in the near future.
So will I be subjected to 14-day quarantine if I bring the U-haul truck to Windsor?

Or should I sign a rental contract and establish my residence first, then move my stuff over after letting CBSA know that I'm a commuter?
Kinda confused about the order of operations here.

 

[pr131985]

A question to all who are moving this year to Windsor.

How are you guys finding and finalizing accommodation in Windsor?
I was planning to move too, but have delayed my plans until next year, hopefully there will be a vaccine then.

 

[harirajmohan]

Thanks for the info.
I have all my stuff in a U-haul storage in the US, and would like to move to Windsor in the near future.
So will I be subjected to 14-day quarantine if I bring the U-haul truck to Windsor?

Or should I sign a rental contract and establish my residence first, then move my stuff over after letting CBSA know that I'm a commuter?
Kinda confused about the order of operations here.

Quarantine: Some are returning on same day and some are not. Seems that some officers allow to return on same day.

Moving: If its not costing much in storage then do it after renting the place here. Anyway where would you put your things if you dont have place? So you actually should not move without a place being searched and ready to move in.

Plan: Find a place. Start commuting. Start moving things.

 

[harirajmohan]

A question to all who are moving this year to Windsor.

How are you guys finding and finalizing accommodation in Windsor?
I was planning to move too, but have delayed my plans until next year, hopefully there will be a vaccine then.

Nowadays i am not seeing posts on moving across the border due to corona. So possibly most are on hold. Its not easy hence people are postponing the moving date.
Me too not able to move to US because of this situation hence most of us are like cant do much at this time and waiting for some cure/vaccine to be in place. Looks like chances are slim to get a cure/vaccine this year(that too on the availability for the common people). Will see.

 

[dry.00]

Quarantine: Some are returning on same day and some are not. Seems that some officers allow to return on same day.

Moving: If its not costing much in storage then do it after renting the place here. Anyway where would you put your things if you dont have place? So you actually should not move without a place being searched and ready to move in.

Plan: Find a place. Start commuting. Start moving things.

That actually makes a ton of sense.
So i guess I'll have to go to Windsor, 14 day quarantine, look for a place, sign a lease, start commuting, then move my stuff.

Thanks

 

[harirajmohan]

That actually makes a ton of sense.
So i guess I'll have to go to Windsor, 14 day quarantine, look for a place, sign a lease, start commuting, then move my stuff.

Thanks

Dont come without first enquiring on the rental places first. There might be wait time for days/weeks hence call and shortlist few places before you come in based on the movein availability.
I stay in one of this buildings at skyline living. So search for similar places which is comfortable as there might be better/cheaper places than these.
https://www.skylineliving.ca/apartments-for-rent/ontario/windsor/ (some availability is also not updated online correctly hence call each and every one that you like)
Once you come then check on the area surrounding the apartment/home and then sign the lease and move.

They were not approving the application immediately and taking few days for sure at least it was the case earlier. It depends based on each and every individual at the leasing office and based on the rental office. I dont know if some apartments allow move in quickly. So check it out.

 

[Windsorvasi]

How long does it usually take to get Original I797 Approval notice petition by mail ? Mine was filed in premium and was approved last monday. My HR says that they are yet to receive the notice.

 

[dry.00]

Hi everyone.
Has anyone tried crossing the border into Detroit on an F-1 status?
I'm on F-1 OPT with a valid visa stamp and a valid EAD card, and I'll be employed in Georgia at the time of border crossing.

I'm just asking because I have never crossed the land border before, so I don't know if I'll be able to re-enter the US (for whatever reason).
I have all the necessary documents, but I don't know if the re-entry will go alright, considering that GA is pretty far from Detroit.

I initially thought about crossing the border via the Tunnel Bus, but it looks like the service is suspended right now. I can rent a U-haul van or a sedan to cross, over to Detroit, right?

 

[DEEPCUR]

Nowadays i am not seeing posts on moving across the border due to corona. So possibly most are on hold. Its not easy hence people are postponing the moving date.
Me too not able to move to US because of this situation hence most of us are like cant do much at this time and waiting for some cure/vaccine to be in place. Looks like chances are slim to get a cure/vaccine this year(that too on the availability for the common people). Will see.

Can you not complete one more year, apply for citizenship and the move to US? Would you again move back to Canada within next 3 years then?

 

[harirajmohan]

Can you not complete one more year, apply for citizenship and the move to US? Would you again move back to Canada within next 3 years then?

As citizenship process is streamlined, most(not all) get their citizenship within 1 to 1.5 years without any problem. One needs to plan to come back if they are unlucky ones who falls under that 5-10% applicants whose processing time take more than 1.5+ years. This was the plan.

Current plan: Staying till visa is issued next year beginning (if at all happens) before we can move.
But still i am not expecting much progress at cic as things are delayed at cic too and they dont know how to conduct tests online. They are currently issuing AOR for Feb hence they might take 1-1.5 years from now to complete given the backlog is huge(again backlog on this side of border too - seems i cant escape the backlog anywhere)

So ultimately i am waiting for a year from application sent but due to covid its not going to help in application progress (except that i will have 4 years of residency which is good). Will see if cic makes any progress on test during this year (if they find solution quickly for online test) which will help.

Visa: I am still confused on when consulates would open. Embassy was prompt in issuing one statement in the website (ais.usvisa-info.com) saying they are not opening yet but thinking that internally drump told them not to open to curb visa issuance (and asked state dept to issue statement as opening to avoid legal issues) but will see if they are closed till this year end. Either way i dont want to go for visa in the next few months.