Border Crossing sweetgrass/coutts( Montana) and came back to US
Family of 4 ( Including 2 kids )
Status : H1b and H4 visa ( Both of our visa & I94 expired ) kids are US Citizen.
Plan : Border crossing for PRL and coming back to US using AVR
Mind status : 4 months -very tensed don't know what is going to happen on coming back to US using AVR.
spend 4 months of time for preparing PR landing.
I booked Airticket from San Francisco to Greatfalls and stayed overnight in a Hotel near by Airport and on March 21'st Morning we took Rental car at 9.00 am. Before we were reaching the border we took a break in shelby for 10 min almost 11.00 am ( Nice and sunny little bit windy ) When I was about to reach canadian border, 50 feet before US patrol
blocked our car on the road and small booth with stop sign ,
=================== First officer US-Border Patrol Booth =========================================
Two officer in same booth ( one officer told my car plate number and another officer to enter in his system )
US-Officer: Is it your car or rental?
Me : Rental sir,
US-Officer: How many people in the car ?
Me : 4 people
US-Officer: Can i see all of your passport ?
Me : Gave all the passport ( he saw all the pages )
US-Officer: your visa is expired ,you have your I94
Me : showed the old expired ,( saw it and gave it to me) this also expired
US-Officer: you have new visa or i94?
Me : Yes i said i have new visa i-797 along attached i94 ( gave that )
he looked the visa and entered the info in to his system.
Then he scanned in his keyboard all of our passport and return all the passport and visa
US-Officer: see you later ( That word Gave me lot of confidence that my trip is going to be good one )
with in 10 feet Canadian border ( that day Two lanes are opened )
infront of me 3 cars ( just waited for 3 min )
======================= Canadian Booth 2 =======================================================
My turn drive to the window:
Canadian officer : Bonjour
Me : Hello
Canadian officer : why are you coming to canada ?
Me : For my Permanant residance landing
Canadian officer : can i see your passport
Me : Gave all the Passport
Canadian officer : How long r u going to say in canada ?
Me : 1 week and return to US and coming back to canada after a month.
Canadian officer : Do you have any alcohol, Amenities,Fire arm?
Me : NO
Canadian officer : Do you have any gifts to hand over somebody in Canada?
Me : NO
Canadian officer : Gave me yellow slip ( ask us to Park the car and go to immigration counter )
Got my yellow slip and passport parked the car.
==================== Canadian Immigration 3 ======================================================
went in side the office ( Office counter is like L shap ) 2 counter for immigration and 2 for customs and another two ( I dont know )
I went to imigration counter both counter officer are just sitting free
Canadian officer: How can i help you?
Me : came here for permanant residant landing .
Canadian officer: you have all the documents .
Me : Gave Passport and Corp documents.
Canadian officer: How long are u going to stay in canada :
Me : 1 week and go back to US finish up my daughter school and wrap up my things and will be back in 1 month
Canadian officer: You have address in canada to send PR card ?
Me : yes sir, Gave the address to him.
Canadian officer: who is in this address ?
Me : He is my friend, ( he got that address and took copy of it )
Me : sir one request , LosAngeles canadian consulate said the pictures in the copr are not up to the specification so they ask us to change the pictures at the port of entry
Canadian officer: Ohhh, do they think we fix all their work? ( laughed ) just kidding you,
Don't worry, I will fix everything on the Coprs. He also told he have a expensive camera to take pictures too...
Me : we gave the pictures that we took with correct specification.
Canadian officer : He looked at all the pictures and said they all looks good and will replace it.
He ask us to wait - we sit in the chair ( he filled all 4 of our info in system same time he gave training to another officer how to do that )
bcaz of the new officer training it took almost 30 min to finish that work
Canadian officer: verified all the info in copr and called us to sign in the green box.
Me : I and my wife signed with in the box not tocuhing the green color , ( good you both are permanent resident now ) Next turn for our kids
Canadian officer: Do you want to bring your kids with you?
Me : Yes Obsoultely Sir
Canadian officer: Do you have anyother dependent other than listed in the coprs?
Me : No Sir
Canadian officer: Then sign the coprs for your kids
Me : I and my wife signed the coprs and
Officer told your kids are also permanent residence now. He also added that we can get all the rights schooling, jobs,etc., same like canadians
It was really happy moment for our family.
Me : where I need to show the proof of funds, goods accompanying and goods to follow?
Canadian officer: Dont worry about proof of funds right now. For goods -B4 forms go to the traffic section on the left corner and give this yellow slip
you all done went to traffic counter:
======================== Canadian Customs 4 ==================================================================
went to traffic:
Officer : How can I help you?
Me : came here for PRL and need to show good accompanying and goods to follow
Officer : you know what are the items you are bringing?
Me : Yes sir,
Officer : try to pull B4 forum to fill
Me : sir we already filled it
Officer : thats good
Me : show the pic of jewellry and other scaned item.
Officer : ( very happy ) it will reduce my work a lot , if everyone come like this it will be great.
Me : smile
Officer : i dont need any copies of B4 accompany. if you want i will stamp all the pages in your b4 list. ( he stamped all the pages )
he took copy of b4 following and stamp all the pages in our copy.
Officer : if you bring your car please call UScustoms 72 hours and clear it
( next counter a chinese guy told me to clear the uscustoms before 3 days, he told me US customs hold his car for 3days at the port of entry)
officer : ohh really . (he said we are all done ),
Very happy that all our works are done very smoothly and officers are very nice
Drove 1 hour and reached Lethbridge at 1.45 pm
Had a food in Indian Resturant . Almost 3.00 we went to service canada to apply sin card, Got sin no , and they ask canadian address to send the card.
I gave my friends address ( it took 45 min for all 4 of us )
Started to drive back to US at 4.15 pm
Reached US Border @ 5.15 pm
In front of us 3 cars ( Only one lane open for cars )
waited for 5 min for our turn .
============================ US Border Patrol Booth 5 =========================================================
officer : Hello
Me : Hello
officer : where you guys are from?
Me : california,
officer : what are you doing there?
Me : I am working there.
Officer : How long you been in California
Me : almost 6yrs
Officer : can i have all your passports and i94s
Me : yes sir, ( Gave passport , old i94 , new i797 )
Officer : when u went to canada ?
Me : Today Morning 11.00 am.
officer : why u went to canada?
Me : PRL
Officer : Is this rental car?
Me : yes
Officer : How are you going back to California
Me : I am flying sir
officer : scanned my passport in his keyboard and visas
Officer : You all set. Have a nice time
Me : thanks a lot sir, have a nice time
( it took only 3 min )
( we never said anything about AVR Rule, Looks like the officers know every thing about it)
We were very happy and entered US with no hassle... 8) ;DNow our stereo volume increased to high and we enjoyed our trip to Greatfalls.
All the officer i meet in sweetgrass/coutts are nice and helpful.
I am silent reader of this forum last 6 months .Thanks qorax & Senior members in this forum .Good Luck all !!! :-*