Entering Canada from USA border (by train or bus)

[Dejaavu]

When I returned to Canada, sometimes CBSA officers wouldn't even check my passport. Just scanned my PR card and didn't stamp my passport.

 

[spacewalkerback]

Usual routine with bus is you get off clear customs/immigration and get back on the bus. Train used to be immigration got on board and dealt with passengers but this may have changed. You provide more passenger info including citizenship when purchasing a rail ticket. Regardless CBSA will either:

1. Admit you without report
2. Admit you with report - unusual for valid PR Card holders but you may meet an agent who strictly follows the letter of the law on residency days.

You will likely get sent to Secondary with your 'flag' profile but then again you may not. No one can tell you the risk but that's what happens when you play fast and loose with the residence obligation..you may get called out! You seem to have medical based H&C reasons for the absence so it may not be an issue even if there is a report but cross the border first then come back to the forum. Everything is computerized nowadays.

Is your admission to the US under the VWP/ESTA or non VWP? This could explain the lack of stamping upon US return possibly based on your I-94/W validity.

Thanks for your reply,,,
it seems that joing by train is mu best option now.....?

i only need to get my passport stamped ....and if i succeed to enter canada without reporting and without getting my passport stamped....how can i prove that .....
and if it is like that..i can get the train ticket without entering canada and i claim that i was in canada as they dont stamp in both entering and getting out from canada( i will not do that but i wonder)


mu us visa is a tourism vaisa and i never been in us,,,so i will go from my country to us and stay three or four days then go to montreal by train...


what is the Vwp/est and i94 w and wht do u mean by lack in stamping?

thanks for your help.

regrds

 

[Msafiri]

I am not from a visa waiver country to US. Each time I enter US I had to fill out I 94 form and they would stamp I 94 but not my passport.

Do you give up the I-94 when exiting the US to Canada?

 

[Dejaavu]

yes I did.
I always do. Habit from my students days in the US

 

[Dejaavu]

I heard the US CBP automated the I 94. I will find out how it works next month when I go there.

 

[parkarasif]

To Dejavu,

I would like to know how did u ordered record from CBP& CBSA? How much it cost ? How and when we receive record? Means it is online or comes by mail ?

Please share your experience.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dejaavu]

I ordered it by sending a letter by following instructions from this link:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/agency-agence/reports-rapports/pia-efvp/atip-aiprp/req-dem-info-eng.html

It took about six weeks to receive the travel record in the mail. It was free of charge.

 

[Dejaavu]

As for the CBP, they are backed up now. I have a friend who works for CBP. He told me it could take up to six months or more.

Here is their link for CBP:

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/976

 

[Dejaavu]

I still didn't receive my CBP record because I submitted two months ago.

I received my CBSA record after six weeks.

 

[spacewalkerback]

I still didn't receive my CBP record because I submitted two months ago.

I received my CBSA record after six weeks.

Dear DEjavu

could you tell me what i should do if i entered Canada from US and the Canadian border didn't stamp my passport,,when i be in Canada what forms i should request to prove my entrance to Canada (i think if i requested these information from USA will be better or i can get from Canada and USA)

please help me in this.

by the way my USA visa is a tourism visa.

thanks

 

[Dejaavu]

You can request the CBSA entry record form and it should have your entry in there. If not you, do you have a CBP stamp entering the US? Most non US and non Canadian citizens get stamped when entering US. So if you do that could be a proof.

What I did since I arrived in Canada, I keep all my bus tickets/boarding passes from my travels in a folder in case I get RQ and my entries are not properly recorded.

 

[spacewalkerback]

You can request the CBSA entry record form and it should have your entry in there. If not you, do you have a CBP stamp entering the US? Most non US and non Canadian citizens get stamped when entering US. So if you do that could be a proof.

What I did since I arrived in Canada, I keep all my bus tickets/boarding passes from my travels in a folder in case I get RQ and my entries are not properly recorded.

OOh thanks,,,
so if i entered Canada form usa :
1- when i be in Canada ,i can ask for CBSA form and it should be available after 4 weeks .
2-if not,i can depend on the USA stamp which i will got when i enter usa and the train ticket,,do u think it will be enough for renew my Canadian PR.

also,when i enter Canada from USA,they always scan the PR or they might not as i will enter from the train...
i heard that it happened for someone that he didn't get his passport stamped or his PR scanned and when he issued the CBSA form ,they found him and it might they contact with the trains and buses which pass the borders in that day and they confirmed him.

also, i need to know when i go out from US to Canada , do the US border register me or not because i don't like to seem that i never left USA to be easy to renew my tourism visa.



please feed ma back with your experience in this important issue
regards

 

[Msafiri]

You want to have your cake and eat it by somehow getting stamped into Canada so you can have a record of entry for future PR Card renewal but not get reported which may be best achieved by not getting stamped at all.

Your details i.e. Name, DOB, Citizenship, Gender, Passport and PR Card number will be sent ahead to CBP/ CBSA when you depart the airport/ greyhound/ train station etc so the immigration authorities know you are coming to the US/ Canada before you even arrive at the border. When you arrive in the US CBP will take your photo and fingerprints just to make sure you are the same person that applied for the visa at the US Consulate. CBP will then either electronically record or manually issue you an arrival and departure record form I-94 which is a 2 section document with the class, duration of admission and depart the US by date. If paper based I-94 then CBP will keep the arrival portion and attach the departure portion to your passport. You may or may not get an electronic record depends on how far the automation roll out which started in April 2013 has progressed at the various port of entries. Which is your US arrival airport? You can check your I-94 record post US entry on the CBP website.

When you get to Canada CBSA agent will ask you various questions - these may or may not be detailed and you may or may not get reported. You have no control over this really (having a valid PR Card puts the odds in your favour - improved by the duration of validity) but this is the risk you take when you breach the residence obligation. CBSA agent should take your paper based departure portion of the I-94 which will be handed back to US CBP as proof you left the US. CBSA agent may or may not stamp your passport but will scan your PR Card. You may have to ask for a physical stamp if CBSA don't issue one but then again you may be just glad you are not reported and appreciate your good fortune by continuing your journey.

You will go nuts with thinking about all the various scenarios - no one knows what will happen at the border...you may find a CBSA agent that won't let it slide or you may get one who will just wave you through...all in the roll of the dice.

 

[Dejaavu]

Msafiri,
Written so well! Concisely and to the point! Totally agree.
I was going to respond but you beat me

 

[Dejaavu]

Best to fulfill residency requirements and keep all the records since the burden of proof is on the permanent resident. That way one sleeps well at night and doesn't worry.
Border agents are trained at spotting suspicious behavior by travelers. If someone has something to hide they are good at noticing. Of course there are exceptions.
Although I never worked in law enforcement, I worked a lot of customer facing roles such at banks and I developed a strong "sixth sense" at noticing when something is not right by just having a quick interaction with a person especially in when some clients tried to deposit fraudulent or non sufficient funds cheques etc. I am sure border guards are far more capable than that....