Entry Advice

[estinnis]

My girlfriend quit her job in Peru and is coming to visit me for about 3.5 months. She has a 5 year multiple entry visa and a return flight to Peru booked. First we're touring the States for a few weeks, and then we're entering Canada together on the same flight.

1-What kind of questions should I expect at the border?
2-Is 3.5 months okay?
3-What kind of proof can she give that she is going back home? (She's actually returning to Peru for the one year mark of her father passing away)
4-She doesn't have very much money so I fully intend on supporting her while she is here. Should I bring bank statements or pay stubs?
5-Should we go through border security together or seperate?
6-How should we approach the situation. What should we tell the border guard, and what things should we avoid saying?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[truesmile]

Since she already has the multiple-entry visa in hand I'd say she should be fine with what you have stated. Our situation was different but first time through, we came through separately (she went first). The only thing I would do differently is to also use different customs queues, and not next to each other.

 

[estinnis]

So just have her go through the line by herself and tell the officer that she is just travelling the country? Should I the write a statement saying that I will support her financially while she is here? Or should I just deposit money into her account before she comes?

 

[truesmile]

Sorry but as we are looking into a 'visit visa' for a relative, our experience with all of that "show money" and "support letters" and stuff all happens during the application stage.

 

[estinnis]

I'm thinking that I will go together in the same line as her because I'm worried that they could ask one simple question "are you travelling alone" and "why aren't you in the same line?". Anyways, I think I will show proof that she is starting a new job 5 months down the road (in Peru) and that she has to be back home for the 1 year family get together of her father passing away. Do you think that would be sufficient evidence? Probably best to be honest I think.

 

[scylla]

The job is good proof. Make sure she has a letter from the employer confirming her start date. The family event is useless in my opinion. Very easy to make something like this up and it may look like she's trying too hard. The job is far more concrete as evidence goes. Go with that.

 

[estinnis]

Okay, what if the job is an assistant manager for a family company? Reality is that she quit her previous job because she didn't like it, so it was a good chance to travel Canada for a few months with me before she starts working at her family's company. I hope that's okay?