Getting nervous to cross the border--- TIPS?

[em-persandcollins]

I'll be crossing the Sweet Grass, MT border to visit/marry my girlfriend in Calgary, AB.
Once our marriage certificate goes through, we will be applying for Outland sponsorship; however, I plan on staying in Canada amidst the application process.

My primary concern is crossing the border and letting border patrol be aware that I only mean to follow the rules for this sponsorship and will not be staying longer than allowed.

Some questions I have when crossing are:

1. If they ask for proof of employment, will a recent pay stub suffice? I'm trying to find a means of printing out my own proof of employment, but am finding it difficult if I'm not an employer or verifier.
2. I plan to not offer the border patrol officer more information than they request. I certainly don't want to complicate things. However, when they ask why I am visiting should I state it's to visit my girlfriend who I plan to marry? Wouldn't it be correct, and appearing to follow the rules, to let them know of our intentions to apply for outland sponsorship, too?
3. Will bank statements, bills, etc. addressed to me suffice for proof of residence if the home where I lived did not have a formal lease since it is private home? If not, what would be better?

I simply have no means to work or live illegally in Canada (simply just want to be present with my soon-to-be wife) and want to express to them my intentions to follow the rules. What is the proper way to this? I feel like I'm fretting extensively over something that will take 10 mins of my time; however, I'd rather be more prepared than need to be.

Thanks.

 

[JessNess]

This was a previous posting by me:

MY EXPERIENCE LAST WEEK- I will tell you EXACTLY what happened when crossing a border last week. This was by land going into Alberta from Montana.

Canadian husband is sponsoring me (American wife) as a spouse. We did not yet submit our application but had just one more day to work on it before we would be done with it. I have crossed from the USA to Canada about 12 times this past year to be with him on 10 day visits and vacations. Never had a problem.

This time, since we are now married and our application is complete, I planned on VISITING him for a few months. I had a few suitcases packed, no furniture, but enough stuff to last me through a long trip. We called about 4 borders all through Canada to ask what we should say when crossing the border. Each one told us "You say that you are coming for an extended STAY but are NOT moving" That made sense.

We got to the border and I tell the agent just that I am coming for a few months stay. They pulled us inside for further questioning. I have no criminal record, no record of over-staying any visa, etc. The agent drilled me with questions about my job (self-employed), my residence, etc. I left my entire application package on the front seat of the car just so that I could grab it to prove that I am being sponsored. For some reason, the agent asked me "how do you know the man you are with?" I replied "He's my husband" She then told me to sit down. She grabbed my car keys and went immediately for the car to find incriminating things. She went through all of my personal belongings including my binder of lease agreement, finance stuff, etc. She again drilled me "Are you trying to move here?" I repeatedly said "no" because I am not allowed to MOVE until I have a resident permit. She then asked why I have an application package in the car. I told her I am being sponsored. Again she asked me "you have a lot of things with you, are you trying to move here?" At this point I am crying my eyes out because she is trying to get me to admit that I am "MOVING" when I am not supposed to be. I again say to her "no I am not allowed, I am only coming for an extended stay until my application is approved".

This point she takes my phone from me and goes through every single text message I have. I have a few messages telling my close friends that I am moving up to Canada for a little bit, etc. She then pulls her supervisor over to talk to me at the counter. She is now telling her supervisor that I am lying about my intent in Canada. Her supervisor (head hancho of that border crossing) looks at me and says "Ma'm are you trying to move here?" I start bawling my eyes out because I AM NOT MOVING UNTIL I HAVE MY PERMIT. He told me to "cut the crap" and finally I gave in saying "Yes, I intend to move here eventually, beginning now I guess"

At this point he tells my husband to get our marriage certificate and bring it to him. This piece of paper SAVED my butt. He looked at it and told the original agent "calm down, they're already married, she's going to get approved for residency, they're going through" The female agent tried to protest by showing him a few texts I sent out saying I found work in Canada, which wasn't true, I just wanted a few people to have closure with me. She told me to my face that I was being a liar. The supervisor told her to "shut up".

He then said to me "You should have been honest with us in the first place, then we can work with you properly." The idiot agent didn't even ask me if I was being sponsored when I told her I was married. Idiot.

She then gave me a proper 6-month Visa with a note in the system "married xxxxx xxxx, is applying for sponsorship for residency, etc" this paper will allow me to go back and forth now un-harassed hopefully. Any border agent will see the note in the system from now on.

The end.

Ps- I cried all the way to his house in Calgary. It was the worst experience of my life.


This was under "Border Crossings" thread.

 

[chakrab]

i would highly recommend not to mention the marriage or bring any employment related papers like resume, CV, reference, etc. pay stub will be fine. these would be red flags. they will definitely ask you what you do. just give them the employer name. if you are carry too many clothes and/or bags, that's a red flag as well.

best and ideal thing would be to pretend that you are going to meet your girlfriend. they will ask you when you wish to come back. depending how far calgary is from your hometown, you can obviously say a week. if they notice that you have packed a lot of stuff then they will definitely pull you into secondary.

 

[steerpike]

You shouldnt have any issues at all. Two things to avoid saying are that you are "moving" to Canada rather than "visiting". And do not say you will be working. ( Or volunteering. Or going to school. Or doing odd jobs around the house like painting. )

Thats it. You can tell them you plan to get married and plan to be sponsored, it's absolutely no issue.

It's only people from countries that require visas that need to be careful and coy at the bordered in order to be let in. There are two different laws, and you fall under the easy rules.

 

[JessNess]

I recommend being 100% honest at the border. These agents are TRAINED to detect lies. And they are extremely good at it. I was being honest in my crossing but sort of evading the truth that I would be staying for the PR process. They caught it 100%. Remember, this is their job to verify people.

Tell them you are going to get married and apply for permanent residence sponsorship. The only difference in our cases is that I was already married and you haven't gotten married yet. I would NOT recommend crossing the border to stay for the process until you already have your marriage certificate in hand. The thing that saved my butt was that I had already paid the application fee and had my marriage certificate IN MY HAND. The agent let me know that if I wasn't already married, I was going to be turned around. Border agents are more lenient towards couples that have already submitted the application. As of right now though, you are not even eligible to apply for sponsorship.

 

[JessNess]

I cannot stress enough for you to be honest at the border. Do not listen to anyone that tells you to "omit" information or state different intentions. Let them work with you. They are happy to work with you at this border, the head guy there is really nice.

 

[steerpike]

I recommend being 100% honest at the border. These agents are TRAINED to detect lies. And they are extremely good at it. I was being honest in my crossing but sort of evading the truth that I would be staying for the PR process. They caught it 100%. Remember, this is their job to verify people.

Tell them you are going to get married and apply for permanent residence sponsorship. The only difference in our cases is that I was already married and you haven't gotten married yet. I would NOT recommend crossing the border to stay for the process until you already have your marriage certificate in hand. The thing that saved my butt was that I had already paid the application fee and had my marriage certificate IN MY HAND. The agent let me know that if I wasn't already married, I was going to be turned around. Border agents are more lenient towards couples that have already submitted the application. As of right now though, you are not even eligible to apply for sponsorship.

You also crossed the border 12 times in one year, which shows up on their system and was probably a red flag because by that time you are beginning to encourch on actually "residing" in canada, or at least thats how CBSA sees it. You say yourself you didn't have issues for the first 12 crossing, so you know by experience is very rare for them to make a fuss about anything.


Saying you will be "moving" to Canada when you have no right to do that, puts you at the whim of the CBSA officer. They are 100% in the right to deny you entry at that point. Just because they took pity on you in the end doesn't mean anything at all.

 

[JessNess]

Saying you will be "moving" to Canada when you have no right to do that, puts you at the whim of the CBSA officer. They are 100% in the right to deny you entry at that point. Just because they took pity on you in the end doesn't mean anything at all.
[/quote]

You misread my story about crossing. I never said I was moving to Canada. I was coerced into it by the agent who was convinced I was moving. It was either admit that or be turned around. Once I admitted it, they changed their attitude and worked with me. (To this day I still think it was insane to make me admit something I wasn't doing) But they wanted things on their terms so I played the game.

 

[steerpike]

Saying you will be "moving" to Canada when you have no right to do that, puts you at the whim of the CBSA officer. They are 100% in the right to deny you entry at that point. Just because they took pity on you in the end doesn't mean anything at all.


You misread my story about crossing. I never said I was moving to Canada. I was coerced into it by the agent who was convinced I was moving. It was either admit that or be turned around. Once I admitted it, they changed their attitude and worked with me. (To this day I still think it was insane to make me admit something I wasn't doing) But they wanted things on their terms so I played the game.

You seem to be implying to the OP that he should tell CBSA he is moving to canada (the truth) rather than say he is just visiting (a lie). If that isnt your intention then yes I did missunderstand.

 

[Ponga]

I cannot stress enough for you to be honest at the border. Do not listen to anyone that tells you to "omit" information or state different intentions. Let them work with you. They are happy to work with you at this border, the head guy there is really nice.

There is a difference between `omitting' information and volunteering information.

I agree that you should never lie to a border officer, but not disclosing your intent to get married and apply for spousal sponsorship, doesn't mean that the OP can't simply say that he is visiting his girlfriend....which is exactly what he is doing on the day that he enters Canada.

Too bad the OP isn't arriving by air. Having a (fully refundable) return ticket would be a big help.

 

[Ponga]

Saying you will be "moving" to Canada when you have no right to do that, puts you at the whim of the CBSA officer. They are 100% in the right to deny you entry at that point. Just because they took pity on you in the end doesn't mean anything at all.


You misread my story about crossing. I never said I was moving to Canada. I was coerced into it by the agent who was convinced I was moving. It was either admit that or be turned around. Once I admitted it, they changed their attitude and worked with me. (To this day I still think it was insane to make me admit something I wasn't doing) But they wanted things on their terms so I played the game.

But in reality...you really were moving to Canada; You just didn't want to admit it to CBSA, right?

You are VERY lucky. Most people that state that they are moving to Canada, via coercion or other means, are not as fortunate.

 

[JessNess]

But in reality...you really were moving to Canada; You just didn't want to admit it to CBSA, right?

You are VERY lucky. Most people that state that they are moving to Canada, via coercion or other means, are not as fortunate.

No I was not moving to Canada. I actually left a month after coming because I still have a residence in California. I had no furniture with me or none of my household belongings. I actually was adamant on saying "visiting" my husband for a few months.

 

[JessNess]

You seem to be implying to the OP that he should tell CBSA he is moving to canada (the truth) rather than say he is just visiting (a lie). If that isnt your intention then yes I did missunderstand.

Nooo, I said for him to say he will be staying in Canada on his 6-month visitor's record visa (which can be obtained at the border and is an actual piece of paper) while he intends to apply for permanent residence.

 

[JessNess]

Of course, I am not saying he should volunteer information. This is under the pretense that he gets called into secondary and is specifically asked more questions regarding his "visit".

 

[steerpike]

There is a difference between `omitting' information and volunteering information.

I agree that you should never lie to a border officer, but not disclosing your intent to get married and apply for spousal sponsorship, doesn't mean that the OP can't simply say that he is visiting his girlfriend....which is exactly what he is doing on the day that he enters Canada.

Theres no issue (for people from visa-exempt countries) in disclosing that you are getting married in canada and applying for sponsorship. Seriously. Many forum members have done that. I believe Rob TO has done that if i'm not mistaken.

Jessness was flagged and grilled because she crossed 13 times in a year, staying for 2 weeks each time, not because of what she said.