Help about stamp in passport?

[Inbound89]

I had a rough time with the IO in BC. He stated I have 3 months (90 days) to stay. I recieved a black stamp with NO date underneath. Does that mean I have 6 months contrary to what the IO said?

I called border services and they said that I have 6 months. But I was wondering if anyone could give me anymore information regarding that.

Thanks a lot!

 

[Inbound89]

anyone?

 

[Rinnerz]

According to others on this forum who have gone through this before, a blue stamp with a date on it would have restricted you to a shorter stay (until the date on the stamp). But a black stamp with no date on it typically means you have the standard 6 months.

See this thread for a discussion about this and visitor records: http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t56049.0.html

 

[Inbound89]

Ok I did read that one. But still doesn't really answer my question as to why the IO told me 90 days and didn't post a date on the bottom of the stamp. I just want to know if I'm safe staying beyond 90 days because there is no date telling me when to leave.

 

[Rinnerz]

The stamp says you should be. It is weird that the IO said that and then turned around and didn't follow through with it when it came to your passport. Did he say it before or after stamping?

Perhaps you'll get lucky and someone else can chime in later who might have further insight.

 

[robrod]

Black stamp is good for 6 months regarding of what the IO said... If you had needed a secondary inspection, you would have ended up with a visitor record and a blue stamp on the passport... Only he knows why he didn't send you to secondary and told you something else instead.
Perhaps it's your xmas present.

 

[Inbound89]

I can't remember it he said it before or after stamping my passport. My best "guess" is it was said right before he stamped it, but I could be wrong. Still, just wish someone knew for sure if this was said just to put the fear of God in me or whatever. But the border patrol transferred my call to YVR and I spoke to a lady at the Canadian Border Services and she said that if there is no date regardless you have 6 month. Would you think it would be the IO's job to write a date if he/she is going to make your stay shorter? I'm just confused is all but being there is no date, if indeed I was only allowed 90 days and I stayed past that I could always say I don't remember that...that's what the date under the stamp is for. Aaaa!

Am I even making any sense!?

 

[robrod]

Not much, but don't worry... I once was paranoid as what the abbreviation in one of my blue stamps meant: it Read 23 JN 2009 or something like that... My doubt was JN stood for June or January... ended up going to the local office here in Toronto to inquire as the agents over the phone were useless and turned out to be June. January is abbreviated as JA.
Black stamps are good for 6 months, anything shorter has to require a visit to secondary and a visitor record. The visitor record is a paper that looks like a visa and is attached to your passport.

 

[Inbound89]

Thank you for your help. I also might add that when I first went to see him at the desk, he asked me a few questions, I was honest, even had a return ticket. He told me to go sit back down where he then when into this other room with a door and was in there for like 30 mins. Then he came back out and told me I can't work, go to school, 90 days, bla bla bla.

But I guess what you say is right. Unless they maybe marked my passport. Or if the room he went into was "secondary" or do I have to be a part of that.

No I didn't get a piece of paper in my passport, just a black stamp with no date of expiration.

 

[Inbound89]

Nope this was at the airport

 

[robrod]

It all sounds as if secondary and primary were there at the same room. What airport was this at?.
He should have given you the visitor record and the blue stamp if he meant what he said.

 

[Inbound89]

this was at vancouver international

 

[Love_Young]

Believe me, you would know if you had a limited stay. You would have received a visitor record as stated by other members and a blue stamp with date stamped in it when you arrived and underneath the stamp would have had the date you needed to leave. Mine also had the file number of the visitor record that was given to me. I was given 4 1/2 months to stay. This was my first ever time and only time coming to Canada.

When you were told by the Border Services, CIC and us on the forum that a black stamp with no date means 6 months, then that is what it means. The officer did something wrong and you got lucky. Embrace the extra 3 months you got. If you are still worried either go back to the airport to ask someone, call CBSA and CIC again, contact a lawyer/consultant, or order FOSS notes. FOSS notes if faxed in can take 2 weeks to get or a month if mailed in. The FOSS notes are the comments/notes the officers put into the computer based on previous visas/visitor records, permits, border crossings, extensions, and processing of PR app in Canada. This may be valuable to truly finding out what the officer put into the database. I still think you should rest assured that you have 6 months to stay. If he wanted to give you only three months than he should have given you a blue stamp and visitor record but since he didn't then his mouth didn't match his actions.