Hi,
I really appreciate any help:
My girlfriend is coming next month as a visitor from Taiwan. The ticket we have purchased is just shy of 6 months.
I've no experience as to whether she is guaranteed to be able to stay that long, coming from a visa-free country, or how much of that is at the discretion of the customs agent she meets after disembarking her flight. My brother in-law, who is from Italy originally, has said I shouldn't be concerned. My sister who is married to him, gave me two recent examples of friends from Italy and Czechoslovakia who came here for 6 months with no problem going through customs. Apparently, neither of them were required to show that they had sufficient funds for their visit or that they had a job to return to, to guarantee they weren't just going to stay in the country. They even said that I shouldn't need to transfer any funds into her account.
But I'm still a little paranoid that she may have issues if she said the wrong thing or was missing something that would end up either barring her from entering or disqualify her from staying the full 6 months.
So here's some context about her and what our plans are during her visit. It should help to judge better whether I've anything to be concerned about (*note: the info I've provided may be relevant or not but I'll share as much as I can):
1. She's 25
2. She speaks English perfectly and should have no problem communicating with a customs officer
3. I'm able to provide her bank account with funds if they want to see she is able to support herself while she stays here. I'm guessing that if they do want to see such evidence, they might ask for a bank statement
4. I'm able to provide her with a letter from both myself and my parents if necessary that she has an address to stay at while here in Canada.
5. She presently does not have a permanent job in Taiwan as she teaches privately there.
6. The reason she is coming is to spend time with me and research possible schools she might want to attend here eventually.
7. We've been in a relationship together for 5 years. During that time we lived together for 2 years while I was in Taiwan during the 4 1/2 years I was living there. We've shared expenses. In the last year I've been here in Canada and she in Taiwan but I've been back to visit her.
8.I've plenty of evidence to support the extent of our relationship: photos, bills, family testimony etc.
9. She has been to Canada twice before. Once a visitor with her mom on vacation when she was much younger. And a second time with me (although we flew on separate flights) to visit my family for a 3 weeks in 2011.
So, there you go. My question is any of this stuff they will want to know about? Or is it even necessary and maybe even bad to bring it up?
*Does she need to have money in her account? If so, how much? How will the want her to prove that?
*Should she volunteer info about the nature of our relationship?
*Should she volunteer that she may be looking to go to school here eventually?
*Should she be concerned that she can't prove that she has a regular job to return to in Taiwan at present?
*Because she is just coming as a visitor does she any need to be concerned at all and should simply expect to say she is coming to Canada to spend time with her boyfriend and that's it. Is it a case of saying less is more?
Any help is greatly appreciated! Be as specific as you like.
Thanks
I really appreciate any help:
My girlfriend is coming next month as a visitor from Taiwan. The ticket we have purchased is just shy of 6 months.
I've no experience as to whether she is guaranteed to be able to stay that long, coming from a visa-free country, or how much of that is at the discretion of the customs agent she meets after disembarking her flight. My brother in-law, who is from Italy originally, has said I shouldn't be concerned. My sister who is married to him, gave me two recent examples of friends from Italy and Czechoslovakia who came here for 6 months with no problem going through customs. Apparently, neither of them were required to show that they had sufficient funds for their visit or that they had a job to return to, to guarantee they weren't just going to stay in the country. They even said that I shouldn't need to transfer any funds into her account.
But I'm still a little paranoid that she may have issues if she said the wrong thing or was missing something that would end up either barring her from entering or disqualify her from staying the full 6 months.
So here's some context about her and what our plans are during her visit. It should help to judge better whether I've anything to be concerned about (*note: the info I've provided may be relevant or not but I'll share as much as I can):
1. She's 25
2. She speaks English perfectly and should have no problem communicating with a customs officer
3. I'm able to provide her bank account with funds if they want to see she is able to support herself while she stays here. I'm guessing that if they do want to see such evidence, they might ask for a bank statement
4. I'm able to provide her with a letter from both myself and my parents if necessary that she has an address to stay at while here in Canada.
5. She presently does not have a permanent job in Taiwan as she teaches privately there.
6. The reason she is coming is to spend time with me and research possible schools she might want to attend here eventually.
7. We've been in a relationship together for 5 years. During that time we lived together for 2 years while I was in Taiwan during the 4 1/2 years I was living there. We've shared expenses. In the last year I've been here in Canada and she in Taiwan but I've been back to visit her.
8.I've plenty of evidence to support the extent of our relationship: photos, bills, family testimony etc.
9. She has been to Canada twice before. Once a visitor with her mom on vacation when she was much younger. And a second time with me (although we flew on separate flights) to visit my family for a 3 weeks in 2011.
So, there you go. My question is any of this stuff they will want to know about? Or is it even necessary and maybe even bad to bring it up?
*Does she need to have money in her account? If so, how much? How will the want her to prove that?
*Should she volunteer info about the nature of our relationship?
*Should she volunteer that she may be looking to go to school here eventually?
*Should she be concerned that she can't prove that she has a regular job to return to in Taiwan at present?
*Because she is just coming as a visitor does she any need to be concerned at all and should simply expect to say she is coming to Canada to spend time with her boyfriend and that's it. Is it a case of saying less is more?
Any help is greatly appreciated! Be as specific as you like.
Thanks
