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Landing next week from Sarnia Border - H1B expired + Valid I-797

C

canadapr1982

Hero Member
Jul 17, 2017
254
18
Good Morning All,

I am planning next week to complete initial landing formalities from Sarnia border. I have to stay there for 2 weeks as quarantine and then come back to USA using AVR. Below I have some questions before I will start from here:

1. What are the basic documents needs for initial Landing?
2. As you guys already know, the us/canada border are closed till 21 July, so can i come on AVR after 15 days of quarantine in Canada? So, whoever doing job in usa, they will count as essential worker because border is open only for essential worker..Is it correct? I am working in IT sector.
3. Due to this new executive law which ban H1b, Can I still eligible for AVR (Expired H1b + Valid I-797 + I-94 which is below I-797 till Aug 2022)??

Any help will appreciated.
 
Z

zaid.ahmed23

Full Member
Oct 30, 2019
21
14
canadapr1982 said:
Good Morning All,

I am planning next week to complete initial landing formalities from Sarnia border. I have to stay there for 2 weeks as quarantine and then come back to USA using AVR. Below I have some questions before I will start from here:

1. What are the basic documents needs for initial Landing?
2. As you guys already know, the us/canada border are closed till 21 July, so can i come on AVR after 15 days of quarantine in Canada? So, whoever doing job in usa, they will count as essential worker because border is open only for essential worker..Is it correct? I am working in IT sector.
3. Due to this new executive law which ban H1b, Can I still eligible for AVR (Expired H1b + Valid I-797 + I-94 which is below I-797 till Aug 2022)??

Any help will appreciated.
Click to expand...

1. I landed in Toronto Pearson Airport on June 16th. At the immigration, they just checked my CoPR document. I had also filled up form BSF186 for goods to follow to give it to customs. Additional documents were proof of funds, pics of the place where I was planning to self-isolate, even though no one checked any of those.

2. I am flying back from Toronto on July 5th, and will be using AVR. I have an expired H1B stamp and a valid I-797 + I-94 which is below. My understanding is H1b workers who are travelling to US are still considered essential. So that shouldn't be a problem.

3. Many people have called CBP asking the same question and till now all of them have confirmed that we can still use AVR. I am following all the discussion threads as well to check if anyone was able to do it after June 24th. My suggestion would be to follow the thread posted by @ybx1250 .
 
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C

ccaallvviinn

Star Member
Sep 13, 2019
89
7
zaid.ahmed23 said:
1. I landed in Toronto Pearson Airport on June 16th. At the immigration, they just checked my CoPR document. I had also filled up form BSF186 for goods to follow to give it to customs. Additional documents were proof of funds, pics of the place where I was planning to self-isolate, even though no one checked any of those.

2. I am flying back from Toronto on July 5th, and will be using AVR. I have an expired H1B stamp and a valid I-797 + I-94 which is below. My understanding is H1b workers who are travelling to US are still considered essential. So that shouldn't be a problem.

3. Many people have called CBP asking the same question and till now all of them have confirmed that we can still use AVR. I am following all the discussion threads as well to check if anyone was able to do it after June 24th. My suggestion would be to follow the thread posted by @ybx1250 .
Click to expand...
I am wondering if the 14-day quarantine can be avoided by leaving Canada directly after landing.

Please check this: https://orders-in-council.canada.ca/attachment.php?attach=39166&lang=en

It clearly says Exemption - Leaving Canada, by which you can end your 14-day quarantine early. Extremely practice could be same day after entry, as long as you followed all required precautions, to my personal understanding.

Could anyone confirm?
 
C

ccaallvviinn

Star Member
Sep 13, 2019
89
7
decdeccan said:
The problem is if you leave immediately CBSA will say it's not an essential visit. Maybe bring into light the fuckery that is the US (no guarantee to go back in 14 days but your belongings are still there) and that you need to go back to plan your move
Click to expand...
How about for folks approved before Mar 18? They are exempted from the border shut-down.
 
V

vj12

Full Member
Oct 26, 2018
44
9
ccaallvviinn said:
I am wondering if the 14-day quarantine can be avoided by leaving Canada directly after landing.

Please check this: https://orders-in-council.canada.ca/attachment.php?attach=39166&lang=en

It clearly says Exemption - Leaving Canada, by which you can end your 14-day quarantine early. Extremely practice could be same day after entry, as long as you followed all required precautions, to my personal understanding.

Could anyone confirm?
Click to expand...
I am also looking for an answer to this. I am wondering if ppl approved before March 18th can do soft landing and return immediately to USA? I heard there is a rule that if you are staying in Canada for less than 4 hrs then you can return immediately. The 14 day rule is for someone who plan to stay in Canada for longer time.

Is there anyone who has crosses the border and returned immediately?

Thank you
 
H

harirajmohan

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vj12 said:
I am also looking for an answer to this. I am wondering if ppl approved before March 18th can do soft landing and return immediately to USA? I heard there is a rule that if you are staying in Canada for less than 4 hrs then you can return immediately. The 14 day rule is for someone who plan to stay in Canada for longer time.

Is there anyone who has crosses the border and returned immediately?

Thank you
Click to expand...
Look, logically all you need is if US allows you to reenter within 14 days or not. Thats all it matters as there is not exit immigration from Canadian side.
US doesnt have restrictions if you are returning as a worker(and/or as a resident or US). So in that case you are completely fine. They dont even talk about quarantine as Canada only is serious about the quarantine and grill everyone whoever enters Canada(including residents) and asking why i went to US and is it for work purpose(US side is not asking anything but cbsa asking multiple question to make sure if it was for work. if its for work then they dont ask me to quarantine)(Canada wants to encourage only essential trips to US. So call cbp and confirm the same, they would not ask you to quarantine if you are returning next day.

For work purpose there is an exemption for the people dont have symptoms:
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html#_Canada-U.S._border_restrictions_1
If you do not have signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and must cross the border for work or other non-discretionary purposes, you may continue to do so. Some examples of non-discretionary travel purposes are:
  • work and study
My thoughts:
Main problem in quarantine is that staying in hotel is also a risk of getting infected due to too many people come and go (same as airports). So its not great to get quarantined in hotels. At the same time its risky to choose friend's/relative's place to avoid infecting them. Its very complicated during covid and quarantine. Too many variables.
 
Last edited:
V

vj12

Full Member
Oct 26, 2018
44
9
harirajmohan said:
Look, logically all you need is if US allows you to reenter within 14 days or not. Thats all it matters as there is not exit immigration from Canadian side.
US doesnt have restrictions if you are returning as a worker(and/or as a resident or US). So in that case you are completely fine. They dont even talk about quarantine as Canada only is serious about the quarantine and grill everyone whoever enters Canada(including residents) and asking why i went to US and is it for work purpose(US side is not asking anything but cbsa asking multiple question to make sure if it was for work. if its for work then they dont ask me to quarantine)(Canada wants to encourage only essential trips to US. So call cbp and confirm the same, they would not ask you to quarantine if you are returning next day.

For work purpose there is an exemption for the people dont have symptoms:
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html#_Canada-U.S._border_restrictions_1
If you do not have signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and must cross the border for work or other non-discretionary purposes, you may continue to do so. Some examples of non-discretionary travel purposes are:
  • work and study
My thoughts:
Main problem in quarantine is that staying in hotel is also a risk of getting infected due to too many people come and go (same as airports). So its not great to get quarantined in hotels. At the same time its risky to choose friend's/relative's place to avoid infecting them. Its very complicated during covid and quarantine. Too many variables.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your Insights. If the quarantine is compulsory I was planning to book an entire apartment or house on airbnb as a safe option. But the best option would be if Canadian border patrol allows to do soft landing without needed 14 days quarantine. That would save a lot of hassle. So researching if they would allow softlanding and turn back to come to USA.
 
V

vj12

Full Member
Oct 26, 2018
44
9
S
decdeccan said:
I think calling them directly and pleading with the current situation is the best way to go.
Click to expand...
So I called CBP and talked to the officer. He mentioned I can do landing and go back to USA with 14 days of quarantine. He did mentioned that return to usa will based on the status and documents that USA would need to allow entry. Also asked me to carry in detailed good to follow list. The office I talked with is posted at port of entry Pacific coast south of Vancouver / Surrey BC.
 
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