My Landing Exp- H1B Expired and Valid I94

[bujji1]

Guys,

Finally I am done with My Canada landing yesterday and Came back to USA on the same day
From where: - I am an Indian staying in Philadelphia area USA . Rented a car and drove from Philadelphia to Canada Peace bridge (I am supposed to go to Rainbow bridge But landed on Peace Bridge , Blame on My Garmin)
Case: - My H1 B and My wife H4 Stamping expired long ago and We have valid I94 document valid up to 2011 September. My kid is a US Citizen and 3 years old.
Questions asked at entry: - Peace Bridge entry the guy on left side lane was bit harsh . I took that lane ( The lanes looks like toll booth on the roads). Questions he asked me
1) What made you to come here?
A) I am coming here to complete my PR landing formalities
2) Show me passports and documents? and you guys are 3 and I see 4 passports in your hand
A) Officer , one expired one of mine and gave the 4 passports and Landing papers.
3) Do you have what importing and follow up goods list?
A) Yes I have and I am about to give it to him . "I don't need them" this was the answer I got
4) Where are you living currently?
A) Philadelphia,USA
5) Why do you want to come to Canada...?
A) I am allowed to stay in USA for another 1 and half year ... (I didn't even complete my answer)
6) Why don't you go back to India right after your VISA expiry in USA? ( Very harsh)
A) I don't know what to say , I said " Canada has lot of opportunities for my Skill set" ( Wrong answer)
7) What I asked is why don't you go back to India
A) I don't think I get good jobs in INDIA for my qualification and education
8) huuuummmmmmmm Good jobs ....................... OK Park your car there and get into main Building

We got pissed off and went into the main Building. Not even single minute I waited there, there are 5 people sitting there and middle guy called me. He is soooooo cooooool and Calm. I think out of 10 years he is the best guy I met in Immigration department

Took our passports, landing documents, Canada address (gave my friends), Importing goods and Coming goods list. He didn’t even bother to verify my bank notarized statements and worked on some thing. He took lot of time , But he was busy in Work and Joking and almost tried his to make us feel comfort there ( Mean time the next counter two SaradarJi families came and they are done in 10 minutes) .

Some other guy came and took our goods list from him signed and gave it to us .He even didn’t check what is there in the list. But after signing he took Xerox copy of it and told me I can import those goods any time I want and also need not be shipping all the goods at a time (But have to carry the signed copy with me all the time)

We are done there and went to Rainbow bridge Canada side ( 20 miles from peace bridge and rain bow , I think) and had a Niagara falls view for half an hour and started traveling to USA boarder

These lanes also exactly like Canada lanes and this time we took right most lanes. After stamping our car I gave my passports and I97 and I797 papers to him (Keeping my Kids passport on top, since he is USA citizen  )

Q) From where are you coming?
A) I really got confused and said from Canada (Utterly wrong answer). Immediately I realized and said we came from USA this morning to Canada to complete our VISA formalities and retuning back to USA.
Q) Woh US citizen (bit proudly he said looking at my kids passport, my guess worked) and then: “Can I look at your rental car agreement)
A) I showed him

He typed something in the computer and said you can go now. We happily drove away from him and stopped and looked at all the documents again (Just to make sure)


Suggestions (may be whatever you think)

1) Better call him “Officer “all the time. I mean like “ Yes officer” , “Coming to Canada Officer “
2) Go with your OWN car documents (Title, Insurance, Registration, KBB value), but In Canada boarder when you register your OWN car (Importing goods list) don’t pay the importing fee (It is around 250$). Tell him you are going to pay that when you get your vehicle to Canada(later) , But if you are going in your own vehicle I think you have to pay at that time
3) If you are retuning back to USA go with Rental Car

I carried 3 sets of documents (Got from some other forum)
1) Canada :- Passports, Landing documents , Letter from Bank Manager, Address in Canada, If you have car its documents ,Goods carrying , Goods to follow list
2) USA :- I797,I94 , JOB letter( Client letter) , US address proof
3) Supporting ( No one asked) :- degree certificates, last 3 year W2s, last 3 months' salary slip, birth certificate, marriage certificate and may be whatever you can think off

Let me know if you need any additional details. I am happy to assist you.

Regards
Kiran

 

[OrangeCounty]

Congrats Kiran on your landing! Good luck with your Canada life!

I am also planning to land in the near future, although from US west coast. When you provided the Canada address, did the officer ask you anything more - like are you going to stay here permanently? etc. In my case, the friends address is in Canada east coast, whereas I'll be landing in the west coast. Not sure if that will create any problem.

Best Regards
OrangeCounty

 

[bujji1]

Hi OrangeCounty,

Thanks

No. he didn't ask me any thing . He just asked for my address in Canada . I in fact took the printout of Canada address On one A4 page replicating the same address for 12 times and Did cut the addresses equally , so when he asked for address I did give the address to him ( instead of spelling out every thing) . He was really happy with that.

How you are planing to enter in west coast ? Or may be tell him your are going to meet your friend in west coast in a hotel or some where and tell him after two days you are flying with him to East coast.

or may be if you get any other good plans

Regards
Kiran

 

[erikvirgo]

Kiran,
thanks for sharing this/ good information. What address do you use in Canada? can we use a friend's or relative's address? If I don't have those, what other alternatives if I do not want to rent a place in canada?
I haeard that we can't use PO box.

 

[bujji1]

Erikvirgo,

We can use your friends or relative's address . That's what my friend did recently and he got his PR with no problems .So I followed him . I was not having any body's address until the last day and suddenly this friend came into contact in the last minute

From some where I read , If you don't have any body is Canada , You can tell them that you are going to give them later or You can modify address in CIC website Or they may tell you to call them and give the address once you have one ( I don't have phone number of them, I will check my documents and let you know if I find one)

Regards
Kiran

 

[momotarahman]

Dear bujji1,

Thanks for your info and I am going to land in Toronto on 22 February 2010 from UK. I just want to know how did you fill B4 and B4A form? I mean did you fill by typing or hand writing. I tried to fill them by typing in the computer but it doesn't allow me to do it? Even both forms have limited space to put all the items name. If I need more space for my personal goods list and goods to follow list, what I should do? I am reallyconfused about it. Please advise me.

Thanks and B Regards,

momotarahman

 

[ersum_max]

Hi Kiran,

as you mentioned in heading that your H1B Expired and you had valid I94, don't you suppose to handover your I-94 at border?
and if H1visa stamp is expired, on what documents they allowed the entry back in US, have you received a new I-94 (valid for how long? since it appears that you were having expired h1 visa)?

Regards,
Max :-X

 

[rslcanada]

yah I know you cant enter US territory once your H1b or L1 Visa is expired even your I94 still valid.

I renew my visa in my home country when I took my vacation even my I94 until 2011. I know you can stay in US until 2011 even your visa is already expired but you cant re enter US w/o renewing your visa.

 

[bujji1]

Dear Momotarahman,

I used the same form for importing goods and goods follow list . You can find the fillable documents in the below link . Out of them I used b4a-05b - Fillable.pdf . In that document right hand site there is a check box "List of goods to follow" . Check that if it is goods follow otherwise don't check it .

http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.php?220438-Fillable-B4-and-B4-A-forms&highlight=fillable

even though the above forms are fillable I took the blank page printout and filled by hand writing.

If the space is not enough you can use more than one form . I used three forms for the goods follow list . On top of the page there is a page number , You can mention "1 of 3", "2 Of 3" and so on .

Let me know if you need more info and Best of Luck


Hi Max ,

Yes My H1B is expired , But still I can travel to Canada and Mexico and come come back to USA on 30 days . While leaving the USA to Canada or Mexico you won't submit any thing to them ( even I94). So to get in you use the same I94 .

Few things to remember

1) You can enter US only if you stayed less than 30 days in Canada or Mexico
2) You should not go from Canada to Other countries
3) You should not go for H1B visa stamping in Canada and If it gets rejected you are not allowed if even it is less than 30 days.

For this rule you an check the below link .

http://travel.state.gov/visa/laws/telegrams/telegrams_1441.html

Have fun

Regards
Kiran

 

[hilow]

Kiran - so on your way back to USA, did you use rainbow or the peace bridge?

 

[John555]

Hi Kiran,

tnx for posting this.

my H1B expired august 2008 and I am still here in the US out of status.

My question, can I apply as an FSW and use Buffalo, NY as processing office, or should i go home to my home country and apply from there?

tnx much.