Outside Canada Spousal Sponsorship - USA spouse wants personal belongings now

[Snowisland]

I have been coming to Canada twice a year for five week long visits for three years. My husband comes to the USA twice a year. But now I am fortunate to have a house sitter in the USA for six months so I got to Canada two weeks ago and will return in May. Hopefully for just a few months until my PR is approved and then sell or rent the house out and drive 4500k with two cats. Yikes!
But here is the reason I am telling you this:
I mailed two large boxes to my husband a short time before I got to Canada. For the first time ever I got sent to secondary questioning.
The first officer told me to go back and see if the second officer would look up my Spousal Application status and added that maybe they would give me a visitor visa. The first officer mentioned that he himself was an immigrant.
The second officer asked me why I was going to Canada. I told him to visit my husband. He asked what my husband does, where does he work, but before I could answer he said to give him more info because he doesn't know why they sent me back to him. So I told him what the first officer said. Then he said ok, I think the first officer doesn't believe you will leave after six months so he sent you to me. he looked up the application status and he approved my six moth visit. Then we chatted pleasantly a few minutes and I was on my way.
So maybe my mailing those boxes caused the issue.
Moral of the story is take the advice of the seniors who post here. Don't try to send all your belongings before you move.

 

[VermiciousKnish]

Sorry SnowIsland but I have no idea what the point of that story was :-[

I did not know you can renew a VR online. If that is the case, why do people say it is best not to get a VR if possible. On previous posts, people said to try and avoid getting a VR because then you are in the system. If VR allows you to travel to and from Canada from the USA while you are waiting for PR without hassle then why would you not want one? Is there any disadvantage to getting one?

 

[Snowisland]

Sorry I was not clear. My point is listen to the senior members like Ponga and don't mail items before PR. I mailed items and thought it was ok until I read Pongas post and realized I was probably called for questioning at the border due to the boxes I mailed just before my trip.

As far as VR goes I wanted one but was not given one.

 

[Ponga]

Deja Vu:
http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/moving-with-spouse-while-application-is-pending-t102071.0.html

From CBSA website:

"As a visitor, you can bring certain goods into Canada for your own use as "personal baggage". Personal baggage includes clothing, camping and sports equipment, cameras and personal computers. It also includes vehicles, private boats and aircraft.

You must declare all goods when you arrive at the first CBSA port of entry. Border services officers do conduct examinations of goods being imported or exported to verify declarations. If you declare goods when you arrive and take them back with you when you leave, you will not have to pay any duty or taxes. These goods cannot be:
•used by a resident of Canada;
•used on behalf of a business based in Canada;
•be given as a gift to a Canadian resident; or
• disposed of or left in Canada.

The border services officer may ask you to leave a security deposit for your goods, which will be refunded to you when you export the goods from Canada. Should this occur, the officer will issue a Form E29B (PDF, 507 KB), Temporary Admission Permit, retain a copy and give you one for your records. When you leave Canada, present your goods and your copy of Form E29B to the officer who will give you a receipt copy of the form and your security deposit will be refunded by mail."

CBSA website has details about what type of people (visitor, citizen, etc) can bring in what, and any exemption/allowance. You may want to check it out to see if you fall under a category other than 'visitor'.
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html