I have recv'd immense help from the different boards on how to do Canada landing and deal with US immigration. So I thought i give back and share my landing experience. I landed in first week of June 2010 and here are my details:
1. Came to US on F1 visa
2. Changed status to H1b
3. Never had a H1B stamp, so wanted to use AVR (Automatic visa revalidation)
4. From pakistan so was under NSEERS
5. Recv'd my Canadian Perm residence VISA few months back
Exiting USA
I flew to Buffalo on Sunday night. Stayed there for the night and was up early Monday morning. Had my breakfast and set out to Peace bridge at about 9 AM. Since I have to comply with NSEERS, before leaving USA I had to stop by the Duty Free shop. There is a small room on the side of the building and it says "NSEERS" on it.
Went in, there was a lady officer inside. Told her I need to do exit registration. She took my passport and I94. Took my fingerprint and my picture and said I was good to go. At that time, I asked her about the AVR rule, making sure I would be able to re-enter US. She did not know but she did call the Peace Bridge Immigration and confirmed that I will be able to use AVR and come back. I then went back to my car and started driving through the bridge (paid $3 toll) and crossed into Canada. Very pleasant experience, the lady officer was nice and helpful.
Entering Canada
Stopped by the booth on the Canada side. Told the officer I was doing landing. He gave me a slip and told me to park to the side and enter the building behind the booth. Very Important: If you are carrying over $10K, DECLARE IT AT THAT POINT. I did not, but more on that later
Went into the building. Was a short line. The guy before me was apparently trying to enter Canada and was refused, for the third time! That probably left the officer in a bad mood but i thought watever and I proceeded. Told the officer I am doing landing and gave her my COPR and passport with the visa. She started typing and after a few minutes asked to see proof of funds. I was carrying a money order of about $15K that I gave her. Her first question was if i declared it outside at the booth. I said no since I thought it needed to be declared inside the building. She warned me that they could have seized my money order, but she was nice so she let me of the hook Lesson learned . She asked me for a Canadian address. I said I did not have any and told her i would return to US the same day. She was fine with it. She had my sign the COPR, and staped a copy to the passport. She congrated me on becoming a PR and pointed me towards the Customs section.
Went to the customs desk and the lady there also did not seem to be in a good mood. I gave her my prepared printed list of GoodstoFollow. She got irritated when I did not have a canadian address. I politely challeneged her as to why she needed a canadian address. She didnt have a good answer to that. In the end, she just put my US address in. I declared my 15K POF there and she filled out a form and had me sign it. She became nicer at the end, as atleast she started to smile. Not that I cared that much
Allright, so got done and drove around Fort Erie for a little bit. Almost seemed like US except for the metric system (use KM instead of miles etc). Overall, experience was pleasant.
Going back to US
Ok, so took the highway back towards Peace bridge. Stopped at the US booth. Gave the officer my expired visa (f1) and the h1b i94 and explained the AVR rule. He sent me to secondary inspection. Now for NSEERS, you are escorcted to the building. So they asked me to leave keys in the rental car and an officer walked me to the building. They will park your car themselves and search it. After waiting about 5 minutes, I was called to the booth. I gave that officer the same set of documents and explained AVR. The officer started laughing slightly and starting looking at the officer next to him. He thought I was crazy trying to enter with an expired visa!! So he took all documents (ie passports with visa (f1 and canadian), i94s from all of my exployers) and asked me to sit. After about 15 minutes called me back and asked a few questions: 1) What did you go to school for? 2) what are my job responsiblities? 3) When I started my job? 4) If i left Canada?. He then took my fingerprints and picture and I was good to leave!
Overall, the experience here was also pleasant.
My advice:
1) Stay calm and answer all of your questions confidently.
2) Address them as officers
3) Carry ALL documentation. Rather carry extra than not having a document when it's needed
1. Came to US on F1 visa
2. Changed status to H1b
3. Never had a H1B stamp, so wanted to use AVR (Automatic visa revalidation)
4. From pakistan so was under NSEERS
5. Recv'd my Canadian Perm residence VISA few months back
Exiting USA
I flew to Buffalo on Sunday night. Stayed there for the night and was up early Monday morning. Had my breakfast and set out to Peace bridge at about 9 AM. Since I have to comply with NSEERS, before leaving USA I had to stop by the Duty Free shop. There is a small room on the side of the building and it says "NSEERS" on it.
Went in, there was a lady officer inside. Told her I need to do exit registration. She took my passport and I94. Took my fingerprint and my picture and said I was good to go. At that time, I asked her about the AVR rule, making sure I would be able to re-enter US. She did not know but she did call the Peace Bridge Immigration and confirmed that I will be able to use AVR and come back. I then went back to my car and started driving through the bridge (paid $3 toll) and crossed into Canada. Very pleasant experience, the lady officer was nice and helpful.
Entering Canada
Stopped by the booth on the Canada side. Told the officer I was doing landing. He gave me a slip and told me to park to the side and enter the building behind the booth. Very Important: If you are carrying over $10K, DECLARE IT AT THAT POINT. I did not, but more on that later
Went into the building. Was a short line. The guy before me was apparently trying to enter Canada and was refused, for the third time! That probably left the officer in a bad mood but i thought watever and I proceeded. Told the officer I am doing landing and gave her my COPR and passport with the visa. She started typing and after a few minutes asked to see proof of funds. I was carrying a money order of about $15K that I gave her. Her first question was if i declared it outside at the booth. I said no since I thought it needed to be declared inside the building. She warned me that they could have seized my money order, but she was nice so she let me of the hook
Lesson learned . She asked me for a Canadian address. I said I did not have any and told her i would return to US the same day. She was fine with it. She had my sign the COPR, and staped a copy to the passport. She congrated me on becoming a PR and pointed me towards the Customs section. Went to the customs desk and the lady there also did not seem to be in a good mood. I gave her my prepared printed list of GoodstoFollow. She got irritated when I did not have a canadian address. I politely challeneged her as to why she needed a canadian address. She didnt have a good answer to that. In the end, she just put my US address in. I declared my 15K POF there and she filled out a form and had me sign it. She became nicer at the end, as atleast she started to smile. Not that I cared that much
Allright, so got done and drove around Fort Erie for a little bit. Almost seemed like US except for the metric system (use KM instead of miles etc). Overall, experience was pleasant.
Going back to US
Ok, so took the highway back towards Peace bridge. Stopped at the US booth. Gave the officer my expired visa (f1) and the h1b i94 and explained the AVR rule. He sent me to secondary inspection. Now for NSEERS, you are escorcted to the building. So they asked me to leave keys in the rental car and an officer walked me to the building. They will park your car themselves and search it. After waiting about 5 minutes, I was called to the booth. I gave that officer the same set of documents and explained AVR. The officer started laughing slightly and starting looking at the officer next to him. He thought I was crazy trying to enter with an expired visa!! So he took all documents (ie passports with visa (f1 and canadian), i94s from all of my exployers) and asked me to sit. After about 15 minutes called me back and asked a few questions: 1) What did you go to school for? 2) what are my job responsiblities? 3) When I started my job? 4) If i left Canada?. He then took my fingerprints and picture and I was good to leave!
Overall, the experience here was also pleasant.
My advice:
1) Stay calm and answer all of your questions confidently.
2) Address them as officers
3) Carry ALL documentation. Rather carry extra than not having a document when it's needed