Please Hear me out, I need help.

[notsopatient]

Hi Canyouhelpme - I am curious if you have left Canada and returned with an additional 6 mo. pass?
I am not sure what everyone is suggesting is correct regarding leaving for a short period of time to "reset the clock" on the visitor status. from what I have been told by CBSA, we are only allowed 6 mo. per CALENDAR year. does anyone else from the US have experience with whether it's calendar year or per stay?

My husband and I are living in border towns while we go through this process. Once we showed proof of PR application they provided him with a six month visitor record/visa which allowed him to cross back and forth on a regular basis as he works in the US. Unfortunately we didn't realize that we couldn't just extend it at the border where it was issued. A few days before it ended he went into CBSA to request and extension and was told that it had to be done online because they couldn't extend it at the border. Because we didn't have time to get an extension before his ran out we were told that we would have to apply from scratch which could take a while. For now they count his days and he is only allowed to spend three nights a week in Canada because otherwise he would be deemed to be living here. You can try to leave then come back and get another extension at the border but I know CBSA wouldn't budge on this matter for us.

 

[rhcohen2014]

My husband and I are living in border towns while we go through this process. Once we showed proof of PR application they provided him with a six month visitor record/visa which allowed him to cross back and forth on a regular basis as he works in the US. Unfortunately we didn't realize that we couldn't just extend it at the border where it was issued. A few days before it ended he went into CBSA to request and extension and was told that it had to be done online because they couldn't extend it at the border. Because we didn't have time to get an extension before his ran out we were told that we would have to apply from scratch which could take a while. For now they count his days and he is only allowed to spend three nights a week in Canada because otherwise he would be deemed to be living here. You can try to leave then come back and get another extension at the border but I know CBSA wouldn't budge on this matter for us.

i am confused what you mean by "apply from scratch"? apply for what exactly? The extension can only be applied prior to the current visitor status expiring, and it's recommended to apply at least 30 days before that... are you saying cbsa will not let him go in again for a long term stay now that his 6 mo. visit expired?

 

[rhcohen2014]

How would they know when you left Canada? I read that starting June they'd share info with the US side, but maybe some places started early. It is May already..

And if they DO know when I left Canada last, I guess they don't care that I come back so soon after I left? They have never said anything to me about it. Nor have they ever asked when I was last in Canada. I would divulge that information truthfully but they have never asked me before.
I have 2 stamps from my December 2012 visit and from my most recent December 2013 visit. When I entered in June 2013, I did not get a stamp in my passport but they also didn't ask about when I was last here.

I guess I am just lucky? I'm grateful though because I always get super nervous when I have to talk to the VOs.

one of the standard questions i'm asked is "when is the last time you were in canada", and the last time the border agent asked me, i asked how he would know. he told me they now share entry information with the us. that was in march.

 

[notsopatient]

i am confused what you mean by "apply from scratch"? apply for what exactly? The extension can only be applied prior to the current visitor status expiring, and it's recommended to apply at least 30 days before that... are you saying cbsa will not let him go in again for a long term stay now that his 6 mo. visit expired?

Correct, we couldn't apply for an extension because we didn't have time before it expired. Now he can only over for short periods of time and can't stay longer than three days at a time in any given week. They told him he could apply for /request a new six month visitor's visa if he hadn't received his PR by the end of the year but hopefully that won't be the case