Question about passport stamps and their meaning

[bluecanary]

I am a U.S. citizen with a Canadian boyfriend who I have visited twice now. I will be visiting again in July. I have a question about the meaning behind the two previous stamps I received.

The stamps are in blue ink with the Canada Border Services Agency logo wrapped around the dates. The first stamp (26 DE 13) was given to me when I went through customs at Vancouver Intl. This was my first visit to Canada. The second stamp (12 JL 14) was through Pearson Intl. in Toronto.

These dates in the stamps were the dates I arrived in Canada. There is no handwriting or any exit stamps with dates I had to leave by.

Q: Does receiving a stamp like these imply that I can stay in Canada for up to 6 months despite having told them I only intended a stay for a couple weeks?

 

[scylla]

Q: Does receiving a stamp like these imply that I can stay in Canada for up to 6 months despite having told them I only intended a stay for a couple weeks?

Yes - this means you were allowed in for six months.

 

[cryptic0]

That's interesting. I had no idea about this. I was asked specifically how long I was going to be in Canada for. On the other hand, when I reentered the US, they did not stamp my passport. When I called CBP (usa) office later, they told me that the CBP doesn't stamp passport on every reentry.

I wonder how the Canadians will know how long I stayed in their country the next time I cross border. Are passport scans accessible to US/CANADA agents alike?

 

[bluecanary]

Thank you, Scylla. I figured this was the case but I wanted to make sure because I've read some conflicting info on the subject, particularly this whole thing about black ink vs. blue ink. I've seen people say blue ink indicates that you've been taken into secondary (which I actually was on my first trip because I was naive and unprepared), though I had no problems at all the second time through Toronto and both are blue stamps.

@ Cryptic, that's part of what confused me too - how they always ask how long you intend to stay, but apparently will give you 6 months anyway.

 

[deweysmith]

That's interesting. I had no idea about this. I was asked specifically how long I was going to be in Canada for. On the other hand, when I reentered the US, they did not stamp my passport. When I called CBP (usa) office later, they told me that the CBP doesn't stamp passport on every reentry.

I wonder how the Canadians will know how long I stayed in their country the next time I cross border. Are passport scans accessible to US/CANADA agents alike?

The scans are accessible from both sides, but not immediately. Typically the officer will phone a U.S. border (in the same airport in the case of Toronto/Vancouver airports) and ask them to fax over a report of your entrances into the U.S. They only do this if they are suspicious of how long you claim to be staying in Canada and would like to see if you have a history of staying longer than you claim... Has happened to me twice. They do track how long you say you plan to stay, even if they don't give you a specific departure date.

Also, the stamp's ink is inconsequential. My/my wife's passport is almost never stamped unless we are referred to secondary. They DO occasionally write with pen a date inside the stamp of when your authorized stay expires (looks like this, and it's usually, but not always less than 6 months), but if they do not, and do not issue you a Visitor Record, then you are allowed to stay for six months, regardless of what you told the border officer initially. Do note, however, that a pattern of this happening can be detrimental, as you can be accused of lying to the officer. Plans do change, but not THAT often.

 

[cryptic0]

Dewey:

This is very informative -- much thanks. I am now relieved. I have a job in the states, so I wouldn't deviate from what I will tell the border agent. I was just worried that they might not see a stamp of my last reentry and thus might be concerned as to how I got back. Your answer put my worries to rest.

Also, I am doing land crossing in my car and the offices of both sides are right next to each other, so they shouldn't have any problem getting my records from them. I had a pleasant experience my first time, and let's hope it continues.