Yep. We get the money back when he returns to the border but it was a hit for us financially. I certainly didn't expect them to be so harsh either... it was just awful.simb said:
Are you applying Outland? I'd read that you could only send documents after the fact if you were Inland applying.Belinasha said:
We actually have a copy of an FBI clearance that expired back in March (he'd applied for it in December and it somehow slipped past us that it's only good for 3 months). Should I include that with a note saying that we know it's expired, a valid one will be coming soon but this is the best we have at this time to show he's clean? Or do you think it's better to just leave it alone and send the valid one when it arrives?simb said:
I am very sorry to have heard this. This yet again is a prime example of border crossings and IOs are all different. That is just rediculous. I hope your FBI comes in soon or if you can just send the app without it despite it delaying the app process just by a little. :/kandc said:Wow. If only we could have been so lucky. My husband and I drove up from Florida together and they wouldn't let him through at the border despite having our marriage certificate, receipt of payment for application fees and our almost entirely completed application with us. He essentially told us how dare we try to cross the border without having SENT our application already and without solid proof (such as a letter of employment or from a landlord) that my husband would return to the US. My husband is a freelance musician... he doesn't have solid, full time employment and he was living with his mother (we did have a letter from her stating that the majority of his belongings were still in Florida) at the time. They bascially told us that's not their problem, we should know better than to try to cross the border with such insufficient evidence and how "disappointed" they were that we couldn't follow protocol (??? he was coming for a visit... he wasn't trying to move).
We were there for hours while they searched his van, luggage, computer and questioned him about his life in the US until they finally offered to let us through if we paid a $4000 bond, and only for 3 months during which time our application MUST be sent. My husband has to return to the border crossing August 7th with proof that our app has been filed, at which point they will decide whether or not he can stay. We're still waiting going on 8 weeks for his FBI clearance and I'm terrified it won't get here and we won't be able to send the on time without it
Your story was great and I wish that could happen to all of us, but to people getting their hopes up PLEASE be warned that it can go very, very differently. Showing you have ties to the US is apparently very important to the border officials coming through Ogdensburg.
i would say. attach the expired one so they would get to know that atleast you have one (other reason would be they would get to know your spouse has no criminal history)kandc said:
I've decided I'm sending the app on Monday, FBI clearance included or not. I'm not taking a chance of it not getting there on time, getting lost with no time to resend it, etc. and it would be nice to show the border agents that it was sent a couple weeks prior to the deadline they gave us as opposed to two days before. I'd rather add a few weeks to our wait time than have my hubby sent back to the US... after 3 years of waiting to be together I can't even bear the thoughtLovingMyCanuck said:
Thank you for the advice. I will do that and keep my fingers crossed that the new one doesn't take much longer to arrive.simb said:
I hope you the best of luck and when you go back to the border that you guys will get a more understanding IO.kandc said:I've decided I'm sending the app on Monday, FBI clearance included or not. I'm not taking a chance of it not getting there on time, getting lost with no time to resend it, etc. and it would be nice to show the border agents that it was sent a couple weeks prior to the deadline they gave us as opposed to two days before. I'd rather add a few weeks to our wait time than have my hubby sent back to the US... after 3 years of waiting to be together I can't even bear the thought
