US outland applicants' thread :)

[crna80]

Thank you for the extra tips. I really needed to know that ! By the way you say you are visiting your husband in Canada, do you have a visitors record? If so for how long? ]


I don't have a visitor's record. I can stay here short of six months with no problem. After that I will head to USA for several months, possibly until I hear something. Now it seems i have read that the visitation time is rolling, meaning if I cross the border for a week, my six months restart. Can someone confirm that for me? The visitor record keeps track of everytime you come and go, and i believe every time you cross the border you must have an agent document you are crossing. The last thing I want to do is open myself up to more questions etc. And again, is my understanding of a visitor record correct? I've been coming to Ontario for on weekends and summers for so many years almost 20, and I've been through customs many times. I figure the less I stand out the better. Anyone have opinions on that? I am also learning how to use the quotes, sorry it didn't come out right.

 

[parker24]

Yes, you can leave for a day and come back and the whole six months restarts.

 

[OhCanadiana]

This is really great information. Thanks OhCanadiana for putting it together!

My pleasure ;D It's great to see all the additional contributions come together too

 

[OhCanadiana]

I don't have a visitor's record. I can stay here short of six months with no problem. After that I will head to USA for several months, possibly until I hear something. Now it seems i have read that the visitation time is rolling, meaning if I cross the border for a week, my six months restart. Can someone confirm that for me? The visitor record keeps track of everytime you come and go, and i believe every time you cross the border you must have an agent document you are crossing. The last thing I want to do is open myself up to more questions etc. And again, is my understanding of a visitor record correct? I've been coming to Ontario for on weekends and summers for so many years almost 20, and I've been through customs many times. I figure the less I stand out the better. Anyone have opinions on that? I am also learning how to use the quotes, sorry it didn't come out right.

Yes, if you exit and re-enter, each time you re-enter your stay timing restarts. However, you may find that it gets harder to cross the border since they know your intent.

If your goal is really to extend your stay, you can do that while you are within Canada without needing to exit/reenter - see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/extend-stay.asp There's many success stories on the forums of people who say this was painless.

 

[Kiri]

Question... have things changed in regard to going back to the US and right back to Canada? I mean, due to this whole fiasco with the stuff shutting down.. are things different with the border crossing? Before they had issue if someone came to Canada for 6 months, went back for a couple weeks and then came back again for a long time. Are we able to go back and forth without issue now so long as we leave before 6 months is up? I have an extension and have been worried if I go back to the states for just a few days and come right back I'll be denied since I haven't even cleared stage 1 processing yet.

 

[OhCanadiana]

Question... have things changed in regard to going back to the US and right back to Canada? I mean, due to this whole fiasco with the stuff shutting down.. are things different with the border crossing? Before they had issue if someone came to Canada for 6 months, went back for a couple weeks and then came back again for a long time. Are we able to go back and forth without issue now so long as we leave before 6 months is up? I have an extension and have been worried if I go back to the states for just a few days and come right back I'll be denied since I haven't even cleared stage 1 processing yet.

I don't think the visa office switching would have a material impact on this.

However, my understanding is that extensions only work as long as you stay in Canada. Once you exit Canada, it resets the clock to zero and your eligibility will be assessed again when you try to re-enter.

 

[LovingMyCanuck]

I don't have a visitor's record. I can stay here short of six months with no problem. After that I will head to USA for several months, possibly until I hear something. Now it seems i have read that the visitation time is rolling, meaning if I cross the border for a week, my six months restart. Can someone confirm that for me? The visitor record keeps track of everytime you come and go, and i believe every time you cross the border you must have an agent document you are crossing. The last thing I want to do is open myself up to more questions etc. And again, is my understanding of a visitor record correct? I've been coming to Ontario for on weekends and summers for so many years almost 20, and I've been through customs many times. I figure the less I stand out the better. Anyone have opinions on that? I am also learning how to use the quotes, sorry it didn't come out right.

Yes you can be there for 6 months. For me I have always been issued a visitors record. And oh something to add, i don't know if this would apply to your situation, but if the IO feels like you are living in Canada more than in the US you maybe denied entry.

 

[Kiri]

That's what I thought.. I just saw some random posts that had me thinking if they were rethinking how America/Canada relations would happen. No worries.

Oh and LovingMyCanuck: You're absolutely right, but sometimes they are soft on that. In my case, I came to Canada 6 months, left for 3 weeks, came back and was granted 5 months (I had to explain that I would go back at that time or change my status)... and then at the 5 months I mailed off for an extension. I just got it for 13 months. So I've been in Canada for 1 year and 2 weeks an have 11 months and 2 weeks left on my extension. I plan to cross anyways once my application goes "in process" since I hear they are softer on those who have an in process application for PR.. so we'll see how that goes. But if I don't cross, I'll have bene in Canada for 2 years and 1 month (with only a 3 week break) before I have to go back without another extension. So sometimes it's completely fine. I share an apartment in Canada with my sponsor, and are on the same bank, bills, etc. We have living arrangements here. However, I still have ties to America with my home there and such.

 

[LovingMyCanuck]

Oh and LovingMyCanuck: You're absolutely right, but sometimes they are soft on that. In my case, I came to Canada 6 months, left for 3 weeks, came back and was granted 5 months (I had to explain that I would go back at that time or change my status)... and then at the 5 months I mailed off for an extension. I just got it for 13 months. So I've been in Canada for 1 year and 2 weeks an have 11 months and 2 weeks left on my extension. I plan to cross anyways once my application goes "in process" since I hear they are softer on those who have an in process application for PR.. so we'll see how that goes. But if I don't cross, I'll have bene in Canada for 2 years and 1 month (with only a 3 week break) before I have to go back without another extension. So sometimes it's completely fine. I share an apartment in Canada with my sponsor, and are on the same bank, bills, etc. We have living arrangements here. However, I still have ties to America with my home there and such.

Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I really need it since I am planning on going up this August to finish our application. Did you travel by land or fly?

 

[Kiri]

Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I really need it since I am planning on going up this August to finish our application. Did you travel by land or fly?

You are most welcome! I describe more in-depth in the Buffalo thread if I remember right.

Since we live in Hamilton, we drove down together to Buffalo since it was cheaper to pay the gas to drive to Buffalo and then fly to South Carolina (where I'm from). I then flew back to Buffalo and he picked me up and we drove across together. I'll tell you from what I hear, it's SO MUCH easier to drive than deal with flying and airport customs.

 

[Amoss]

Is it just me... am I the only one freaking out about all the VOs sending our files to Ottawa?? Isn't Ottawa going to have hundreds, if not thousands, of apps piling on their desks in the next couple of weeks? Have they not considered at all how this will affect us?

They must have considered that, right? things could go faster?? I need some info to help me calm down. ???

 

[parker24]

You are most welcome! I describe more in-depth in the Buffalo thread if I remember right.

Since we live in Hamilton, we drove down together to Buffalo since it was cheaper to pay the gas to drive to Buffalo and then fly to South Carolina (where I'm from). I then flew back to Buffalo and he picked me up and we drove across together. I'll tell you from what I hear, it's SO MUCH easier to drive than deal with flying and airport customs.

I can tell you from my husband's experience.. DRIVING is A LOT easier than flying into Ottawa or whatever Canadian airport. Customs tend to be a little more harda** than the bridge border patrol agents. It's even better when traveling with a Canadian Citizen (The sponsor) Good luck!

Amoss: I'm worried, but not too much. From what I understand, (and I could be wrong) Ottawa can and will send them out to the satellite offices IE LA, if needed...

 

[Amoss]

Amoss: I'm worried, but not too much. From what I understand, (and I could be wrong) Ottawa can and will send them out to the satellite offices IE LA, if needed...

Thanks for the reply. I hope if they can do that, they will just leave ours in LA, instead of sending it back across the continent. Sorry to be a freak out, :-[ it's just this processing is to stressful as is, and not really liking where you are, while waiting for the visa to come through, doesn't help

I just wish they would tell us more info

 

[parker24]

Thanks for the reply. I hope if they can do that, they will just leave ours in LA, instead of sending it back across the continent. Sorry to be a freak out, :-[ it's just this processing is to stressful as is, and not really liking where you are, while waiting for the visa to come through, doesn't help

I just wish they would tell us more info

If yours is already in LA, I REALLY doubt they would spend money to send it back across the border just to be processed. I would be confident that it would stay in LA until they reach a decision

 

[Amoss]

If yours is already in LA, I REALLY doubt they would spend money to send it back across the border just to be processed. I would be confident that it would stay in LA until they reach a decision

Thanks :-* just for saying what I wanted to hear + 1 for you ;D