Hi,

If I go to the USA for 6 days in January, 11 days in March, and then from July 15th to January 4th, 2009 (the six month stay) is that okay? I was wondering if the 6 months minus a day is cumulative or just counts if in a lump sum?

Thanks,
Carslo

Continuous residence of six months. So, enjoy your trip and don't stay for six months straight.

Each entry is separate. Enjoy the trip!

Thank you all, hopefully it will be smooth sailing at the POE either the airport or the border. Enjoy the holidays and may 2008 bring us what we all seem to have been waiting for; even though it seems like an eternity for many of us.

Is it? I always thought it was within a years time frame.

Yeah, that's what I thought too. I had an experience, but it was with Canada. The customs agent had asked me how many times I had been to Canada this year and if the total time equaled 6 months.

They can get a bit upset (there's a silly presumption that you're living in the US, depends on which orifice you deal with at the border) if you keep going to the US but the longest you can officially stay is six months less a day irrespective of how close those periods may be.

I'm sure it's fine on the US side that no single trip is longer then 6 months, however, on the Canadian side they deem somone not living in Canada for 6 months out of the year as being a partial resident in which I think you theoretically can't qualify for the health care (at least in Ontario). One of the issues that those Snow Birds have to deal with. So not sure how they can catch you, but if they do, you could loose that...