We just arrived in Florida driving all the way from Toronto, Canada yesterday! What a trip! Took us a day and half with 1 sleep over stop for 6 hours to sleep. All in all, weather cooperated up north and I'm glad to finally unpack my stuff!

Here's my review on my POE with my K1 Visa:

Entered via the Rainbow bridge from Canada to the U.S. When we got to the Customs booth, I told the Customs officer that I was entering on my K1 Visa. He took at look at my passport page where the K1 was attached and told us to head over to the Immigration building on the left and that he would have someone bring in our passports.

We went into the building and sat in a waiting area for about 10 minutes. My name finally got called and this Immigration officer confirmed if my new mailing address was correct. I confirmed it and also gave him the sealed envelope that the Consulate had given me. He then told us to sit down and wait again. Another 10 - 15 minutes passed and he came over with our passports and showed me the I94 that was stapled into my passport while informing me of the expiry date.

That was it!

He didn't confirm my prints via the scanner nor did they ask what I was bringing in (we had a Trailblazer packed all the way up to the roof!). Oh well, the detailed packing list is definitely coming in handy for me while I'm unpacking! =)

Anyway, the rest of it was just driving from Toronto down to Florida.....was funny since we started with the heater on and ended up with the AC on! he he he

Bienvenidos a America!

Wow T.O., so you are there now!

We are heading for Florida on April 1st, from Calgary - sounds like you are driving 'troopers', I am not - so I figure about 10 days, including a 2 day stop over in Nebbie to see my Sister and family.

So where are you guys living? Crickey is in Mt Dora and we will be not far from there in Lake Mary (we are going to rent for a few months and check it out before deciding exactly where we want to buy a house).

Hi ya Trailmix!

We're right by Cocoa Beach (East Coast of FL)!

Someone should start up a thread on where all the Canadian VJers are located in the U.S!

I know Crikey is in FL too... =)

Yay!! Welcome to the US!!
Say hi to Mickey for me ºoº

Do you need to talk to immigration officials once you enter US ,IF so by land where to confirm you landed or by air ,any stamp to get?

Congrats!!

The drive to Florida can be a very longggg one! My family and I used to drive there every summer. My grandma is crazy and loves to go there is the summer. The horrible part was the longgg 21-24 hour drive with no ac

Glad you made it safely and everything went smoothly at the POE

yay! that's great!
quick and painless

Nope we didn't talk to them....they just did their paper work and then sent us off.....they entered all the information into their computer and affixed a little slip showing when I entered the U.S on the Visa....everything is electronic! =)

Congratulations and welcome to the USA! Glad your trip went smoothly despite the long drive.

Congrats on finally being in the States Sounds like the border crossing might be easier than I envisioned. We are gonna do it all in one run too, but can't do the move until end of April.

WHOOOOO! I didn't realize you were here, T.O.! Congratulations, and welcome to Florida! I love the drive to/from Florida. It's so scenic. I'm hoping to do it again for Mother's Day. I think I told you I'll be in your neck of the woods next week with my girlfriend. She's flying in on Sunday and we're heading to Melbourne.

Congratulations!! I crossed at rainbow as well in January..quick and painless PLUS i had 3 pets with me(2 cats and a dog) and they never asked a thing about them! I drove to Charleston..STRAIGHT through! (it was the longest 17 hours of my life!!haha..) congrats on your arriving..now the fun begins!

Shawna

WOO HOO!
Must be lovely in Florida! You are missing out on some serious snow!!! LOL

Question, when you got to the border..do you go to a specific place or just the regular customs booth....don't know if there is a certain place to go if you are entering with any type of visa, such as the K1.
Congratulations!!!!

when i crossed in maine, one just went to the normal car line like anyone else, and the POE dude then directed me whre to go!!

Made the drive from VA to Tampa, a few yrs back for xmas, and most likely doing it this xmas!! A long drive indeed. Plus we had 1 cat and a dog!! think we wil find a cat sitter this yr.. enjoy florida!! Tampa is much to hot in the summer for my liking

Crossing through Buffalo I just went to the normal car line and showed him my K-1 and he sent me to the immigration building(right beside the building where they check peeps they are suspicious of)Nothing confusing though(could you imagine getting lost on your way to the building?lmao!)

S

Yes I remember you mentioning Melbourne!

We are busy getting all our wedding plans in order! Less than 2 months away now! AHHHHHHH the crazy running around started when I arrived for all the stuff I couldn't do remotely up in Canada!




We just drove to the regular booth and told the guy I was entering with my K1 Visa...no special booth or other area required even if you're coming in a van or SUV.

Florida is definitely night and day change for me. Granted I'm lucky I had the chance to visit my Fiance all those times to see what it was like. It was really hard leaving home and having my parents crying in the drive way hugging us and waving bye as we drove off.....

The brighter side of things is that we are finally together after all this K1 stuff and now our lives as a family will begin...a new chapter in our lives....Florida also gives my family and friends an incentive to spend holidays down here in warm weather with a place to stay!

It was a long drive indeed....I think we did pretty good time wise and wouldn't mind doing it again during warmer weather like spring or fall when there's no snow in the norther states. We have to do the trip via car one more time to pick up the things that didn't fit in the SUV the first round. he he he And I can tell you, we didn't leave any of my shoes behind! he he he *a girl thing perhaps*? NOT THE SHOES! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Thank you everyone for your welcomes and well wishes! The reality will probably sink in after the wedding since I'm staying very busy with all the planning.....

P.S. to all the Toronto/Ontario VJs...good luck with the snow storm that's about to hit...I truly feel for ya...I'll try to send up some warmth and sunshine. Be safe!

thats a sickly long drive. i hope you had fun

does you medical packet get taken at the border?

What are they supposed to do ....just look at your paperwork.....or do they keep part of it???

I want to make sure I know this before I head over.....all the details so I know what to
expect and if they are doing the correct thing!!!!!!!!!

Thanks

I rember doing this many times (party buses for Spring Break), Christmas break with my folks and then when I was out on my own used to drive there quite a bit to see friends. Last time I drove there was from Colorado non-stop by myself. Began to realize these 20-34 hrs non-stops were killing me.

But yeah I liked driving down from Ontario to Florida though, once I got across the Teneesee border or the NC border (depending on the way) suddenly everything became really senic. Kind of miss I-95 and I-75 in those areas. Oh well, won't be ever doing that again I doubt (unless I really want to take a really long out of the way detour and head from here to I-75 then down)...

your medical packet is handed in to the Consulate during your interview. Then when they mail back your Visa to you, there is a 8.5 x 11 envelope that has 'do not open' all over it and is sealed. Only the U.S Immigration can open it. I've never seen what was inside but I'm guessing some of your medical perhaps and some other paper work that the immigration dept needs.

Don't worry about things.......they'll tell you what they need and what they don't. =)



Yea when we got to the I 95 part there was a section where there were those tall Australian pines in the middle of the highway where the sun was shining through....became kind of hypnotic with the pattern of the sun filtering through...Zzzzzz...thank goodness for those Rest Stops!!!!

Did they give you the EAD? I am terrified that they won't give it to me and I desperately need it.

Great POE review... sounded very quick and painless..were still debating which way to go to get to Vegas, either Buffalo or Detroit..my husband is leaning more toward Detroit so he has more stops at Tim Hortons before he has to say goodbye!..He said he may cry when hes holding his last Timmies.. LOL

we also have a longggg drive 33 hours...*sigh*... glad to hear you made it safely and are out of this nasty TO weather... enjoy the Florida sun!

Well incase you go the Buffalo route...if you're going through PA we saw a Tim Horton's there! =) Stopped for a coffee too!

I did not get an EAD...I got the I94 which enabled me to apply for a SSN....is that what you're after?

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10096.html

"To prove your U.S. immigration status, you must show us the current U.S. immigration document, I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, issued to you when you arrived in the United States."

Thanks to fellow VJer Liz Legend 'n Ol....

I mean the temporary work authorization that you can sometimes get depending on which POE you have that lets you work for 90 days when you enter and file for EI.

We're planning on getting married the day I get there and sending in AOS immediately. I can't afford to have a lull in finances or my student loans will rape me.

Nope I was not given an EAD...I think that's a rare thing now....????

It is, that`s why I asked. I`ve heard the Windsor/Detroit is one of the last few places you can get it.