CptnPir8

Hi - I must have created this profile at a time when we were potentially moving to Olean, but in fact, we ended up in Hyde Park, NY, so much further East. I usually cross at Bernard Lacolle south of Montreal. We crossed into Canada from the US (Buffalo/Niagara Falls) at Christmas but not the other way. Also thus far, we have no visa application underway, just the sponsorship application (I-130). All that said, the biggest concern you face is about the border guard being worried that your husband is entering the US to try and stay there. If you have a visa application underway through a Swiss consulate, you MUST have that paperwork with you when you cross. It will also help show that you are doing the consular route, and doing things above board, rather than trying to adjust status from within the US or anything else. I strongly advise your husband also bring evidence of his current ties to Switzerland, i.e. proof of residence in Switzerland, proof of a current job there, etc. I cross regularly back and forth between the US and Canada (I'm the Canadian applying for a US visa) and I find that the amount of questions is entirely dependent on the guard you get that day. Some times, they ask a lot of questions and are more concerned about me staying in the US than at other times. If you are doing everything legitimately, you should just answer slowly and directly. Keep eye contact, and answer the questions but without answering more than what they ask. You can have all that paperwork on hand, and then have them ask next to nothing and wave you through. Or they may get more particular, and then you will be glad you have proof he still does live in Switzerland (for now) and of your visa application. 

Typical questions:

-what do you / does your spouse do for a living (a solid job by the non-resident is good, otherwise you have more incentive to move to US now)

-how long will you be in the US (not having a return ticket or set time frame is suspicious and suggests you may try to stay longer)

-when were you last in the US

-what are you doing in the US (visiting you is the clear answer)

If they start to get worried, you can see more pointed questions:

-who is your phone provider (a US carrier on his part would look bad! it should be swiss if he's still living there)

-be very carefuly about visa application questions and say exactly what stage, i made the mistake of saying yes when he asked about visa application at one point, but we only had the i-130 underway, and he grilled me for a while about not having the paperwork, to which i was like "why? what would sponsorship application docs show to you?" until i realized i had no actual visa app yet underway, which is what they care more about to know time-lines and what route you are taking for immigration.

So main point is have all documentation related to Visa app on you as well as proof of ties to Switzerland.

Good luck!