how do they know?

[JennaLyn 0]

Does anyone know how the States keeps track of the visits and length of visits one makes from Canada to the States?

My boyfriend and I both know how long he's been here(his visits started June 08) according to our records he has a little over 50 days left before his 180 days start all over again in June. (right? it goes 180 days from the start of the first visit? which for us was June?)

He thinks they scan his passport...we do NOT want to go over..not even a day. More then likely we'll go under.

I was just curious..I really appreciate any answers you may have.

Thanks so much and enjoy your weekend!! Its supposed to be a beautiful one here in Massachusetts : )

I am sorry for always asking questions..but I don't know anything and you all have been so amazingly helpful on this site and we've learned a lot just from this site alone!! So thank you all for being so helpful...we both greatly appreciate it..

[thetreble 19]

It's hard to say. Some people are adament that they do check and some people say that they have overstayed without the US government noticing.

I think they do check but it is up to them really to make an educated guess on what they think you are doing. I think more important then the amount of days you spend in someone's country, is what they are doing there.

How many people can go to another country for almost 6 months a year? That is suspicious to me. At one point I made one visit every month for 8 months but my visits weren't more then 5 to 7 days at a time.

If someone is visiting for 2 months, leaves for a few weeks, and goes back for another 2 months, etc. That is a lot of time to be spending away from your own country where you should be working or going to school..or doing something.

So honestly, it's a gamble. They may say something about it and they may not.

[JennaLyn 0]

Thank you!!

I do understand though..it would look suspicious, to me as well. The guard who let him through this time, also let him through the last time..he said, oh I remember you. Because he was trying to cross the border after being denied a few days prior due to not having proof of ties(we didn't know he needed them..this was before I joined this forum) so he remembered him and was really nice and didn't even ask him how long he was staying..he just said enjoy your visit. He did ask to see his ties to Canada...

But thank you so much for answering me!! I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

my boyfriend is a free lance graphic designer and gets paid pretty well per job..so when he has had down time, that's when he comes to visit.

I wish they made things easier to understand...I wonder if they keep it a secret just so some people can screw up and overstay?

Thank you again!!

[trailmix 77]

I wish they made things easier to understand...I wonder if they keep it a secret just so some people can screw up and overstay?

One would think that!

Here is my theory. They don't want to make it clear (immigration or a simple border crossing) because they feel there is some security to be gained by always keeping people on the back foot.

Will they let me cross the border? Maybe, maybe not - I don't know what their criteria is - it's all mysterious and kind of forbidding oooooooooo.

Like that would deter a criminal

Oh and - in general I know for a fact they don't track border crossings from Canada. (I'm not talking about when a person has a visa or is issued an I-94) - I know this because I called and asked them.

I'm sure they also probably record license plates etc, when they feel like it - but in general - no.

Edited March 6, 2009 by trailmix

[Jasman0717 8]

Big brother is watching

[Sprailenes 47]

I believe they outsource a lot of work to the North Pole and when the Christmas rush is over, they get the elves to keep a look out on the border crossings as well as all the bad/good children.

But this is just MY theory.

Compared to everyone elses, it does make most sense though does it not?

Indeed.

[Danu 19]

I believe they outsource a lot of work to the North Pole and when the Christmas rush is over, they get the elves to keep a look out on the border crossings as well as all the bad/good children.

But this is just MY theory.

Compared to everyone elses, it does make most sense though does it not?

Indeed.

That is the most hilarious thing I have heard all day. Now I'm picturing a little elf at the PoE glaring up at me and checking my name against the Naughty list before I am let in lol.

[CDAgirlMI 51]

He thinks they scan his passport...we do NOT want to go over..not even a day. More then likely we'll go under.

I know sometimes when I have to use the regular lanes I see them open my passport & it looks like they "scan" it of some sort. I don't know FOR SURE, but that's what it looks like.

Plus, when you come over by land, your license plate gets scanned.

"Big brother is watching".....you never know. I don't lie because I'm too scared of what they might know!

[rexalite 0]

I wondered too about the 180 days - I would assume that means in a calendar year, not in a fiscal year based on your first visit. I don't know, am just guessing. It seems harder to keep track of if everyone's 180 days resets all the time. Do they try and figure out at the interview stage how long you've visited back and forth? I would think that they wouldn't like it if you haven't visited enough either, if they are primarily trying to establish that you have a real relationship.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

They can really only track when you enter, not when you leave. It seems like they do scan your passport when you cross... or something like it. After I got my passport and used it a couple times it seemed like they stopped asking me so many questions. Maybe that's because they can see that i've crossed a million times problem free, or maybe its just due to the fact I now have a better form of ID. But how do they know when you leave the country? I don't see anyway they could know. I seriously doubt American and Canadian border crossing share that much information. If you stayed 200+ days I'm not so sure they could find out... But who knows right? Its always best to be honest and all that good stuff

[trailmix 77]

They can really only track when you enter, not when you leave. It seems like they do scan your passport when you cross... or something like it. After I got my passport and used it a couple times it seemed like they stopped asking me so many questions. Maybe that's because they can see that i've crossed a million times problem free, or maybe its just due to the fact I now have a better form of ID. But how do they know when you leave the country? I don't see anyway they could know. I seriously doubt American and Canadian border crossing share that much information. If you stayed 200+ days I'm not so sure they could find out... But who knows right? Its always best to be honest and all that good stuff

I agree - and that is what they are counting on - that the majority of Canadians crossing the U.S. border are nice law abiding citizens - and that's probably a good bet. (Same for Americans crossing the border in to Canada).

While occasionally someone will complain about our 'non-preferential' treatment by U.S. immigration - because we are Canadian - in fact I think that with this practically 'open border' the U.S. and Canada share, it's nice that on both sides we are really working on the honesty system.

[Reba 2]

If they scan your passport they keep the record of your entries for up to 75 years (will find recent news article to back this up). They however don't know when you exited, becase as of yet, Canadian Immigration and US immigration computers are not linked to share this info. They will be able to guestimate however if/when you left just by looking at all your entry records.

If you drive across and they don't scan your passport, they have no record of your entry AFAIK. They will probably have a security photo/video of your car and license plate when you cross, but other than that, no.

You're allowed 6 months per calendar year, if you're backing and forthing on a regular basis, OR 6 months per visit, if you decide to spend the winter down south. So if your boyfriend was visiting regularly last year and his first visit was in June, the slate was wiped clean on Jan 1 basically, and a new 6 month allowance starts. If however he arrived in June and stayed, he should have left in November.

[JennaLyn 0]

You're allowed 6 months per calendar year, if you're backing and forthing on a regular basis, OR 6 months per visit, if you decide to spend the winter down south. So if your boyfriend was visiting regularly last year and his first visit was in June, the slate was wiped clean on Jan 1 basically, and a new 6 month allowance starts. If however he arrived in June and stayed, he should have left in November.

I did NOT know that!! I was under the impression(from answers I received when I first joined VJ) that his year starts from the date of his first visit) he wasn't here last year for no more then 3 months)

So the slate is now clean...and he hasn't been here even a month in 2009. Wow, why is this so confusing? Or am I just confused?

He doesn't drive...he takes a bus here, so the license plate thing wouldn't apply to him. Either way I know we keep track..but now if its per calender year..then we begin again...

Thanks for all the replies..

and the north pole reply is hilarious!! Them poor elves though...they sure are kept quite busy : )

[Reba 2]

It would only be from the first day he entered if he was planning to stay 6 straight months. If he's going back and forth, it is 6 months per calendar year, and it starts over on Jan 1.

...still trying to locate that article...it's starting to bug me

[JennaLyn 0]

I get it now..sorry been a LOOOOOOONG weekend!!!

After I read it again...I finally got it.

sorry!!