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Posted

So I've been reading through the POE stuff/reviews for Sarnia/Port Huron, and some mention paperwork fees (or something like that) but some don't, so I figured I'd just ask anyways, just to play it safe. We're driving a not very full at all Uhaul, so no car paperwork. (if they do search the truck, they might laugh at the lack of things in the back - a few pieces of furniture and a couple boxes. Too much for a car/trailer, yet definitely not enough for a 10" truck.. sigh.)

Anything else I should know/do/etc? :D

- Tiffanney & Matthew -

K1 VISA: 09/11/09 - 08/10/10

MARRIED: 10/10/10
AOS/EAD/AP: 02/22/11 - 05/04/11

ROC
04/04/13: Mailed off!

04/09/13: NOA1

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

No fees on your personal belongings. Have a list ready in case they ask what's in the boxes (sounds like it's very little and would be quick to put together).

Maybe someone else knows about these mystery fees?

Wiz(USC) and Udella(Cdn & USC!)

Naturalization

02/22/11 - Filed

02/28/11 - NOA

03/28/11 - FP

06/17/11 - status change - scheduled for interview

06/20?/11 - received physical interview letter

07/13/11 - Interview in Fairfax,VA - easiest 10 minutes of my life

07/19/11 - Oath ceremony in Fairfax, VA

******************

Removal of Conditions

12/1/09 - received at VSC

12/2/09 - NOA's for self and daughter

01/12/10 - Biometrics completed

03/15/10 - 10 Green Card Received - self and daughter

******************

Posted

Bring $6 (US) for your I-94. Other than that, relax, it's not really that hard. Just be patient and kind with the Officers.

12/31/2009 - Marriage

07/21/2010 - AOS approved

08/04/2010 - Green Card received (and it's actually green!)

05/30/2012 - Sent ROC packet to VSC

06/08/2012 - Received NOA1 for ROC (Dated 06/04/2012)

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

I had an itemized list of stuff in my boxes and then each box was labeled "1 of ___, 2 of ____" and the border agent said that was really helpful (they even searched one of my boxes). I jsut say make the POE as easy on the agent as possible.

Good luck, congrats on the POE

USCIS
August 12, 2008 - petition sent
August 16, 2008 - NOA-1
February 10, 2009 - NOA-2
178 DAYS FROM NOA-1


NVC
February 13, 2009 - NVC case number assigned
March 12, 2009 - Case Complete
25 DAY TRIP THROUGH NVC


Medical
May 4, 2009


Interview
May, 26, 2009


POE - June 20, 2009 Toronto - Atlanta, GA

Removal of Conditions
Filed - April 14, 2011
Biometrics - June 2, 2011 (early)
Approval - November 9, 2011
209 DAY TRIP TO REMOVE CONDITIONS

Citizenship

April 29, 2013 - NOA1 for petition received

September 10, 2013 Interview - decision could not be made.

April 15, 2014 APPROVED. Wait for oath ceremony

Waited...

September 29, 2015 - sent letter to senator.

October 16, 2015 - US Citizen

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

I had a list of my stuff, nothing fancy. POE dude barely looked at, never did look in my U-haul truck!

Ensure you look over ur U-haul truck. Check fluids and over all condition of the truck before accepting it.

Canadians Visiting the USA while undergoing the visa process, my free advice:

1) Always tell the TRUTH. never lie to the POE officer

2) Be confident in ur replies

3) keep ur response short and to the point, don't tell ur life story!!

4) look the POE officer in the eye when speaking to them. They are looking for people lieing and have been trained to find them!

5) Pack light! No job resumes with you

6) Bring ties to Canada (letter from employer when ur expected back at work, lease, etc etc)

7) Always be polite, being rude isn't going to get ya anywhere, and could make things worse!!

8) Have a plan in case u do get denied (be polite) It wont harm ur visa application if ur denied,that is if ur polite and didn't lie! Refer to #1

Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted (edited)

Bring $6 (US) for your I-94. Other than that, relax, it's not really that hard. Just be patient and kind with the Officers.

My husband (then fiance') came through Port Huron on June 30 and he didn't pay the $6 for his I-94, but I would make sure you have $6 (US) just in case. He had an itemized list of the stuff in his car, but the border guard never touched the things in the car. Since my husband imported his car, the only thing the border guard did was check the VIN number (and since it started with a number 5 and is part of some "free trade agreement" my husband didn't pay any duty fees on the car either). There is a lot of road construction on the Sarnia side so plan on a couple hours just to get to the toll booths in Sarnia, then across the bridge into Port Huron. Do you have Nexus cards for both of you? You can use the NEXUS lane and just tell them you are activating your K-1 and need to go to secondary. My fiance' had called before his POE and was told he could use the NEXUS lane and he choose to do that (which saved time!).

Plan on spending at least an hour in secondary.

Edited by lilacvioletiris
Posted

Thanks for all the advice. :) I'm pretty calm about the whole thing. Not sure if I'll make any lists because it will be pretty clear what we have packed -- LITERALLY. We're using clear plastic tubs for just about everything and there's only going to be like 4 tubs, what little furniture he's bringing and our computers, and that's about it, lol. :D

- Tiffanney & Matthew -

K1 VISA: 09/11/09 - 08/10/10

MARRIED: 10/10/10
AOS/EAD/AP: 02/22/11 - 05/04/11

ROC
04/04/13: Mailed off!

04/09/13: NOA1

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

Make lists of what you have packed. You may not be present if they decide to search and being able to present them with a hard copy list of what is available may mean that they don't search. If you are not bringing much that will make it easier - but it is better to have a list and not need it than to need a list and not have it.

That being said, I entered at Port Huron as well and they never looked at my list which included phytosanitary certificates for the houseplants I was bringing and vet records for the cats. If I hadn't had them, though, I'll bet I would have needed them.

Good luck at the POE.

“...Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we knew all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?”

. Lucy Maude Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

5892822976_477b1a77f7_z.jpg

Another Member of the VJ Fluffy Kitty Posse!

Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

Just wanted to say that I was never charged that $6 fee that I had heard about either. Odd how it appears to be a random thing.

K-1 Journey

04/30/2009 - I-129F sent to VSC

03/30/2010 - Interview @ MTL APPROVED!

04/13/2010 - POE @ Pearson International

05/23/2010 - WEDDING

AOS Journey

07/20/2010 - AOS/AP/EAD Sent

07/21/2010 - package received at Chicago

07/28/2010 - check cashed

07/30/2010 - received NOA1 in mail

08/01/2010 - received biometrics letter

08/20/2010 - walk in biometrics completed

08/23/2010 - finally entered into USCIS online -AP's touched on Aug11 and EAD and AOS touched on Aug20 08/30/2010 - AOS/EAD touched

09/09/2010 - AP approved (email notice)

09/13/2010 - Received email that EAD was approved on Sept 10

10/04/2010 - Received interview letter in Mail

11/09/2010 - Interview-APPROVED! 112 days

11/09/2010 - Card Production 11/22/2010 - Green Card received

ROC Journey

08/11/2012 - Eligible to file for ROC10/11/2012 - sent in I-751 (late)10/16/2012 - received NOA 11/20/2012 - biometrics

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

just wanted to pipe in and say good luck. We crossed over the Ambassador bridge and if it weren't a Saturday (as the border patrol had stated) we would probably have only been an hour. I had lists of everything and the border patrol did not look at any of it. I am thinking because we had everything so organized and ready for them. I did pay the $6.00 although the border patrol almost forgot to ask for it).

be patient and enjoy the experience.

Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

just wanted to pipe in and say good luck. We crossed over the Ambassador bridge and if it weren't a Saturday (as the border patrol had stated) we would probably have only been an hour. I had lists of everything and the border patrol did not look at any of it. I am thinking because we had everything so organized and ready for them. I did pay the $6.00 although the border patrol almost forgot to ask for it).

be patient and enjoy the experience.

I am POE'ing on Saturday at Calis ME, so excite. My fiance is flying in tonight and we are driving the U-haul down 10 hour drive how fun!!! can't wait so excited of the fact that i can pick him up tonight and know i don't have to take him back.

Aug 23 2010 - mailed via USPS overnight courier to USCIS

Aug 24 2010 - received a USCIS at 11.40am signed for by Chyba

Sept 1 2010 - received email and text confirmation for AOS,EAD,AP

Sept 7 2010 - received hard copy of NOA1 for AOS,EAD,AP

Sept 10 2010 - received biometrics apt letter for Oct 1, attempting walkin Sept 17

Sept 17 2010 - successful walk-in biometrics apt

Sept 20 - EAD and AOS touched

Sept 27 - received email and text at 7:30pm that my AOS was transfered to CSC (yeah no interview)

Sept 29 - case touched, arrived at CSC received email and text from USCIS

Oct 4 - AOS touched

Oct 6 - AOS touched

Oct 7 - AOS touched again!!!!

Oct 14 - AOS touched again!!!

Oct 15 - AOS touched again

Oct 19 - AP approved (no email or text notification of approval)

Oct 21 - EAD approved received text and email of card production ordered.

Oct 25 - Received Hardcopy of AP in the mail

Oct 29 - Received another text that EAD card was mailed (post decision activity)

Nov 1 - Received EAD card in the mail

Nov 9 - RFE for vaccination record transcribed over to I693 form

Nov 13 - Found Dr. who would complete just the vaccination part of the form yeaaaah!!!

Nov 17 - USCIS received my RFE response papers in California

Dec 3 - Received email and text confirmation that my case was updated from RFE to RFE review response

Dec 9 - Green Card approved, never received any email or text and my USCIS case still shows in RFE Response review

Dec 14 - Received my approval notice and welcome to America letter advising it was approved Dec 9th

Dec 17 - Green card received, finally done with USCIS for 2 years

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

I am POE'ing on Saturday at Calis ME, so excite. My fiance is flying in tonight and we are driving the U-haul down 10 hour drive how fun!!! can't wait so excited of the fact that i can pick him up tonight and know i don't have to take him back.

I think that was my my POE too, back in Dec 17 2004,lol. I crossed around 1900ish, wasnt busy at all. I was the only person besides staff in the building. Mind you it was storming outside!! Very painless, and they didnt even look in my u-haul. Customs guys barely looked at my inventory list, was much more interested in his solitaire computer card game!!

Canadians Visiting the USA while undergoing the visa process, my free advice:

1) Always tell the TRUTH. never lie to the POE officer

2) Be confident in ur replies

3) keep ur response short and to the point, don't tell ur life story!!

4) look the POE officer in the eye when speaking to them. They are looking for people lieing and have been trained to find them!

5) Pack light! No job resumes with you

6) Bring ties to Canada (letter from employer when ur expected back at work, lease, etc etc)

7) Always be polite, being rude isn't going to get ya anywhere, and could make things worse!!

8) Have a plan in case u do get denied (be polite) It wont harm ur visa application if ur denied,that is if ur polite and didn't lie! Refer to #1

Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

I think that was my my POE too, back in Dec 17 2004,lol. I crossed around 1900ish, wasnt busy at all. I was the only person besides staff in the building. Mind you it was storming outside!! Very painless, and they didnt even look in my u-haul. Customs guys barely looked at my inventory list, was much more interested in his solitaire computer card game!!

Thats funny!!! i heard it was easy someone i know crossed there a few weeks ago and activated their K1

Aug 23 2010 - mailed via USPS overnight courier to USCIS

Aug 24 2010 - received a USCIS at 11.40am signed for by Chyba

Sept 1 2010 - received email and text confirmation for AOS,EAD,AP

Sept 7 2010 - received hard copy of NOA1 for AOS,EAD,AP

Sept 10 2010 - received biometrics apt letter for Oct 1, attempting walkin Sept 17

Sept 17 2010 - successful walk-in biometrics apt

Sept 20 - EAD and AOS touched

Sept 27 - received email and text at 7:30pm that my AOS was transfered to CSC (yeah no interview)

Sept 29 - case touched, arrived at CSC received email and text from USCIS

Oct 4 - AOS touched

Oct 6 - AOS touched

Oct 7 - AOS touched again!!!!

Oct 14 - AOS touched again!!!

Oct 15 - AOS touched again

Oct 19 - AP approved (no email or text notification of approval)

Oct 21 - EAD approved received text and email of card production ordered.

Oct 25 - Received Hardcopy of AP in the mail

Oct 29 - Received another text that EAD card was mailed (post decision activity)

Nov 1 - Received EAD card in the mail

Nov 9 - RFE for vaccination record transcribed over to I693 form

Nov 13 - Found Dr. who would complete just the vaccination part of the form yeaaaah!!!

Nov 17 - USCIS received my RFE response papers in California

Dec 3 - Received email and text confirmation that my case was updated from RFE to RFE review response

Dec 9 - Green Card approved, never received any email or text and my USCIS case still shows in RFE Response review

Dec 14 - Received my approval notice and welcome to America letter advising it was approved Dec 9th

Dec 17 - Green card received, finally done with USCIS for 2 years

Posted

I hope someone sees this because I have another question:

When I got here in April, I found the flavor of tea that I like to drink down in the States (it can be bought down there, too, obviously -- it's from Starbucks) so I bought a whole bunch of it, thinking I'd be done with it by now. Well, I'm not, lol. I've checked the BP website, and I don't see anything about not being able to bring tea across the border, just stuff like meat, dairy, etc. It's all sealed tea (teabags are in sealed packages, I mean), so there'd be no way for them to think that it's something else... I'd just hate to have to get rid of it, because I can't find that specific flavor down there... if that makes sense... LOL.

- Tiffanney & Matthew -

K1 VISA: 09/11/09 - 08/10/10

MARRIED: 10/10/10
AOS/EAD/AP: 02/22/11 - 05/04/11

ROC
04/04/13: Mailed off!

04/09/13: NOA1

 
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