quick question regarding crossing the border

[Patricksgirls 0]

Ok as some may know we have decided to get married and then immigrate me and the kids to Canada and apply for the Cr1 from there. Last time I crossed the Emerson border I got hassled majorly and ended up with a stamp and letter attached to my passport.

Now I would like to cross for the holidays with my children and stay for the six months I am allowed while we apply for the PR in Canada outland. I understand I would have to take further measures to stay past the six months but it would be six months together as a family.

What can I do to make sure that I am less hassled next time and to ask for a six month entry if my only means of support is my fiance?

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Are you planniong on Visitign the US or Canada - it's not clear from your statement:

"while we apply for the PR in Canada outland"

[Patricksgirls 0]

Are you planniong on Visitign the US or Canada - it's not clear from your statement:

"while we apply for the PR in Canada outland"

Sorry we are planning on visiting the fiance who is in Canada.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Ahhh - so like a lot of us who visited the US during the process - you need to provide evidence of sufficient ties to the US while you're visiting Canada. Do you own a home or rental with a long term agreement. Anything that proves you plan to return and have obligations. A note from your job to say they know when you're returning? I'm guessing if you're leaving for 6 months - you may or may not be able to provide that one. The children are young enough that they aren;t in school full time?

You could bring along a copy of your CR1 pkg to prove that you're eventual plan is to all move to the US - the Cdn border guards may not know a lot but at leastyou can provide info to that end.

[neiks 19]

Ok as some may know we have decided to get married and then immigrate me and the kids to Canada and apply for the Cr1 from there. Last time I crossed the Emerson border I got hassled majorly and ended up with a stamp and letter attached to my passport.

I'm not clear on this. From this statement it sounds like your intent is to live in Canada. Are you wanting to immigrate to Canada and get your legal Canadian PR status or you just wanting to hang out there until your spouse's CR1 is complete in the US?

If your just wanting to stay in Canada ("Visit") while your spouses application to the US is pending then you are probably only going to be allowed a 6 month visit max and there probably will be no extention. Extensions past the 6 month period are generally issued for persons that are in the process of applying for Canadian PR status. So long story short be prepared for the "hassel" everytime you cross.

[Patricksgirls 0]

I'm not clear on this. From this statement it sounds like your intent is to live in Canada. Are you wanting to immigrate to Canada and get your legal Canadian PR status or you just wanting to hang out there until your spouse's CR1 is complete in the US?

If your just wanting to stay in Canada ("Visit") while your spouses application to the US is pending then you are probably only going to be allowed a 6 month visit max and there probably will be no extention. Extensions past the 6 month period are generally issued for persons that are in the process of applying for Canadian PR status. So long story short be prepared for the "hassel" everytime you cross.

Oh I am planning on applying for the PR in Canada and then applying for the CR1 later for the husband. It will take less than 10 months to get the PR and I am seeing alot of people that applied getting it on less than 5 months so we just decided to get me and the kids there instead and try as a family together for the US later on. Looking at the timeline for the CR1 was just too much time away for my kids and husband. So I know I could get an extension but worried that they will not even let me cross now that I got the visitor record. We decided to apply for the PR and then I would cross with a copy of that application to show that I would like to wait it out with husband.

[neiks 19]

So I know I could get an extension but worried that they will not even let me cross now that I got the visitor record.

I'm assuming the visitor record was issued for 6 months. As long as in that 6 month period you get married and start the Canadian applicaiton process - including getting it filed and in the FOSS system, you should be fine. You will have to file for an extention on the visitor record thru the Vegreville processing centre. As long as you keep up with completing the necessary steps in the PR processing you probably won't have any issue with getting your visitor record extended and as long as you are crossing the border with a valid visitor record you should have less problems.

Queries on your immigration status isn't something that can be delt with at the booth at the POE - so you may still be sent for additional questioning into the immigration office to check the status of your application.