First experience with secondary at border (long)

[VeeNDee 44]

Today I was heading down to the USA to visit my fiance for a week. We alternate weekends but since I'm a teacher and it's summer I go down a bit longer now. He is going to be coming up August 1 so I definitely was not going to stay past that. So far I have not had any trouble crossing the border. I've crossed multiple times, regularly, for weekends, a day, and even two weeks last time. I had been worried about crossing ever since he was originally my boyfriend but had never had a problem and figured by now I'd passed all the tests and didn't have to worry about it anymore. Oops - never assume that!

The plan was to drive down and have lunch with my mom across the border and go shopping with her and she would go back up while I continued down further to meet my fiance. She was in the car behind me in the lineup.

The day didn't get off to a great start when the online border lineup site said the wait was 40 minutes. By the time we got there it was up to 50 minutes and it ended up taking us 80 minutes in the lineup to actually get to the booths.

I was relieved when I got there and recognized the border guy. It was the guy I'd talked to the last time I'd crossed and he'd had no problems with me at all. It started off the same as usual. Where are you from? Where are you going? Why are you going to that place? How long will you be staying? When I said it was for a week he immediately asked me for my car keys. Of course I turned off my car and handed them over. He starts circling my car then opens the back (it's a hatchback) and I can hear him unscrewing the spare tire case and looking under it. He then opens the back seat doors and shakes out my car blanket, then returns to the front and demands: "Where's your luggage?" I point to the seat beside me and say "It's there, my backpack and a bag" - and he replies "You're there for that long and that's all you took???" He then goes back into the booth, whips out a pad and starts writing something on it, then phones someone. I hear Secondary and groan inwardly. He hands me the paper back and says, "How many clothes do you have down there anyway?" and I said haltingly, "Uh, I have some jeans..." Anyway he told me to go to secondary and do what they said.

Meanwhile my mom is behind me in the lineup watching all of this happen of course. Apparently she had no problems saying she was shopping with me for the afternoon and was free to go but she said something to the effect of "but my daughter is over there" and pointed to secondary and he got upset and told her she had to go the other way. She ended up waiting for me at a gas station up the road where we had planned to meet and buy gas originally.

By the way you can't use a cell phone in Secondary - a lady in front of me got a call and started talking and an officer right away got up and told her to put it away immediately. So I had no way to tell my mom what was going on.

Anyway I had pulled towards Secondary and another officer told me where to park and to leave the keys in the car. I asked if I could take my paperwork with me (I carry a copy of the i-129f application with me whenever I cross just in case) and he was fine with that (he was actually really nice in general). I told him my car sometimes auto-locks. (I was worried about that since I had to leave the keys in the car with the door closed, but I left a window open.)

When in Secondary I had to wait a long time to actually see someone. The first person who saw me started asking me questions and I gave him the i-129f and explained the process and it seemed to be not a big deal to him but the officer beside him said something to the effect of "we don't have time for that right now" and he sent me back to the front of the line again. Next officer to see me about 5-10 minutes later said he wasn't experienced enough to talk about the K-1 visa process and I was back in line again. Third officer was the charm... asked me a bunch of questions (the usual ones, about how we met, how long we'd known each other, how often we see each other, my job, etc), and then said "Don't worry I'll get you out of here." How did he know I was worrying

Anyway approximately 45 minutes from start to finish (plus the 80 minutes in the Primary lineup of course) and I was out of there. The last guard said I wouldn't necessarily have to come back to Secondary next time if I showed them my i-129f and NOA1 in primary.

So lesson learned???

A) Don't pack TOO light (contrary to some recommendations packing too light is apparently a flag for living illegaly in the USA). It's annoying because it's not like they don't have a record that I always come back when I say I will and am still living and working in Canada. Grrrr. I figure it wouldn't hurt to leave an extra pair of jeans down there with some socks etc. Just less to drag back and forth constantly. I still take clothes back and forth but was trying to pack light. Now I don't know if I dare leave ANYthing behind for the next visit. :-/

B) If they try to send you to Secondary, try to show the guy in Primary your i-129f package and NOA1. I had three separate guards in Secondary ask me, "Didn't you show this package in Primary?" and my response was "No because he didn't ask for it." I have also been advised not to interrupt a border officer or volunteer more information than they ask for but in this situation apparently you are supposed to.

I hope this information helps some of you.

P.S. Ironically, the first time this happened to me also happened to be my birthday... blah!

[configuration 2]

Interesting, thanks for the detailed story.

I often go down to visit my wife (we have a CR-1 application in process). Never been a problem so far, thanks in large part to Nexus. But good to know about what can set off flags.

[Rob & Monika 87]

Is there that long of a wait normally on a Monday? It sounds like they were giving everyone a thorough check if it was backed up that much. It's usually only like that around holidays.

[JnJ13 13]

Thanks for the information...I am heading down for a visit in a few weeks!

Edited July 24, 2012 by Jenna13

[VeeNDee 44]

Is there that long of a wait normally on a Monday? It sounds like they were giving everyone a thorough check if it was backed up that much. It's usually only like that around holidays.

I don't normally travel on Monday mornings but apparently it is normally about half an hour or so. Not sure why it was so backed up and perhaps it was like you said and they were giving everyone a thorough check. The border crossings around here are always super busy though - unless you cross at 8am or earlier, or return after 11 (and even then it can still be half an hour) you are bound to wait a fair bit. 80 minutes is abnormal though. Holiday weekends are terrible and I avoid them at all costs - it's not uncommon that a holiday weekend wait can be two to three hours. Ugh. Normally I cross earlier in the day and it's about 20-30 minutes.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I'm glad they let you pass! It shows what being prepared can do. At least you have an idea of where to go when you cross on your visa now.

[Krikit 1,163]

Which border crossing was this?

[VeeNDee 44]

Which border crossing was this?

It was Pacific/ Truck (Blaine) Crossing in south western BC (near Surrey).

[frostiana 12]

Today I was heading down to the USA to visit my fiance for a week. We alternate weekends but since I'm a teacher and it's summer I go down a bit longer now. He is going to be coming up August 1 so I definitely was not going to stay past that. So far I have not had any trouble crossing the border. I've crossed multiple times, regularly, for weekends, a day, and even two weeks last time. I had been worried about crossing ever since he was originally my boyfriend but had never had a problem and figured by now I'd passed all the tests and didn't have to worry about it anymore. Oops - never assume that!

The plan was to drive down and have lunch with my mom across the border and go shopping with her and she would go back up while I continued down further to meet my fiance. She was in the car behind me in the lineup.

The day didn't get off to a great start when the online border lineup site said the wait was 40 minutes. By the time we got there it was up to 50 minutes and it ended up taking us 80 minutes in the lineup to actually get to the booths.

I was relieved when I got there and recognized the border guy. It was the guy I'd talked to the last time I'd crossed and he'd had no problems with me at all. It started off the same as usual. Where are you from? Where are you going? Why are you going to that place? How long will you be staying? When I said it was for a week he immediately asked me for my car keys. Of course I turned off my car and handed them over. He starts circling my car then opens the back (it's a hatchback) and I can hear him unscrewing the spare tire case and looking under it. He then opens the back seat doors and shakes out my car blanket, then returns to the front and demands: "Where's your luggage?" I point to the seat beside me and say "It's there, my backpack and a bag" - and he replies "You're there for that long and that's all you took???" He then goes back into the booth, whips out a pad and starts writing something on it, then phones someone. I hear Secondary and groan inwardly. He hands me the paper back and says, "How many clothes do you have down there anyway?" and I said haltingly, "Uh, I have some jeans..." Anyway he told me to go to secondary and do what they said.

Meanwhile my mom is behind me in the lineup watching all of this happen of course. Apparently she had no problems saying she was shopping with me for the afternoon and was free to go but she said something to the effect of "but my daughter is over there" and pointed to secondary and he got upset and told her she had to go the other way. She ended up waiting for me at a gas station up the road where we had planned to meet and buy gas originally.

By the way you can't use a cell phone in Secondary - a lady in front of me got a call and started talking and an officer right away got up and told her to put it away immediately. So I had no way to tell my mom what was going on.

Anyway I had pulled towards Secondary and another officer told me where to park and to leave the keys in the car. I asked if I could take my paperwork with me (I carry a copy of the i-129f application with me whenever I cross just in case) and he was fine with that (he was actually really nice in general). I told him my car sometimes auto-locks. (I was worried about that since I had to leave the keys in the car with the door closed, but I left a window open.)

When in Secondary I had to wait a long time to actually see someone. The first person who saw me started asking me questions and I gave him the i-129f and explained the process and it seemed to be not a big deal to him but the officer beside him said something to the effect of "we don't have time for that right now" and he sent me back to the front of the line again. Next officer to see me about 5-10 minutes later said he wasn't experienced enough to talk about the K-1 visa process and I was back in line again. Third officer was the charm... asked me a bunch of questions (the usual ones, about how we met, how long we'd known each other, how often we see each other, my job, etc), and then said "Don't worry I'll get you out of here." How did he know I was worrying

Anyway approximately 45 minutes from start to finish (plus the 80 minutes in the Primary lineup of course) and I was out of there. The last guard said I wouldn't necessarily have to come back to Secondary next time if I showed them my i-129f and NOA1 in primary.

So lesson learned???

A) Don't pack TOO light (contrary to some recommendations packing too light is apparently a flag for living illegaly in the USA). It's annoying because it's not like they don't have a record that I always come back when I say I will and am still living and working in Canada. Grrrr. I figure it wouldn't hurt to leave an extra pair of jeans down there with some socks etc. Just less to drag back and forth constantly. I still take clothes back and forth but was trying to pack light. Now I don't know if I dare leave ANYthing behind for the next visit. :-/

B) If they try to send you to Secondary, try to show the guy in Primary your i-129f package and NOA1. I had three separate guards in Secondary ask me, "Didn't you show this package in Primary?" and my response was "No because he didn't ask for it." I have also been advised not to interrupt a border officer or volunteer more information than they ask for but in this situation apparently you are supposed to.

I hope this information helps some of you.

P.S. Ironically, the first time this happened to me also happened to be my birthday... blah!

I Feel your Pain!! Got pulled over the first time i went to visit my (then) boyfriend in my own car. I had a bag of clothes to donate to Salvation Army in the trunk... just old things that would never have fit me... and so they pulled me over cause I had TOO MUCH clothes!! and I didn't even realize the bag was in the trunk, and so I didn't know why on earth they thought I had too much clothes.. a duffle bag, etc., in the back seat. !!! But that was way before our engagement, application etc.

After that I always carried a binder containing all my personal bills all neat with dividers. Anything Canadian, to prove my ties. And then when we got the K1 process going, I made a big thick copy of it always had it right on the seat, when he was driving, right on my lap, so they could see the government stationary readily. I didn't have to 'shove it in their face' or interrupt... they always saw it and asked what I had there, and then after that the crossings were always easier. Just keep that packet right there beside you in full view to the border person. Good luck, you should be just fine since you've got all the proper paperwork in the works.

[Kimbear 53]

OH wow..poor you. I know exactly how you feel. They seem to like doing this on your birthday , they did it to me on mine as well. However my "interogation" ( i call it that cuz thats what it was with pics and fingerprints taken and no explanation) lasted like 3 hours. i think> i lost track of time, i was too busy worrying about my dogs in the car and if i was being arrested!.

[VeeNDee 44]

I Feel your Pain!! Got pulled over the first time i went to visit my (then) boyfriend in my own car. I had a bag of clothes to donate to Salvation Army in the trunk... just old things that would never have fit me... and so they pulled me over cause I had TOO MUCH clothes!! and I didn't even realize the bag was in the trunk, and so I didn't know why on earth they thought I had too much clothes.. a duffle bag, etc., in the back seat. !!! But that was way before our engagement, application etc.

After that I always carried a binder containing all my personal bills all neat with dividers. Anything Canadian, to prove my ties. And then when we got the K1 process going, I made a big thick copy of it always had it right on the seat, when he was driving, right on my lap, so they could see the government stationary readily. I didn't have to 'shove it in their face' or interrupt... they always saw it and asked what I had there, and then after that the crossings were always easier. Just keep that packet right there beside you in full view to the border person. Good luck, you should be just fine since you've got all the proper paperwork in the works.

Good idea. I always have it on the seat beside me, but maybe I should write K-1 Visa on the front of the envelope in thick black ink so they know what it is. That way it won't have to be too in their face but they will see it without me having to point it out. One would hope anyway!

Also Kimbear, I am soooo glad my experience in secondary only lasted 45 minutes instead of 3 hours!! UGH! Isn't it great when they do that on your birthday of all days?!