Wasn't honest about how we met :(

[Bryan and Isabel 29]

Hello VJers,

I am a Canadian citizen, and I met my partner online. When I crossed the border to visit him, I said I was visiting a friend and was asked about how I met him, and I said at school back home. I had panicked and felt like saying that meeting him online would not have been a good idea, but I know by not that it was a GRAVE MISTAKE to not be truthful about this. I am absolutely terrified of the potential consequences of this. It was only my second time crossing the border, and I was really naive and didn't think it would matter. But now I am so worried about how this could affect our K1 visa application, and well... my life (if I would be banned from entering, charged with anything)...

I wish so much that I could have just said the truth, that there is some way I can undo this, to make amends for what I have done. My partner thinks I don't need to worry about it, but I am worried. Is there anything I can do? If I am asked again at the border about how I met my partner, I am in big trouble, because I will say that we met online, and it won't be consistent with my previous claim (but I also just said I was meeting a friend -- I have a few friends in the area).

Am I being overly apprehensive? I wish. But I am really concerned about how this could affect our relationship, as well as my future. Am I pretty much doomed with this?

All help is appreciated. I feel so awful about this.

I thought the same thing, but after finding visa journey I saw taht the majority of people here met online. hahaha

[dwheels76 5,486]

Thanks for your reply, revtech!

I do think it was recorded, but I hope and pray that it won't be an issue in the future!

Okay it may be the hidden lawyer in my soul but who says the "friend" you were meeting is your "friend" now. And well you didn't commit any Visa or Immigration fraud. You visited you left what is done its done. But now you see why momma always said tell the truth. See scared you to death didn't it. You will be fine. Now breathe. woooo------saaaaaaaa

[Lorenzoid 12]

On my then-girlfriend's arrival in the us on her second trip to visit me, the CBP agent asked her what she was here for, and when she replied she was visiting her boyfriend, the agent said something like "That's so nice--maybe next time I'll see you here with a K1 visa!" On her arrival in the US on her fourth or fifth trip, the CBP agent was not so nice and for some inexplicable reason apparently became concerned that she was not going to return home, so he gave her a mere 2 weeks on her I94 and told her that she had been spending too much time in the US. At that point, I asked her to marry me. She went home, and we applied for a K1. But the CBP agent did not make any notation of her saying she was here to visit her boyfriend or anything else--I know that for a fact.

[Rob & Monika 87]

If/when you start the K1 process, if they look up border crossings, and IF they wrote down everything, they still don't really know where you went.

The first time I crossed, I got inspected, they wanted to know her name, exactly what address, phone number, what I did for a living, my work address, etc, etc. They were very thorough. This was the Canadian side though. We had met online, and given it was my first visit, they probably wanted to be on the safe side with all the wackos out there.

It will take some time to get used to crossing the border, I was always nervous the first few times. Now it's not a big deal. Don't do anything that might make it look like you aren't returning home, like loading up the car with tons of luggage. You should also know where he works, what he does for a living, etc, sometimes they ask questions like that, and can give you a hard time if you are nervous and can't remember. Typically weekend visits are less hassle, but weekday ones often get scrutinized more, they will want to know why you aren't at work, or when you will be back to work, etc.

[Darren And Crissy 11]

Did you provide the name and address of your friend?

If you didn't then how would they know that this is the same friend that you were visiting on that occasion? You are allowed more than one

[dukeandduchess 141]

You're probably over-thinking it. That said, don't lie again. Tell the truth and bring proof of ties to Canada (lease, employment, bank statement, school schedule) next time. Don't be embarrassed about meeting your boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance(e) online - it's really common.

[Ken&Ruzana 4]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Carol Ann!

I just get really worried because I said we met at school, when we actually met online. And since the officer seemed to record that, I think it might pose a problem in the future for me/us, and I am only going to state the truth from now on. I wish I had known it was okay to just say we met online! Being naive about this has been punishment enough!

Did they ask you his name? How do they know you werent visiting another friend in the USA

[yakasushii 0]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, everyone!

No, I wasn't asked for a name or address or anything like that (fortunately!!).

But I feel like it might be considered suspicious as I'll be going to the city every time, and I'm sure it was recorded last time where I said I was going. It is true that I could have a few friends in that particular city, and I do know a few people there, but I haven't gone to school with any of them. They probably wouldn't ask if my boyfriend is the same person I went to school with, or anything like that. So, yes, I probably really am just over-thinking it!

And I will definitely bring evidence of ties to Canada, and I will definitely tell nothing but the truth!

Edited July 26, 2012 by yakasushii

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, everyone!

No, I wasn't asked for a name or address or anything like that (fortunately!!).

But I feel like it might be considered suspicious as I'll be going to the city every time, and I'm sure it was recorded last time where I said I was going. It is true that I could have a few friends in that particular city, and I do know a few people there, but I haven't gone to school with any of them. They probably wouldn't ask if my boyfriend is the same person I went to school with, or anything like that. So, yes, I probably really am just over-thinking it!

And I will definitely bring evidence of ties to Canada, and I will definitely tell nothing but the truth!

The border guards ask a lot of questions to see what your intent is, when visiting the country and to see if anything sounds suspicious. Sometimes they'll ask a ton of questions (where do you work, what's your occupation, what hotel are you staying at...etc etc) and sometimes they'll just ask you the purpose, who are you meeting and for how long. Never give more information than they ask for and always be honest in your responses. Since you didn't give a name as to who you were meeting, you are absolutely fine. They may or may not ask you next time, for a name. There is nothing wrong with saying that you met online, this is quite common these days! You're not doing anything wrong, so there is nothing to be worried about.

When I go across the border though, I admit I'm always worried they won't let me across for whatever reason! It's like talking to a police officer, for some reason you feel guilty even though you haven't done anything wrong!

[yakasushii 0]

Thanks for your reply, Jen!

Yes, I'll be prepared next time if they DO ask for a name or address or something. I'll also bring evidence of ties, and hope I can leave this behind me!!

[yakasushii 0]

Hi everyone,

I needed to bring this thread back to life. So on my second border crossing last yera, I panicked when the CBO asked me how I met the person I was visiting (I said a friend when I was visiting my then boyfriend). I said through school, but we actually met online. I regret not being truthful, but the way she asked me made it seem like it was really strange I was meeting someone there.

We're going through the K1 process. There are forms that ask if you've ever misrepresented a fact to gain admissibility. I feel like I misrepresented, since I didn't state the truth. I was only intending to visit, so the way we met doesn't affect that. But still, I didn't tell the truth. I will be honest at future crossings, but I am concerned and feel like I should rightly check off that I did misrepresent a fact because of what I did that time. Or can I just accept the fact that I didn't tell the truth, but that what I wasn't truthful about wouldn't have affected the process anyway?

All thoughts are welcome. This has stressed me so much!

[yakasushii 0]

*bump* Does anyone have any thoughts/insights to share on the misrepresentation part on forms?

[clairegie 265]

Hi everyone,

I needed to bring this thread back to life. So on my second border crossing last yera, I panicked when the CBO asked me how I met the person I was visiting (I said a friend when I was visiting my then boyfriend). I said through school, but we actually met online. I regret not being truthful, but the way she asked me made it seem like it was really strange I was meeting someone there.

We're going through the K1 process. There are forms that ask if you've ever misrepresented a fact to gain admissibility. I feel like I misrepresented, since I didn't state the truth. I was only intending to visit, so the way we met doesn't affect that. But still, I didn't tell the truth. I will be honest at future crossings, but I am concerned and feel like I should rightly check off that I did misrepresent a fact because of what I did that time. Or can I just accept the fact that I didn't tell the truth, but that what I wasn't truthful about wouldn't have affected the process anyway?

All thoughts are welcome. This has stressed me so much!

You didn't lie about why you were crossing the border, you just lied about your actual status with the person you're visiting.

maybe this will clarify it more for you:

http://www.heartlandimmigration.com/Immigration-Blog/2011/August/What-Is-the-Inadmissibility-for-Fraud-or-Misrepr.aspx

basically, it says it's misrepresentation if you crossed the border saying you will visit somebody but you're actually planning on doing something else, like maybe, getting a green card (cant think of a better example). you visited just like you said, and you went home, just like you said (you didn't overstay.. Right!!? :S ). You're fine sweetie. Relax!!

Edited September 19, 2013 by iammrsregi