Brought my cat with me

[Confused785 3]

I came to the US on a tourist visa.. B2.

I brought my cat with me , My stay was to be 1 month long. I had gotten my cat her checkups and everything before i came. And also had a return flight for the two of us.

When I came through customs the customs agent asked why i was bringing my cat with me. I had explained that it was because my visit was a month long, which is longer than my previous visit and where i was living there was 3 cats altogether. They fight all the time... its a mess. The customs officer was an older man... very straight face.. he was really kind of scary.

I do have proof of the return ticket for me and my cat. As ive said in another post. I got married after a 5 1/2 month overstay. And currently still working on sending the paperwork for AOS. I entered January of 2011. Married dec 2011 and its now sept 2012.

The customs officer asked me questions on who i was staying with. How much money i have for my stay etc. I answered them all honestly. I was staying with my bf at the time. I had I think like 200 cash on my and money in the bank.

Does anyone have any similar stories?

Ive read that when processing the AOS ofc they scan ur passport and itll come up with any information that the customs would have put into the computer at the time of entry. Which I assume my cat will be on there maybe.

This makes me a bit nervous because I did not have the intention on staying and im worried that having my cat with me, itll look as if I did have the intention to immigrate.

Any advise?

[JohnR! 5,495]

Your cat will be registered in the customs form you filled out upon entry into the US. Whether it will have any affect on the adjudication of your case, you will only know after the fact.

[Teddy B 17,251]

I came to the US on a tourist visa.. B2.

I brought my cat with me , My stay was to be 1 month long. I had gotten my cat her checkups and everything before i came. And also had a return flight for the two of us.

When I came through customs the customs agent asked why i was bringing my cat with me. I had explained that it was because my visit was a month long, which is longer than my previous visit and where i was living there was 3 cats altogether. They fight all the time... its a mess. The customs officer was an older man... very straight face.. he was really kind of scary.

I do have proof of the return ticket for me and my cat. As ive said in another post. I got married after a 5 1/2 month overstay. And currently still working on sending the paperwork for AOS. I entered January of 2011. Married dec 2011 and its now sept 2012.

The customs officer asked me questions on who i was staying with. How much money i have for my stay etc. I answered them all honestly. I was staying with my bf at the time. I had I think like 200 cash on my and money in the bank.

Does anyone have any similar stories?

Ive read that when processing the AOS ofc they scan ur passport and itll come up with any information that the customs would have put into the computer at the time of entry. Which I assume my cat will be on there maybe.

This makes me a bit nervous because I did not have the intention on staying and im worried that having my cat with me, itll look as if I did have the intention to immigrate.

Any advise?

You should only be worried if your cat can talk.

Bringing your cat with you doesn't show intent, if it did the CBP officer would have denied you entry. No worries, you'll be fine.

[Confused785 3]

Ok thank you for your responses.

I worry so much about the process even though i have yet to send off the paperwork. But im trying to cover all ends. Of course I am working on setting up another meeting with my lawyer in the next 2 weeks. Once we have the other half of the retainer money . All my question I will ask him as well. But its really nice getting the input of people who have gone the the immigration process.

My cat is like my child to me... When I visited the US for 2 weeks my first time.. I left her with my family in Canada. They said she sat at the door for the entire 2 weeks. Having 2 other cats in the house.. My cat , her name is Cuba lol... I would have to put a secret bowl of food for her somewhere in the house that the other cats wouldnt find. Or else she just wouldnt eat. The other two would get along great where as one was a kitten when introduced to the other one. But Cuba was not living there for the first 2 years of her life so bringing her into that picture after she'd already grown up. Most of the time she would have to be locked in my room when i was in there or It would be constant cat fights to be broken up lol. Not to mention again the fact that she'd never get near the main cat food dish without one of the other cats stalking her and then preventing her from reaching it lol.

It was just alot easier to bring her with me even for just 1 month.

So I really just don't want USCIS to think I intended to stay when I really didnt. I have a super guilty conscience. Ive never committed any crimes or done anything to hurt anyone. I only just got a passport to be allowed to travel to the US to see my BF. Once we got married the passport was still barely 2 months old.

I love my husband so much, and the thought of being away from him kills me to even think about.

Sorry for rambling, Im just a nervous person lol

[Teddy B 17,251]

Ok thank you for your responses.

I worry so much about the process even though i have yet to send off the paperwork. But im trying to cover all ends. Of course I am working on setting up another meeting with my lawyer in the next 2 weeks. Once we have the other half of the retainer money . All my question I will ask him as well. But its really nice getting the input of people who have gone the the immigration process.

My cat is like my child to me... When I visited the US for 2 weeks my first time.. I left her with my family in Canada. They said she sat at the door for the entire 2 weeks. Having 2 other cats in the house.. My cat , her name is Cuba lol... I would have to put a secret bowl of food for her somewhere in the house that the other cats wouldnt find. Or else she just wouldnt eat. The other two would get along great where as one was a kitten when introduced to the other one. But Cuba was not living there for the first 2 years of her life so bringing her into that picture after she'd already grown up. Most of the time she would have to be locked in my room when i was in there or It would be constant cat fights to be broken up lol. Not to mention again the fact that she'd never get near the main cat food dish without one of the other cats stalking her and then preventing her from reaching it lol.

It was just alot easier to bring her with me even for just 1 month.

So I really just don't want USCIS to think I intended to stay when I really didnt. I have a super guilty conscience. Ive never committed any crimes or done anything to hurt anyone. I only just got a passport to be allowed to travel to the US to see my BF. Once we got married the passport was still barely 2 months old.

I love my husband so much, and the thought of being away from him kills me to even think about.

Sorry for rambling, Im just a nervous person lol

This is a nerve racking process, try not to let it get to you. From what I've read of your posts on this board your only real concern might be financially, which is easily overcome with a sponsor. Just do what your attorney tells you and you should be fine. We are all here if you have any other questions. Relax, and good luck!

[Confused785 3]

Thanks so much Teddy. You're replies make me feel a bit more at ease.

I know that there's always the chance of denial. And i really think ill be more scared once the application is sent off then I am now.

I told my husband that I would like to have the co sponsor just to be on the safe side.. His mother said she would gladly be my co sponsor for our application. That makes me really happy.

We are going to try and have a yard sale sometime preferably this weekend or something to raise money to be able to send off my application lol. The moment we have all the money together.. We will be making that appointement with the lawyer and sending off the paperwork officially. Unfortuantely thats the soonest we can get it mailed off.

[Teddy B 17,251]

Thanks so much Teddy. You're replies make me feel a bit more at ease.

I know that there's always the chance of denial. And i really think ill be more scared once the application is sent off then I am now.

I told my husband that I would like to have the co sponsor just to be on the safe side.. His mother said she would gladly be my co sponsor for our application. That makes me really happy.

We are going to try and have a yard sale sometime preferably this weekend or something to raise money to be able to send off my application lol. The moment we have all the money together.. We will be making that appointement with the lawyer and sending off the paperwork officially. Unfortuantely thats the soonest we can get it mailed off.

You're welcome!

[GandK 168]

Not to scare you but I watched this video a while ago.

This woman was denied entry, it was clear that she had intent to stay. If you were let in, then at least it means that the CBP believed that you had on intent to stay.

[jaycali 415]

I agree. The cat wonʻt be an issue. While bringing a cat on a tourist visa can definitely be seen as immigrant intent, they didnʻt believe that you intended to stay - In fact, the CBP wouldnʻt have let you in at all if they believed you intended to stay.

Edited September 25, 2012 by jaejayC

[Confused785 3]

Well that video is kinda scary to watch. I can understand why they denied her entry though. When I came over i had 2 suitcases. I dont even think they had enough clothes in them to last the entire month. But I guess thats what washers are for lol

I also brought my xbox with me. I never used it but my husband(bf at the time) said his son likes to play ps3 and would be interested in me bringing my xbox lol

Other than that..just my cat lol

They went through all my stuff ofc at the airport. The customs officer didnt even want to see the paper i brought with me from the vet to show that my cat was clean and had all her required checkups for flying.

I think the reason Im most nervous is because the customs officer was scary lol I felt as if i was talking to someone who might have used to be a drill sergeant of tsometime or some form of military sergeant.

I didnt have alot of cash on me at the time. He explained how basically I dont want it to be where canada is more of a flagpole for me as in spending more time in the US then in canada. And then he kept saying the burden is on you. But he then stamped my passport and signed B-2 on it. I already get very anxious when getting ready to board a plane. Kind of nervous when it comes to flying so being scared of the customs officer and already having anxiety.. I went and had 2 beers before i got on the plane in hopes for it to calm my nerves a bit lol.

It wasnt until shortly before the trip was planned that I even knew it was possible for me to bring my cat with me. Then the cat ticket to and from was 250 $ each way. But she got to sit on the plane with me Which was great.

Edited September 26, 2012 by Confused785

[Penguin_ie 5,984]

**** Moving from Tourist visa to AOS from Tourist visa ****

[ValerieA 350]

I brought my cat with me when I came to visit my husband, because I was hoping they would give me 6 months (officer in secondary gave me 3). Anyhoo, when I adjusted status, intent was never brought up (the cat wasn't brought up, either, which is a good thing because he went missing 2 months after I got here ).

[Confused785 3]

Well that definately helps to make me feel better. I suppose if the cbp officer was really suspicious of me, he would have taken me to a seperate room for further questioning. Did you return home at all before adjusting your status Valerie? Or did u just remain in the US while you process your application?

Also when you say officer in secondary? What is the secondary?

Edited September 26, 2012 by Confused785

[ValerieA 350]

I stayed in the US, once you file the application, you can't leave until you get your AP or your green card, or your process will be abandoned.

[Confused785 3]

When you go through CBP they ask you questions and is it the answers to your questions that they are typing into thier computer?

I don't remember all the questions they asked and for some they did I don't actually remember what my answers were. I remember him asking about my cat which I remember what my answer was. The purpose of my visit business or pleasure I said pleasure And im pretty sure I mentioned I was visiting my bf at the time because I remember saying how we met and it being brought up if he had ever been to canada to visit me. But I dont actually remember if it was the last cbp I had or the one before that when i came here for 2 weeks to visit.

All I have as ties to my home country is My name was on a house that we were currently renting with family which im not sure if its been updated so far. And then of course my entire family. Thats pretty much all.

Which I also told the CBP officer. He said that next time I should bring more information to show ties to my home country when going through customs because it can raise red flags. I said I understand.

Then he stamped my passport with the B2 and said enjoy your trip.

I guess given the small amount of information I do have to tie me to my home country that there was enough for them to suspect me of immigrating. My boyfriend paid for my ticket to and from the US. California is the only place I have travelled with my passport.