Finally POE'd today

[jazzly 3]

So the day came finally when I POE'd from Sarnia/Port Huron.

Left Toronto on Friday evening at 6PM, got stuck in traffic on first snow day of GTA. Reached London Ontario three and a half hour later.

Had dinner there and were so tired that we decided to stay in Sarnia and POE in the morning. Drove an hour from London to Sarnia that seemed like forever.

Got hotel room by lake front in Sarnia around 1:30AM.

Got up at 6:30AM and couldn't sleep again. Family woke up around 10, we had breakfast and got to the bridge around 11:30AM. The bridge was half way full. Even three Nexus lanes were full. All booths were open but there was way too many cars to process. 40 min later we were at booth and I told him that I am activating my IR-1. Were sent straight to the secondary inspection. Were told by officers to leave cell phones all electronics and bleongings except for money/wallet.

Got into the office, were asked basic questions. Took about 80 minutes (as there were too many papers in my package due to AP/domicile issue). The officer was very nice and friendly, told us that he is doing this after 6 months. Asked for help from a senior officer twice. Took fingerprints and signature. Stamped the Passport. Asked me about the car (as I had EPA doc) I told him not now but later if I couldn't sell it in Canada. He said you can and will be coming back and forth many time on this stamp as it might take up to 1 year for Green Card. Told me 4 times that I should contact USCIS if I didn't get it before the year is over. They had no idea of automatic SSN and told me to better to goto SSA office. He came out all the way to car to see us off and shook my hand and congratulated us. Very pleasent experience after a brutal winter drive. Were home at 3:30PM. Some 21 hours later.

[hikergirl 277]

Congratulations on a successful POE!

I hope you thoroughly enjoy your new home

[Flames9_RN 358]

Congrats!!! if NO SSN after 10-14 BUSINESS days--then be prepared--download/fill out a new form from http://ssa.gov/ssnumber/-------along with ur passport/birth cert for ID purposes and head to the local office and inquire--and if they say you need to fil out a new application--WHAMMO you provide them with the already filled out form. Congrats

[jazzly 3]

I wanted to thanks everyone who helped me at this site. VJ is the best source for Immigration help.

[Darnell 8,478]

whammo !

[Sunnyland 639]

Congratz!!!

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Congrats!

[KTandTommy 30]

Congrats! That is a crazy amount of traffic! Glad you got there safe and sound

[The Mean Lady 604]

Grats, definitely gotta cross that border as early as possible on Saturdays.

I've actually found Thursdays are the best days for crossing.

And, completely unrelated, also the best day to go to walmart.

We too will be crossing at Sarnia.

Do you get an I-94 pass in your passport when you cross?

And if you do, do they make you pay for it?

They've made my husband pay for all but (1) of his past I-94s.

[bsd058 296]

So the day came finally when I POE'd from Sarnia/Port Huron.

Left Toronto on Friday evening at 6PM, got stuck in traffic on first snow day of GTA. Reached London Ontario three and a half hour later.

Had dinner there and were so tired that we decided to stay in Sarnia and POE in the morning. Drove an hour from London to Sarnia that seemed like forever.

Got hotel room by lake front in Sarnia around 1:30AM.

Got up at 6:30AM and couldn't sleep again. Family woke up around 10, we had breakfast and got to the bridge around 11:30AM. The bridge was half way full. Even three Nexus lanes were full. All booths were open but there was way too many cars to process. 40 min later we were at booth and I told him that I am activating my IR-1. Were sent straight to the secondary inspection. Were told by officers to leave cell phones all electronics and bleongings except for money/wallet.

Got into the office, were asked basic questions. Took about 80 minutes (as there were too many papers in my package due to AP/domicile issue). The officer was very nice and friendly, told us that he is doing this after 6 months. Asked for help from a senior officer twice. Took fingerprints and signature. Stamped the Passport. Asked me about the car (as I had EPA doc) I told him not now but later if I couldn't sell it in Canada. He said you can and will be coming back and forth many time on this stamp as it might take up to 1 year for Green Card. Told me 4 times that I should contact USCIS if I didn't get it before the year is over. They had no idea of automatic SSN and told me to better to goto SSA office. He came out all the way to car to see us off and shook my hand and congratulated us. Very pleasent experience after a brutal winter drive. Were home at 3:30PM. Some 21 hours later.

Congrats! The big line-up is probably Christmas holiday shoppers going over to Birchwood Mall. It was awesome whenever my family used to go there. Afterwards we would hit up a buffet somewhere. Saturdays are busy busy.

I miss Sarnia. I hear Celebration of Lights is on right now at Centennial. That was one of my favorite things when Christmas would come around.

Edited December 3, 2012 by bsd058

[jazzly 3]

Tried to open a bank account with PNC and was denied due to lack of SSN. The manager tried her best but her inquiries to head office were not successful. Its their policy to have either SSN or ITEN. Had my paystubs, TD bank account summary etc.

Will try CHASE tomorrow.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Grats, definitely gotta cross that border as early as possible on Saturdays.

I've actually found Thursdays are the best days for crossing.

And, completely unrelated, also the best day to go to walmart.

We too will be crossing at Sarnia.

Do you get an I-94 pass in your passport when you cross?

And if you do, do they make you pay for it?

They've made my husband pay for all but (1) of his past I-94s.

cr-1/ir-1 do not get an I-94.

[The Mean Lady 604]

cr-1/ir-1 do not get an I-94.

What is the stamp they put in the passport then?

The same stamp as with an I-94 just with a different classification than B2?

[Flames9_RN 358]

What is the stamp they put in the passport then?

The same stamp as with an I-94 just with a different classification than B2?

The i-94 is a form (google it) The I-551 is the big stamp that includes your picture and all the info that they stick(glue) into ones Cdn passport. When ur at the POE--they stamp the page--just a plain old boring ink stamp that states the day and where ya crossed. With that stamp, that acts as ur greencard for up to a year. But the actual greencard will (should) arrive much quicker than that.

[The Mean Lady 604]

The i-94 is a form (google it) The I-551 is the big stamp that includes your picture and all the info that they stick(glue) into ones Cdn passport. When ur at the POE--they stamp the page--just a plain old boring ink stamp that states the day and where ya crossed. With that stamp, that acts as ur greencard for up to a year. But the actual greencard will (should) arrive much quicker than that.

Not a I-551.

My husband has had (5) I-94s.

It's on the bottom of the overall form.

They are little pieces of paper stapled into his passport that he has to turn back in when he crosses back into canada.

It also has the date that he must leave on it.

So the stamp they put in your passport at the POE is probably the same stamp they used with his I-94 but they classify that as a B2. I was just curious as to what they write on that line in this case. CR1/IR1?