Tips and advice on visiting America from Canada for 4 months?

[Tia_24 1]

I'm just wondering if I can get any tips of advice on going on a visit from Canada to America to see my SO for 4 months. I know Canadians are legally allowed 6 months out of a year to go visit. I have come to find out that I may run into issues or a denial of entry because some officers may request proof that I plan on returning home, and may find it fishy that I plan on going on a trip this long, and may think I have plans to stay. I'm getting increasingly frustrated and have been putting off ordering my ticket due to these reasons. I have zero plans to stay. You know how it is in a long distance relationship. You don't get to have every day life contact with them like you would if you weren't long distance. So given the opportunity to of course I'd like to have a long visit while my life permits. I heard I need to show strong ties back to my country. Here's where I'm running into a problem. I don't have a job here in Canda. I'm on disability assistance. I don't own a home or rent one with a long term lease. I rent a place that's by the month. I will be leaving my home behind, filled with all my belongings, my cat who is my absolute best friend, and my family and friends. There's no way I could just stay in America, and I'm frustrated that I some how have to prove that. I was thinking I could get a letter from my landlord with his contact info and him stating that he knows I'm going on a trip from so and so dates, and that I will be back, and will continue to be paying rent while I'm away. I was also thinking of getting my mom to write a letter that she will be caring for my cat, and stating that I will be back on so and so dates. I also will be getting a return ticket when I order my ticket, so I'll also have that. I was thinking of paying 2 months rent in advance even before I leave, but that worried me that it would make my bank account look low and they'd question how I plan on supporting myself there, or think I'm going there to work. Literally the only expenses during my visit are going to be food. My so is happy to feed me. My so and I both follow the same diets, very cheap rice and bean diets, lol.

My only other trip has been once, 3 weeks ago I went to visit for 16 days. Also, we haven't yet filed for any visa's or anything at all. 

If anyone has any tips/advice/information that would be wonderful. Thank you so much

[shayden10 78]

I don't know how much luck you will have with planning on going for 4 months.

 

In July of 2016 (on my birthday) my fiance's grandfather suffered a massive stroke in the US and was hospitalized, it didn't look good. My fiance was visiting me in Canada for the weekend, so when we found out I immediately packed a bag with enough clothes for 2 weeks and a good selection of shoes in case we had a family stuff/funeral to attend. When we got to the border the first officer asked how long my trip was for, I said probably 2-4 weeks, that I was going down to help take care of his Nana because she has a lot of health issues and no one would be around if they were running between their jobs and the hospital. The officer heard "2-4 months" and I got turned around, I never mentioned that the man with me was my fiance, so our status had nothing to do with it. Three weeks later he passed away, I wasn't there to support my fiance or my family through losing him, I never got to say goodbye. I was able to pack my bags and take evidence to support me returning and proof that he passed away, I visited for 4 days to help plan and attend the funeral. 

 

I had two jobs and a date to return to work for both (I called my managers the moment I decided to leave the country, they gave me 1 month off), and they sent me emails with a letter and my schedule. I had bills and a car in Canada. I had my cat and my family and friends. It wasn't enough. When you have a significant other in the USA, travelling for a long period of time when you don't have significant ties to your home country.

 

When travelling under those circumstances, the best thing to do is have a return plane ticket booked. They want to see things like you own a house/have a long term lease, recent pay stubs/schedule/letter from employer, letters showing you attend school, utility bills (phone, electric, water, etc). Some people DO get lucky and are able to pass over the border, but especially with the current situation with the government here in the USA it may be harder than normal. 

 

Getting denied was one of the best things to happen to us - we got our K1 visa moving so that I could move here, we could marry, and I could stay. While it was processing we visited 6 times (in four months). We both struggled through the distance. My fiance became depressed on multiple occasions, to the point where he nearly failed school and he lost a job. It is not easy. But discussing how/when we were going to close the distance and going through the process to be together forever made it easier. 

 

I wish you luck with your travel plans, hopefully it works out for you!

[Transborderwife 4,666]

I'm pretty sure that disability will not allow you to be gone for that long.

[ricnally 258]

In response to shayden10: on the other hand, before I started K1 or even knew it or this forum existed, I visited my USC boyfriend for 4 months. I had no job, no lease (no home!), no car payments, no ties to Canada and was not aware that any of those things might be problem. I told them at the border I was visiting my boyfriend for 4 months. They asked how I could stay so long. I said I didn't have a job. They asked if I was getting married on the trip. I said I wasn't. They waved me through, no problem. All you can do is try. Don't stress too much about it. Either they let you in or they don't. Fly from an airport where you go through customs in Canada before leaving. That way if you're denied, you don't have to fly all the way back.

[shayden10 78]

33 minutes ago, ricnally said:

In response to shayden10: on the other hand, before I started K1 or even knew it or this forum existed, I visited my USC boyfriend for 4 months. I had no job, no lease (no home!), no car payments, no ties to Canada and was not aware that any of those things might be problem. I told them at the border I was visiting my boyfriend for 4 months. They asked how I could stay so long. I said I didn't have a job. They asked if I was getting married on the trip. I said I wasn't. They waved me through, no problem. All you can do is try. Don't stress too much about it. Either they let you in or they don't. Fly from an airport where you go through customs in Canada before leaving. That way if you're denied, you don't have to fly all the way back.

I agree with going through customs in Canada, and like I said some people DO get lucky. But she needs to consider how it may affect her disability income, the current US government, and that it may be an issue. I am not saying she shouldn't try. I got denied and showed up at the border three weeks later with a K1 processing and a previous denial on my record and had no issues. It depends on the circumstances of travel and the officer processing, unfortunately I got the wrong officer who was having a bad day. Hopefully, if she does attempt this, she gets the right officer who is having a good day. 

[skaratso 84]

It may be best if you plan on the visit being under 90 days. I've heard sometimes there can be an issue with staying longer without applying for a tourist visa.

 

My fiancee visited me from Canada from the middle of October 2016 until the second week of January 2017. Her trip was 89 days. Up until then we were boyfriend and girlfriend (I hadn't proposed to her yet). She was not working (she'd quit her job a couple months earlier), but she was going to school, had a letter stating she was a student in good standing, printouts of bank account balances (sometimes they want to know that you have the money to support yourself while you stay), proof of travel insurance, and of course, her return ticket. I drove up and picked her up at a Canadian airport and we crossed back to the US in my car. The border agent requested to look through all her documentation. He asked her if she owned or rented her home. She said she rents, which is true (she did not say that she lives with her mother and pays her rent, because she wasn't asked that). The agent said, "Okay. Next time you might want to have a copy of your receipt for the rent that you pay." and "Okay, have a good day. Don't overstay." And that was it. 

 

We had talked seriously about getting married for a good 6 or 8 months before the visit. I deliberately didn't propose until we'd had an extended stay so we could be certain we wouldn't get sick of each other, plus I'm certain that if we'd been engaged the officer would have turned her away.

 

I proposed to her a few weeks before she went back home. When I took her back to Canada to fly home, we declared her engagement ring, but the Canadian border agent didn't charge her any import duty because "she's just going to be bringing it in temporarily because she'll be moving to the US when she gets the visa." We figured he didn't want to fill out the paperwork.

 

The next time she crosses back into the US will be when she gets her visa.