Re-entering US by land from Canada on a tourist visa

[EternalForeigner 58]

Hello,

 

There are some specific circumstances at play here but I wanted some insight if anyone had any. 
 

Family is coming to visit. Both parents have green cards and sister has a tourist visa (she’s an adult but disabled and dependent o  parents). 
 

We’d like to road trip and part of the road trip would be in Canada but would be short maybe 3 days max then back to US. Assuming sister is given a 6 months stay after arriving into the U.S., would that make her re-entry into the US from Canada by land easier or more difficult? I know that those with tourist visas and go to Canada or Mexico for less than a month and then come back to the U.S. wouldn’t be given a new 6-months entry and it wouldn’t count as a new entry to the U.S., which isn’t something that we’re seeking (not trying to do a visa run or anything that would be a stupid thing to attempt). But I’m asking if she already has a 6-month stamp and we go into Canada for a couple of days and corn back, does her having that stamp make her entry possibly scrutinized or more or less by officers at the border? Sourly nowadays with things being super strict at borders especially on land. 

 

looking forward to your insights 

[Boiler 46,919]

Parents are not visiting they live here

 

How long is sister visiting

Edited May 7 by Boiler

[Lil bear 4,438]

47 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Parents are not visiting they live here

 

How long is sister visiting

As i read the OP post .. It leaves me wondering how long the parents have been overseas.. and if they are at risk of being questioned  about if they really are living in the US.. having a dependent traveling with them who only has a visitor visa for her stay in the US may trigger more complex questions than the OP is concerned about 

[EternalForeigner 58]

7 hours ago, Lil bear said:

As i read the OP post .. It leaves me wondering how long the parents have been overseas.. and if they are at risk of being questioned  about if they really are living in the US.. having a dependent traveling with them who only has a visitor visa for her stay in the US may trigger more complex questions than the OP is concerned about 

 

I’ve wanted to expand more on it but was already a pretty long post as it is. After coming back to the U.S. the parents will have been away for less than 6 months. And I know our specific circumstances draw more scrutiny and there was scrutiny the last time they entered because of the different statuses. During that entry parents were entering on their IR-5 visas for the first time which added to the scrutiny. But now they have green cards and they plan on applying for re-entry permits.
 

But assuming they enter the U.S. via airport and sister is given a 6 months stay, and if we elect to drive into Canada for a couple of days and then re-enter as part of our road trip, does the fact that she already has a 6-month stay add to the scrutiny during re-entry or lessen it? If she already has a 6-months stay they won’t give her a new admission in a case like this and we’d have paperwork showing she’d be leaving. Parents are also planning to apply to re-entry permits. 
 

It’s not likely that we’d be entering Canada during a road trip given the risks but I wanted to ask about whether the 6-month stamp would give less (or more) scrutiny during re-entry. Like if it’s clear to an officer that this is just a road trip where part of it is just going into Canada for a couple of days and coming back and counting to comply with the 6-month stay, would that be less scrutinizing or more scrutinizing? And I know one’s mileage may vary with the officers and circumstances. 

Edited May 7 by EternalForeigner

[Boiler 46,919]

How long is she looking to visit

[EternalForeigner 58]

13 minutes ago, Boiler said:

How long is she looking to visit

I’ve mentioned before it’ll be six months. She’ll have a bunch of medical appointments and we have a few hotel reservations spread out for trips throughout the span of six months including a road trip.

Edited May 7 by EternalForeigner

[Dashinka 25,467]

A quick side trip to Canada for your sister with the B2 visa within the authorized period of the B2 visa is possible.  Yes, it does not or should not (discretion of US CBP) reset the authorized stay clock of the B2.  She will need a proper visa to enter Canada as a U.S. B2 visa does not grant her access to Canada.

 

Honestly, I would probably refrain from a trip like that to avoid scrutiny of either her or your LPR parents, but it is possible.

 

Good Luck!

[EternalForeigner 58]

8 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

A quick side trip to Canada for your sister with the B2 visa within the authorized period of the B2 visa is possible.  Yes, it does not or should not (discretion of US CBP) reset the authorized stay clock of the B2.  She will need a proper visa to enter Canada as a U.S. B2 visa does not grant her access to Canada.

 

Honestly, I would probably refrain from a trip like that to avoid scrutiny of either her or your LPR parents, but it is possible.

 

Good Luck!

 

She does have a visa to Canada and we already went there in summer 2024. The story where we were scrutinized happened at US pre-clearance at the airport in Toronto. This time though they're flying into the US directly and doing US immigration there (I won't be with them though). Like I said, we're not entertaining going into Canada as part of the road trip because of how scary the situation is right now. But I thought to ask for insight given that if we elect to do that she would already have a six-month stamp for the US. So I know it's possible to do that and that officers have all kinds of discretion, but wondered if things would be mitigated at least a little given the six-month stamp she'd have. I know they might ask again for proof she'd be leaving the US later or how her situation will be with my parents being green card holders and such.

 

At the airport in Canada when parents got admitted through their IR-5 status, the officer was only assuaged when I told him they're planning to apply for a re-entry permit. He said to make sure my sister leaves before the six months are up and that if she tries to come in again in like 2-3 months she'd get her visa canceled. We were already aware of all that even before he said that and we never planned on flouting any rules.

 

But it sucks that there's so much scrutiny to where these little trips into Canda are even cause for concern.

[Boiler 46,919]

A 6 month visit certainly could be an issue.

[Ontarkie 14,861]

Since she is already flagged I would not risk it, she's in the system.

[Dashinka 25,467]

1 hour ago, EternalForeigner said:

 

She does have a visa to Canada and we already went there in summer 2024. The story where we were scrutinized happened at US pre-clearance at the airport in Toronto. This time though they're flying into the US directly and doing US immigration there (I won't be with them though). Like I said, we're not entertaining going into Canada as part of the road trip because of how scary the situation is right now. But I thought to ask for insight given that if we elect to do that she would already have a six-month stamp for the US. So I know it's possible to do that and that officers have all kinds of discretion, but wondered if things would be mitigated at least a little given the six-month stamp she'd have. I know they might ask again for proof she'd be leaving the US later or how her situation will be with my parents being green card holders and such.

 

At the airport in Canada when parents got admitted through their IR-5 status, the officer was only assuaged when I told him they're planning to apply for a re-entry permit. He said to make sure my sister leaves before the six months are up and that if she tries to come in again in like 2-3 months she'd get her visa canceled. We were already aware of all that even before he said that and we never planned on flouting any rules.

 

But it sucks that there's so much scrutiny to where these little trips into Canda are even cause for concern.

Pre-clearance airports seem to have a tougher reputation.

[EternalForeigner 58]

40 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

Since she is already flagged I would not risk it, she's in the system.

 

How do you know she's flagged? The stuff the officer said is generic it wasn't particular to her specific case and he didn't write any notes.

2 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

Pre-clearance airports seem to have a tougher reputation.

 

That's what I've gathered too even from my own experiences even as a US citizen with NEXUS/Global Entry.

Edited May 7 by EternalForeigner

[Cathi 5,828]

38 minutes ago, EternalForeigner said:

 

How do you know she's flagged? The stuff the officer said is generic it wasn't particular to her specific case and he didn't write any notes.

Because everything is noted in the system, whether or not you think it was generic. 

[Ontarkie 14,861]

Because of your comment here. It seems he already has his doubts or he wouldn't have gave that warning. 

 

Quote

At the airport in Canada when parents got admitted through their IR-5 status, the officer was only assuaged when I told him they're planning to apply for a re-entry permit. He said to make sure my sister leaves before the six months are up and that if she tries to come in again in like 2-3 months she'd get her visa canceled. We were already aware of all that even before he said that and we never planned on flouting any rules.

 

Edited May 7 by Ontarkie
edited because google keeps changing my words

[Lil bear 4,438]

4 hours ago, EternalForeigner said:

 

She does have a visa to Canada and we already went there in summer 2024. The story where we were scrutinized happened at US pre-clearance at the airport in Toronto. This time though they're flying into the US directly and doing US immigration there (I won't be with them though). Like I said, we're not entertaining going into Canada as part of the road trip because of how scary the situation is right now. But I thought to ask for insight given that if we elect to do that she would already have a six-month stamp for the US. So I know it's possible to do that and that officers have all kinds of discretion, but wondered if things would be mitigated at least a little given the six-month stamp she'd have. I know they might ask again for proof she'd be leaving the US later or how her situation will be with my parents being green card holders and such.

 

At the airport in Canada when parents got admitted through their IR-5 status, the officer was only assuaged when I told him they're planning to apply for a re-entry permit. He said to make sure my sister leaves before the six months are up and that if she tries to come in again in like 2-3 months she'd get her visa canceled. We were already aware of all that even before he said that and we never planned on flouting any rules.

 

But it sucks that there's so much scrutiny to where these little trips into Canda are even cause for concern.

So, they told the officer on first entry that they were going to  apply for a reentry  permit.  But it seems that they left the US without doing so and are now going to possibly have to say the same thing again. Not a good look 

The dependent daughter may be refused entry or granted entry for a much shorter period of time .. may be..!

If  everyone is allowed to enter, the parents should apply for the reentry permit urgently and stay in the US until biometrics are either reused or completed. I wouldn’t go anywhere that might remotely take you out of the US. Think about what happens at the entry if the daughter is denied entry. Who will go where ?