JennaLyn

my friend is going to Canada to visit her boyfriend in Toronto...does she have to show her ties to the United States? to show at the POE?

she does not work, and she's not in school...she's 19 and lives with her parents still...I'm not even sure she has a bank account.

What does she need to get into canada? She's only staying for 10 days...

thanks all for your help, I know this has been asked a trillion times...

I am laughing at all of these posts...and laughing at myself.

When my bf and I first got together, I kid you not, I asked him what Canadian "monies" are called...DOH!!! my first trip to Ottawa, I couldn't help but to refer to it as "fake" money...I was not used to it, so to me it was not real...I think that is why I spent more of it then I should have.

My mom and daughter have asked him about Thanksgiving up there..is it the same? Do you eat Turkey? I think its because you all celebrate it earlier then we do...

Tom(my Canadian fiance) loves to joke with people and tell them all about the "snow" ants you all have up there...and killer beavers and such!!

I really felt WICKED(cause I am from Boston and use that word more then I should) stupid!!

He said that a lot of Americans have no idea what goes on outside their border, and he is right!! I will admit I never paid much attention to anything going on in Canada...obviously cause I did NOT even know that your "monies"(he still gives me grief about that) is also called Dollar(man I feel dumb lol)

And he refers to a bathroom as a restroom...which I think is funny, and first time he asked me where he could buy a Toque..I had no freaking clue what the hell he was talking about...

I absolutely LOVED reading how everyone met!!

I met my NOW Fiance online....we met on an online forum for woman who are attracted to "nerds, dorks, geeks" he is a 3d environmental artist and makes the backgrounds/scenery in video games..(he's also a graphic artist/designer) so he's a total game geek!! He sent me a message one day(I still have it) and we've talked every single day since. It is going on a year now.

I've never even played WoW but I know a lot of people who met their bf/gf/spouses on that game..

I am also a shaver...I use this stuff called coochie cream..and it never leaves a rash, no irritation, no ingrown hair type things..I like it, its always smooth and does not bother me. I buy it at the local adult novelty shop, aka porn shop

I've never waxed..I am portuguese and Italian but I am the least hairiest woman I know..my sister has to wax everything..she has thick, black hairs grow in all over..but mine are baby fine and so light ya can barely see any. I guess I am lucky!!

I can't even imagine being waxed down there...I hate having my eyebrows waxed.

And I need to go get a tattoo removed as well..I am not looking forward to it at ALL!! It was easy getting it, but I also heard its worse to get it removed..eek!!

The only reason I ever watch Hockey is to see my cousin play...he was just recently traded back to the Canadians..he started with them and probably will end with them...and so he is also my favorite player...Matthieu Schneider. He's been in the olympics twice and I watched only his games then as well...

I am a die hard Boston Red Sox fan....being born and raised here, its in my blood. I can't help it. I don't even think I've ever watched a Bruins game except when Matt first started out and they were playing the Canadians or any of the other teams he's played for in between(which have been a few)

My only advice would be for him to make sure to research everything because those recruiters are paid to get people in and not necessarily to tell the truth completely.

There is some truth to that...probably more truth then not. My uncle was in the Marines for 20 yrs...he's since retired but said it was the most rewarding experience ever!! He was deployed to Iraq(1st Persian Gulf war) Your brother can serve his time and then go off to some Law Firm...he may find it much easier to get into a really good one, or even start his own with some Military experience behind him.

Either way, your brother is a hero in my books and I wish him all the best!!

that is wonderful news!! I am so glad that your day turned around for you!!

I just got back from the U.S for a weekend visit! The visit was productive as I found my dream wedding gown and accessories! Had to pay sales tax at the border but ah well!! Very bad day to be driving as it was blowing snow, swirling snow, visibility sucked, -25 windchill and all!! uggh! Of course couldn't use cruise control so my right foot is sore! Too bad I couldn't see my fiance when I went down as it would have been a 15 hour drive.. but I got to see some friends!

Yaaay for finding your dream wedding gown..but good lord, that weather is insane!! I'm glad you made it back ok..

how was the watchmen? I want to go see it, but my boyfriend suggested I read it first..

thank you all!! He said he doesn't believe they have scanned his passport each time he has re-entered Canada. But oh well...we'll just keep going the way we were...which either way(if we do it fiscal or calender year) he won't be over staying...

Have a great day to you all!!

and thank you again...

So the weather here this weekend was BEAUTIFUL!! just about 70 yesterday(20 celsius) and 65 today(about 15 I think in celsius, I'm still learning)

After such a horrid, snowy, very cabin fever filled winter...we had the BEST weekend so far!! We got out yesterday with the kids..( I have 3yo b/g twins, an 11 yo son and a 13yo son..I also have a 15yo daughter but she wasn't with us) we went to the zoo and saw a baby lion cub..it was so cute!! And today spent the day outside at the park with the kids...I swear I have a sunburn on my cheeks and nose.

It felt good to get out and enjoy the day with the extra sunlight! I wanted to do some much needed yard work but my yard is all muddy!!

I hope you all got out and enjoyed yourselves..(if the weather cooperated)

thank you trailmix...and everyone who replied. I am a bit more confused now then I was before...

If there is no set time limit a Canadian has to "wait" before they are allowed to reenter...then how will they know if they have overstayed or not? They can't?

Aaah well, I guess I won't worry about it. I know that he is spending more time in Canada then he is in the States...our visits will only be about a week every two months...

Thank you all again!!

I do have one other question...he was here in January and left Jan 22nd? It doesn't matter though right? Even though he was here in January, the time started over again while he was here? lol did you understand that?

It would mean he's spent 22 days thus far in the states this year?

And thank you for trying to find that article I am eager to read it!!

I get it now..sorry been a LOOOOOOONG weekend!!!

After I read it again...I finally got it.

sorry!!

You're allowed 6 months per calendar year, if you're backing and forthing on a regular basis, OR 6 months per visit, if you decide to spend the winter down south. So if your boyfriend was visiting regularly last year and his first visit was in June, the slate was wiped clean on Jan 1 basically, and a new 6 month allowance starts. If however he arrived in June and stayed, he should have left in November.

I did NOT know that!! I was under the impression(from answers I received when I first joined VJ) that his year starts from the date of his first visit) he wasn't here last year for no more then 3 months)

So the slate is now clean...and he hasn't been here even a month in 2009. Wow, why is this so confusing? Or am I just confused?

He doesn't drive...he takes a bus here, so the license plate thing wouldn't apply to him. Either way I know we keep track..but now if its per calender year..then we begin again...

Thanks for all the replies..

and the north pole reply is hilarious!! Them poor elves though...they sure are kept quite busy : )

HA!! It looks good....

Thank you!!

I do understand though..it would look suspicious, to me as well. The guard who let him through this time, also let him through the last time..he said, oh I remember you. Because he was trying to cross the border after being denied a few days prior due to not having proof of ties(we didn't know he needed them..this was before I joined this forum) so he remembered him and was really nice and didn't even ask him how long he was staying..he just said enjoy your visit. He did ask to see his ties to Canada...

But thank you so much for answering me!! I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

my boyfriend is a free lance graphic designer and gets paid pretty well per job..so when he has had down time, that's when he comes to visit.

I wish they made things easier to understand...I wonder if they keep it a secret just so some people can screw up and overstay?

Thank you again!!

Does anyone know how the States keeps track of the visits and length of visits one makes from Canada to the States?

My boyfriend and I both know how long he's been here(his visits started June 08) according to our records he has a little over 50 days left before his 180 days start all over again in June. (right? it goes 180 days from the start of the first visit? which for us was June?)

He thinks they scan his passport...we do NOT want to go over..not even a day. More then likely we'll go under.

I was just curious..I really appreciate any answers you may have.

Thanks so much and enjoy your weekend!! Its supposed to be a beautiful one here in Massachusetts : )

I am sorry for always asking questions..but I don't know anything and you all have been so amazingly helpful on this site and we've learned a lot just from this site alone!! So thank you all for being so helpful...we both greatly appreciate it..

congrats!!! What a beautiful place to be proposed to and to have a picture...I'm very happy for you both : )

that's what I figured...the first few times he came here he didn't need them...but he is going to bring them now just in case. We don't want to take any chances...

Thank you SO MUCH!!

even though we've gone through this a few times...I get really nervous each time.

My boyfriend is coming for a week..and will be leaving via bus on Monday night...does he need to show ties to Canada even though its for a week? He had to the last time because he was staying a lot longer...he's come before for a week and hasn't needed it...but I'm not sure if its different now. I guess I am just paranoid..I really hate this part of the trip. Especially since the last time he was denied entry(the first time) because he didn't have "ties" to Canada..he returned 2 days later with everything requested and was fine...

Thanks for the help..and sorry for my paranoia...we are NOT hiding anything. Nor will he be lying about his trip, but still...man, its stressful!!

Also, how do they keep track of how long he has stayed? We have counted every single day. And to our calculations he still has 60 days left til June(since someone said his time starts from the date of his first trip to the states..they started June 16th of last year) so according to our calculations he has 60 days left til then...

One more thing(sorry) when he came here the last time, his intent was to stay just a month..he told the border patrol officer he was only staying a month..that is because we weren't sure at the time how long he was allowed to stay(til I joined this forum and you awesome people helped us with that info) so he ended up staying Oct 14th-Jan22nd...but he told them he was returning to Canada mid to late November...will that matter? since he's still allowed 180 days?

Again sorry for all the questions...just still learning and NOT wanting to do anything to screw up our chances of getting a K1 visa in a few months when we apply for it.

Thank you all so much and I hope you are enjoying your weekend. We are due to get a couple of winter storms here in Massachusetts..BLAH so sick of winter already!!

ok I lied..it wasn't a quick question..but more like a few questions and a whole lot of rambling!! Sorry

we have two Tim Hortons here in the city I live in...and the first time I had gone to one was while I was visiting my BF in Ottawa. I went to the one here and NO it doesn't taste anything like what I had in Ottawa.

You all (in canada) have as many Tim Hortons as we have Dunkin Donuts, I saw a sign up there for DD but that was on my way from Montreal to Ottawa..

I love trail mix cookies..I've had em by pepperidge(sp) Farms...but I will go try one of those..

Ha!! you guys are great!! Thank you so much...

Well, you would think that I would be SUPER busy!! My youngest children are 3 yo twins..and my youngest twin has some developmental/behavioral delays(possibly autism) so he keeps me busy for sure!! But its during my "down" time..that I find myself lost, bored.. and missing him like crazy.

Luckily the weather has been nice the past 2 days and we've been out and about going to the park for a few hours.

We do consider ourselves to be extremely lucky..being able to see each other as often as we do. A very good friend of mine is from the States and his GF is from the Ukraine..I can't even imagine how difficult it is being so far apart..and I think of those of you who are not only dealing with borders, but military orders as well(deployment) you are all so strong!!

This man is worth every moment of waiting until we can be together!! And although there are times I doubt my strength, I do know that in the end all of this will seem like a blur.

I really do want to learn how to make quilts(god I feel old saying that) ha!!(no offense to those who do) So thank you all so much for your advice. I am going to make a "bucket" list of sorts and start doing a lot of things I have always wanted to do...but just put off for whatever reason!!

Thanks again!! : )

i have a cat..but thanks!!

We play scrabble online together..but still, the time seems to drag..

aaah well : ) such is life I suppose

Okay...so he's only been gone just about a month now but it feels like an eternity(not that I have to tell you all that) He was here for 3 months and won't be back until mid April.

What do you all do to prevent yourselves from going crazy? Due to some medical issues I am not working right now..so I am HOME going insane..the weather doesn't help. I live in the Southeastern part of Massachusetts(right on the RI border) so its been cold(with a few exceptions last week) so it seems all I do is sit and think..and its driving me crazy!! We have done everything by the book..and we are going to apply for a K1 visa..probably at the end of the year...but still, I come here and read..I am a bit shy and I know nothing about immigration/visa's or what a croa2 or whatever it is means( I don't mean to sound ignorant) I just really don't know..that's why I'm here so I can learn these things..

But while reading, I get nervous about him having to cross the border again. Since he was stopped and turned away the last time he came here..because we had no idea he needed to bring proof of his ties to Canada(we're so new at this stuff) but once he got all of that(2 days later) he was allowed entry no problem...but I still worry!! Does it ever end?

What do you all do to pass the time? I have children and they do keep me busy..but heck they miss him almost as much as I do. Especially my boys since their dad abandoned them.

I CANNOT wait for the warmer weather to arrive so we can all get out and go for walks, especially along the coast(beach) and head out to see some Red Sox games...but for now..UGHHHHH!!

anyway..that's my vent for the day( I should have posted this in the Vent section perhaps?) but I just wanted to know how you all handle(d) being apart.

Thanks so much and Happy Family Day or Presidents Day..wherever you are!

I live 25 minutes from TAPS headquarters...and their magazine is published here in the city I live in. I live 1/4 of a mile from the Lizzie Borden house..yanno where Lizzie Borden took an axe..gave her mother 40 whacks..where she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41!!!!

I have had 2 experiences both were in the same house..it was an old Victorian House in New Bedford Mass(where one of the best taps episode was done..at the Armory, where the sound man got knocked out by some entity)

Anywho...my first night there I kept hearing footsteps in the hallway and would check to make sure my kids weren't up and walking around(we were visiting with friends) I just kept hearing it..and kept checking but nothing. The next day I mentioned it to someone and they said the house was purchased for a wife of a Whaler(nb used to be a big whaling town, yanno like harpooning) his wife would pace the hall of the floor we were staying on..waiting for her husband to arrive back safely from sea...there is a look out tower on that 3rd floor where we were...It freaked me out because I KNOW there was someone there in that hallway.

A few days later I got really sick with the flu..I was in bed as much as I could..one night it was super hot, and I was running a fever. I was laying in bed and felt a cold facecloth on my head and face. I thought perhaps my 14 yo daughter was trying to take care of me. With my eyes still closed, I went to lift my hand up so I could reach "her" hand to say thank you...but nothing was there. I opened my eyes and nobody was there. I know it wasn't just delusion from being sick...I felt it as clear as day..someone stroking my forehead with a cool, wet clothe. To this day I'm convinced it was Grace(the woman who lived there)

This house is over 200 yrs old btw...

I totally believe in the paranormal...we watch ghost hunters religiously(now) not so much before this happened. My kids have asked me for EVPS for Christmas and their Birthdays haha...Jason and Grant were at our local high school a few weeks ago to sign autographs and such and talk about the paranormal..but I couldn't go..blah!!