Pls Pls help exiting US border!!!

[Fili]

Im new to this forum and I just want to ask about crossing the US border. We (My wife and I) got our Canadian PR visa and we're planning to land this summer. My wife is out of status here in the US, can this be a problem when we cross the US border?. Will they require us to be process because of her status?. Do we NEED to surrender our I-94?. Which is better: fly or by land to Ontario? ( I dont want to drive for 4 days and being held by the customs). She doesn't have any criminal record. Thank you so much for all your valuable information.

[PMM]

Hi

Im new to this forum and I just want to ask about crossing the US border. We (My wife and I) got our Canadian PR visa and we're planning to land this summer. My wife is out of status here in the US, can this be a problem when we cross the US border?. Will they require us to be process because of her status?. Do we NEED to surrender our I-94?. Which is better: fly or by land to Ontario? ( I dont want to drive for 4 days and being held by the customs). She doesn't have any criminal record. Thank you so much for all your valuable information.

1.  Entering Canada by land or air you don't go through US Customs/Immigration unless you are carrying more than 10K or exporting a car.
2.  If you are entering Canada and not returning to the US in the next 30 days, you turn in your I94 to Canada Customs/Immigration.

PMM

[Fili]

Thanks PMM for the quick reply.
1. yes, we're bringing more than $10K and yes, we're exporting our car. any idea if we will have a problem with the US immigration?. kindly give us link about exporting our car.
2. we don't plan to come back to the US for awhile since we have to establish ourselves in Canada.
thank you very much for your info. god bless.

[Eduardo Picazo]

Hi Fili

You should not have a problem crossing the border out from US if it is by land, as far as I know they never ask for anything when you are living US.

I live in a small Mexican city just across the US south border with Texas; we cross the US border all the time in order to do our shopping, at McAllen TX. and also we travel a lot into some US big cities. And when we come back home crossing into Mexico, there's nobody making questions why we are living US or asking for documents.

Well this between Mexico-US border; not sure about Canada-US border it might not be different.

Of course; every time we cross into the US, we have to respond whatever the US Border Official wants to know about us and the reason for our visit plus we have to show him/her our US Visas.

Now if you will fly, I am not sure maybe you will be asked for some document since it will be an international flight. ( I am not pretty sure about this) of course they always ask for a sample of ID no matter what kind of flight local or international before you get in the plane. it could be a drive licence for instance

Regards
Eduardo

[Fili]

Thanks so much Eduardo, we are a family of 5, that's why Im a lil concern about our landing. Bcoz of your input, I plan now to exit thru MI. Actually, I read some posts about crossing the border so I was worried that my wife will be on hold because of her status. Thanks.

[Ozzie]

no, you wont have any problems; don't be to good, and start asking question about immigration or customs at the airport just leave man, trust me the more you ask the more you probe into it, thats where the problem starts. Even if they find out about your wife over stay or status, there's this thing called "voluntary departure" they won't bother you.
 I know so many ppl that were out of status, they just left man without even freakin handing over there 1-94.
Cos it really doesn't matter if you hand over your 1-94 or not, your wife is not getting a US visa again for some time since she over stayed.

Good luck! to you and your family.

[Fili]

Thanks Ozzie, I really really really appreciate your help. Now, I can lessen my stress thinking of what will happen to us,  I can focus now on moving !!!!I will surely post our landing experiences and best of luck to all of you. God bless.