U.S. Citizen given Canadian Visitor Visa

[Kasula85]

Hello,
 I was passing through Canadian Border Patrol about a week ago and having read up on the CIC I believed that I would be able to stay in Canada for the summer without any problems.  The border agent viewed me as a threat for trying to move there....I believe because I said the purpose of my trip was for vacation and visiting friends. I listed a male friend(I am a woman) who is truly just a friend, he has a girlfriend, and the agent gave me a 4 month long visitor visa.  I am confused as to why I was given one and what I should do when I go through customs again.  I will be going back to the states twice(at least) this summer for weddings and do not want to have to deal with interrogations everytime.  I truly have no other intent than to vacation for the summer in Canada.  I visited a town last summer and fell in love with it and decided to work hard during the school year to afford to stay this summer.  Is there anything I should do?  Any doccuments I should carry with me?  I tried calling the CIC embassy branch in the States but they were of no help.  If someone knows the answer please let me know!  Thank you!

[rgvinson777]

You are a woman.  It may be that old "double standard."  As a man, if I was a border agent and a woman attempted to enter Canada alone, I might suspect that her intention might be more likely to get to her husband or boyfriend and stay in the country.  Some men and/or women wouldnt be used to a woman traveling from one country to another unaccompanied.  Even in the west!  I wouldn't permit my wife or daughter to make such a trip alone.     Border agents are trained to be suspicious.  Some are more suspicious than others.  Don't forget, its their country after all.  They have a lot more to be concerned about than our inconveniences.   Don't be so American!  jk   Next time, there may be no problem at all.  If you are an american, you don't even need a visitors visa.  Keep your visa with you when you return to Canada from your visits to the states.  Then they will be more satisfied that your intentions are as you have said.

Enjoy your vacation!!!
RGV

[Kasula85]

I am a U.S. Citizen which is why I don't understand why I was given a visitor visa in the first place.  So I should show this to customs officers when passing through again?  I have travelled extensively and have never been interrogated the way I was at the U.S./Canada border.  I have nothing to hide, but it's like they don't believe that a single woman would truly just vacation for the summer in a foreign country.

[rgvinson777]

I understand.  I don't have a clue why they issued you a visa.  Next time, just present your drivers license and have your birth certificate and the visa they gave you handy.  Just give them what they ask for ( which will most likely be your license) and if there is a problem hand them the visa and ask them why you were issued the visa in the first place.  At least they will recognize that you did indeed leave the country as you had said.  They will be more likely to trust your stated intent.  The last time I crossed, they asked me what I was bringing with me.  I mentioned my tools (which I always carry in my vehicle) and they were concerned that I was coming into the country to work without a work permit.  It's understandable.  There are a lot of people whose intentions are less than honorable.  They searched my vehicle and researched my permanent resedent application in their system and sent me on my merry way. 

Best wishes!!!
RGV

[RobsLuv]

What they issued you was most likely a Visitor Record, and it was intended to limit your stay in Canada to just four months (as opposed to the six months US citizens admitted to Canada are actually authorized to stay).  In other words, they really couldn't prove that your intention wasn't just to visit Canada, exactly as you said, but they didn't believe you anyway.  It's part of the game they play, and sometimes you get a particularily nasty IO who is just determined you're lying about your intentions and you intend to stay in Canada forever.

The VR you received is only valid while you are in Canada - in other words, it authorizes you to stay in Canada until the date it expires, and it enables you to apply from within Canada to extend your status, if you can demonstrate that you have good reason for staying longer and the means to support yourself.  If you leave Canada to attend a wedding in the States, as you mentioned, the VR is invalidated.  It is not a re-entry permit.  Unfortunately, when it comes time for you to resume your visit in Canada again, you may well be interrogated again . . . or you might not.  In preparation for that (1) keep the VR you were issued, (2) have documentation of when you left Canada, so that you can prove you did not overstay the original VR, and (3) have proof of your significant ties to the United States and your intention to return at the end of your authorized stay.  Be aware that they may limit you to the "rest" of the four months you were originally given if the IO you get doesn't believe you're being honest about your intentions, or you might get an IO who totally believes you and waves you in with no documentation at all . . . which gives you six months. 

The mistake people make sometimes is telling an IO that they plan an extended stay (because then they call into question how they will afford to support themselves).  You don't say whether the original IO asked you to show means of support - if so, maybe it was his/her opinion that you only had funds enough to support yourself for four months . . . I don't know. Anyway, the other issue is that both Canadian and US immigration officials are dealing with an everincreasing number of US/Canadian couples who don't understand that, even though Canada and the US are friendly allies, they're not authorized to "live together" in each other's countries without proper authorization.  The fact that you mentioned a "friend" who was male - when you are female - caused the IO to speculate that this friend was a romantic relationship that you weren't being upfront about, and s/he didn't believe you when you insisted otherwise.  Next time, have the name/address in Canada of a female friend that you will be visiting - even if it's the sister or mother of your guy friend.  Also, have proof that you are returning to the States - an airline return itinerary, proof that you have housing (rental or mortgage agreement) in the States, and/or proof of your employment.  It's easy to be manipulated by an IO into saying things that come out sounding way different than the facts - know what they're after before you encounter them so you're ready to (nicely) prove them wrong.