Visiting from visa-exempt country while app in progress - my experience

[lynw]

This is a popular topic, and I was a bit worried about being able to do this, so thought I would share my experience....

I'm from new zealand which is a visa-exempt country and wanted, no needed, to come and visit my partner while app is in process. So I head on off towards Canada, via massively delayed flights, missed connections, complete chaos - ended up on a flight coming in from Mumbai or somewhere. Arrived at Toronto airport in the middle of the night after 24 hours without sleep, and honestly, I think the border security lady who processed me was as tired as I was. She asked me a couple of questions, and I think I could have answered that I was coming to paint the rockies pink and adopt a grizzly bear and she would have waved me in. I didn't have to show any documents apart from my passport. Could have hugged her but after 24 hours on planes and at airports that would not have been kind!

So, that's my experience - a yukky journey but with a very happy ending

[kwabena kwabena]

I always say , it depends on the person working your file.

From what I have read on here and other forums plus my travels, it all depends on who you meet. I have had a situation which needs 30 mins as well as only 5 secs. all by Going to the USA, UK i am in there within a 10 secs at IO desk.

Canada I dont know.

I have had easy rides and at times difficult rides.
Good luck

[raucy]

Hey Lynw,

I had a similar experience. 24hours on a plane from India via Europe in the middle of massive airport closures due to the weather.
The lovely lady at the counter in Calgary didn't ask me a single thing even though I entered on a one way ticket from Delhi. Guess I must've looked pretty tired or it was just a lucky day for me ( it was Christmas Eve). 
 

[lynw]

Hey Lynw,

I had a similar experience. 24hours on a plane from India via Europe in the middle of massive airport closures due to the weather.
The lovely lady at the counter in Calgary didn't ask me a single thing even though I entered on a one way ticket from Delhi. Guess I must've looked pretty tired or it was just a lucky day for me ( it was Christmas Eve). 
 

Aww, here's to all those immigration officers who use their common sense and a bit of compassion - you rock!

[britincanada]

I have entered Canada 4 times in 5 years..there was only one time I had a hard time getting in and thats because I had my daughter travelling with me and I had overstayed on my previous visit! It is true it depends on the Customs officer at the time..I laded at 2am on my first visit and I was asked no questions except where was I staying..

[michaelab]

This is a popular topic, and I was a bit worried about being able to do this, so thought I would share my experience....

I'm from new zealand which is a visa-exempt country and wanted, no needed, to come and visit my partner while app is in process. So I head on off towards Canada, via massively delayed flights, missed connections, complete chaos - ended up on a flight coming in from Mumbai or somewhere. Arrived at Toronto airport in the middle of the night after 24 hours without sleep, and honestly, I think the border security lady who processed me was as tired as I was. She asked me a couple of questions, and I think I could have answered that I was coming to paint the rockies pink and adopt a grizzly bear and she would have waved me in. I didn't have to show any documents apart from my passport. Could have hugged her but after 24 hours on planes and at airports that would not have been kind!

So, that's my experience - a yukky journey but with a very happy ending

thats great!  I will be driving all night so hopefully I will meet a very tired/sleepy custom agent as well! 

[Alabaman]

From my experience, Canadian IOs are usually friendly and professional. It's the other way round in the US... annoying and hostile...even when all your papers are good.

Canada IOs rock.

[alibaba]

I actually left Toronto to go to England while my inland PR application was still in process, and i stayed in Oxford for 2 months. You can read my story here: http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/applied-in-canada-class-for-pr-application-and-left-canada-t38597.0.html

take care

[sbwv09]

I crossed over by myself via car.. a car full of stuff, including a cat, and got no trouble.

However, I was prepared with copies of my PR paperwork, a lease, job information, etc. Even though it seems most people have no problems, you should always be prepared!

We are crossing over and back next week.. I'm always a little nervous!

[scylla]

My husband (US citizen) enters the country 10+ times each year and hasn't run into a problem yet. (Knock on wood.) The vast majority of this travel is flying.

The Nexus card certainly helps since most of the time he doesn't even have to speak with an IO. I have a Nexus card too and would recommend it to anyone. Love skipping the long immigration lines when entering the US or when coming back home after visiting in a different country.

[minna]

thanks for these stories, my partner and I will be doing this in Sept/Oct - it's good to hear the positive stories!! Makes me a little less nervous.

[AllisonVSC]

My husband (US citizen) enters the country 10+ times each year and hasn't run into a problem yet. (Knock on wood.) The vast majority of this travel is flying.

The Nexus card certainly helps since most of the time he doesn't even have to speak with an IO. I have a Nexus card too and would recommend it to anyone. Love skipping the long immigration lines when entering the US or when coming back home after visiting in a different country.

Hi Scylla. I sent you a PM with questions about the nexus card. Allison

[scylla]

Got it! Let me know if for any reason you didn't receive my answers.

[bobswife]

I use to come to Canada every 2-3 months for short visit or whole summer and never I have one single bad experience and I didn't know nothing about this process of Immigration.Untill I start inland process hope in my last weeks.I think is because I always said the true and have nothing to hide as well
Mexico use to be exempt from visa visitors untill July 09
Good luck to everyone who is coming or applying for visa to visit or live In Canada,sure is a wonderfull country

[Heckler]

I had no problems at all when I visited my wife this last christmas, by that point she'd already been approved as my sponsor & the file had been passed to London. I had copies of all my documentiation with me just in case but I was actually waved through by the IO the fastest of all my visits on that occasion.
I actually had more trouble the first couple of visits when I was sent via the actual immigration desk before being allowed entry. I'm not a good liar so took the honesty approach & said I was meeting her in person for the first time after meeting online, it took about 15 minutes of stressing & questioning both times & my passport was stamped with a date just a couple of days after my return flight.
Even that had a good side though as it meant my now wife & I's relationshiop was already on record with CIC long before we submited our application.