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Crossing Border

Tricia Quinn

Full Member
Aug 9, 2019
20
1
I am getting really nervous. In 3 days I will be driving up to stay with my girlfriend in the Vancouver area, with plans to marry her soon and apply for permanent residency. It's been suggested not to say that I plan to say that I'm staying for 6 months or that I'm planning to marry my girlfriend and stay there. Based on these suggestions, I will tell the border patrol that I will be staying for about 6 weeks. So, I know that I need to pack accordingly. But since I really am planning to stay, I've been having a really hard time trying to decide what to take and what might make the border patrol to be suspicious and deny my entry. The ones I'm really struggling with is personal things like letters, cards, momento items, important papers, etc. Maybe I can have those types of things shipped to me later, but I'm just having so much anxiety about "should I take this?" "Should I not?" Any tips? If it doesn't look suspicious in my car (although I am bringing my cat and small dog, but I plan to just tell them that I don't have someone who can watch them for 6 weeks), how likely is it that they'll search my car after telling them that I plan to stay that long? Thanks!
 

Bs65

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Mar 22, 2016
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Copingwithlife

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Jul 29, 2018
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As well if you tell them six weeks , first thing that comes to my mind is, Ok you’re a foreign national staying here for 6 weeks, what job are you leaving and returning too after those 6 weeks are up ?
 

scylla

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Jun 8, 2010
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I am getting really nervous. In 3 days I will be driving up to stay with my girlfriend in the Vancouver area, with plans to marry her soon and apply for permanent residency. It's been suggested not to say that I plan to say that I'm staying for 6 months or that I'm planning to marry my girlfriend and stay there. Based on these suggestions, I will tell the border patrol that I will be staying for about 6 weeks. So, I know that I need to pack accordingly. But since I really am planning to stay, I've been having a really hard time trying to decide what to take and what might make the border patrol to be suspicious and deny my entry. The ones I'm really struggling with is personal things like letters, cards, momento items, important papers, etc. Maybe I can have those types of things shipped to me later, but I'm just having so much anxiety about "should I take this?" "Should I not?" Any tips? If it doesn't look suspicious in my car (although I am bringing my cat and small dog, but I plan to just tell them that I don't have someone who can watch them for 6 weeks), how likely is it that they'll search my car after telling them that I plan to stay that long? Thanks!
The short answer is that you should take only what a visitor would take to have the highest chance of a smooth entry. You should leave everything else in the US and ship it later once you have PR. This includes the letters, cards, momento items, important papers, etc. Real tourists don't take stuff like this to Canada. So best option is to step back, pretend you are just going for a 2 week visit and pack for a 2 week tourist trip. That's all you should take. Everything else should stay behind. You should also leave behind any warm winter clothes (e.g. boots, coats, etc.). If you are planning to say you're only staying for 6 weeks at the border - this stuff shouldn't be in your car. According to your story you won't be here long enough to need them. Don't take any small or personal appliances - apart from something like your phone. Taking the cat and dog is not ideal - would be best to leave them in the US with a family member or friend if you can. As others have said, if you have to take your pets, make sure you look at what shots they need before hitting the border.

Since you are coming for a six week trip, it would be ideal to have evidence of ties to the US with you such as proof of employment, proof of property ownership / rental, utility bills, etc.