Filling out an Immigration Card for a 6 month stay

[MrChris]

Hey,

So i've been to see my Girlfriend, who lives in Ontario,twice now, both times for 3 weeks, and am about to go out for an extended stay of 6 months. I'm not sure however how to fill out the immigration card this time.

We've spoken together about it and we both can't figure it out, Due to it having a number of days. Do i just put half a years worth of days into the card or do i leave the length of time blank and take it upto the immigration people?

Also, will i be baggage searched again due to having such a long stay? I know i'm visa exempt and also that 6 months is my longest allowed stay without a visa before i have to leave.

The first time i went over i got a bag search and it was a bit of hassle, I've nothing to hide, it's just kind of an irritating factor.

I will be staying with her and her parents, and they will be supporting me throughout the 6 month stay.

I only have a one-way ticket booked due to the fact i'm unsure when i'll be coming back within the 6 months, but will be leaving within that time. I have emailed the airline and they said that i'll be able to board the plane and fly out, but i may be questioned by the Canadian Border Control.

I know they will want to speak to her parents about me staying with them. Her mother gave me her Cell number so if they did give me any hassle about staying with them that they could call her and talk to her about the situation.

Will immigration penalize me for any of this, such as turn me away and put me on the next flight home?

Thanks.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Hi

I remember you, I answered you last time too

I think it just depends on the border officer. You might get an officer who will just stamp your passport with only a few questions or you might get an officer who will send you to secondary, where another officer might just search all your stuff and let you through or might ask for more proof of your intentions and give you the third degree.

The fact that you are visa-exempt and that you have visited before and always left is good, but there is always a chance that you could be turned away at the border.

One of the requirements of entering Canada as a visitor is to show that you will be returning to your own country. Do you have anything to show this, a letter from an employer, enrollment in a school course, something to show that you will definitely be returning home?

I would also advise you to book a fully refundable ticket back. They might not ask for it but it is better to have it just in case. You can then cancel it once you are actually in Canada. Just be aware that there is a chance that they might stamp your passport with the date of that return flight, meaning you have to leave Canada by that time, even if it is before the 6 month mark.

For the immigration card, if you book the return ticket, put the number of days until then; if you don't book the return ticket, put 180 days if you think you will be staying that long. They don't actually look back at that when you leave to see if you put the exact right number of days.

And last, you need to be very clear with them that your are only *visiting*. If they start to think in any way that you are trying to come to Canada to live, you'll be bounced back.

Hope this helps

 

[MrChris]

Hey man, Yeah i remember you too

Thanks for the reply, I don't have the funds to buy a return ticket and i'm kinda scared of the whole stamping for the date of the flight too.

I don't have anything to show i'll have to go back, what's happened is i've finished college and they want me to go and visit them for that long so we can be together for a longer time, which will inevitably go towards us being together more permanently in the future, and with my band being on hiatus at the moment it seems the perfect time to go over. If my band gets back and running again however, i may have to get a flight home to go on tours and what not, but i haven't any formal documentation to say that i have a definite date to go back within that time frame.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I'm actually a wo-man

Without having anything else to show you returning home, I'd say the return ticket is a really good thing to have. Do either you or your gf have a credit card? I put my partner's return ticket on my visa card a few days before we flew, then cancelled it the day after we landed in Canada and had the full refund in about a week, didn't cost a thing. If neither of you have one, then maybe her parents would be willing to do it, as it wouldn't actually cost them a single cent.

It is entirely possible that you will get a good officer who will accept what you say and wave you through but it is better to think that you will get a tough officer so that you can plan ahead.

And even if your passport is stamped, it is still possible to apply for an extension of your visitor status. You can apply a few weeks before the stamp date and you will be allowed to stay in Canada under implied status until they decide on your extension. At the moment, it is 88 days to process a visitor extension paper application. So even if the stamp date passes, you are still allowed to stay until they tell you yes or no on the extension.

 

[MrChris]

Well, with me not having the funds to buy the ticket at the time, and there were limited spaces left for the date, her parents purchased the ticket for me and i'm paying them back when i get over there. even though they'd get a full 100% refund, i couldn't ask them to do that.

I suppose i'll just have to pray i get a nice officer

 

[davek1979]

You could book a bus or train ticket back. It is considerably cheaper and might also be free to return with in a short period of time.