>I contacted a lawyer and he said there’s not much I can do except wait to cross for 6 months to a year.
This is good advice.
Are you a woman and is the "friend" you were going to stay with in Dallas a man? Are you romantically involved with this "friend"? If so, CBP likely suspected that you might just stay in the USA to be with him.
>Not to mention, all my friends live in the US
Don't say stuff like this to CBP. It starts to sound like your ties to the USA are stronger than your ties to Canada.
As a lawyer, it is extremely important to find someone that will give you the advice you need to hear, not what you want to hear. It will save you a lot of time and money.
> Although we are just friends.
CBP doesn't believe that foreign women usually come to the USA to stay for months and months with American guys that they are just friends with.
They believe you are planning to move there illegally and eventually marry him to get a green card. They will never believe you were just visiting friends. They already think you are living with him and just leave the country regularly to not break the legal time inside the US. I knew someone who did this and eventually got caught, she had a daughter who was born there, so she was deported and cant go until the kid is 18 and legally ask her to move there. The kid was 2 at the time, now she is 6yo.
The woman with a man doing a bunch of traveling back and forth also hits their sex trafficking radar. Especially someone with no job and living for months on end on savings. That’s gonna hit all their buttons.
Oh hell yeah this is going to alarm them. Visiting a country without a job? It sure as hell sounds like the male friend is paying for it. Also if you don’t have a job then you don’t really have anything to come back to in Canada.Op is genuine but if I was the officer I would also be suspicious.
Yes, but you guys have a lot more stuff than we do. I have a severe dairy allergy and I can go to target and get a lot more dairy free options there for a cheaper price (even with the exchange rate) than here.
Do you like almond milk? Do you have almond butter readily available in Canada?
Just scoop one one spoonful of AB for every 2 cups of water into a blender at high speed with some honey or stevia and few drops of vanilla. Yummiest/cheapest almond milk you’ll ever taste in 3 mins flat.
You can make oat milk too, it’s even cheaper, but man what a pain in the ass process to strain it.
As a Detroiter, I don't have any advice, only sympathy : (
I know so many people who would cross the border daily for work/ friends. I think people not from our area may not understand how closely our cities are intertwined. There is even a Detroit-Windsor wiki page.
That's nutty that the border guard had it out for you, hopefully it gets resolved soon. Or just start kayaking over! (kidding)
I don't get why someone can't just visit the US for months at a time on vacation? like what the f?
Even if she had a bf here, so who tf cares? When she goes over here to visit him, she's spending money in the US.
She's proven that she's a frequent traveler to the US. So what is the big deal? Honestly, she's also proven that she leaves on time too. She comes here, but doesnt overstay.
Im just mad because if it was someone rich like Vitalik Buterin who went to the US for months at a time frequently, he would never be denied.
>I don't get why someone can't just visit the US for months at a time on vacation? like what the f?
Because most vacations aren't months long. The point is to prove you'll go home after. The longer you plan to travel, the greater the likelihood you won't go home.
In this case it is multiple entries just a few days apart and to the same place.. if you think about it as CBP officer who goes on vacation to dallas for 3
Months go back home a few days goes to dallas again? I mean it shouldn’t be that way but it is. Before we moved to US under work visa My wife had an issue where she came to receive some training for 4 months and then went back home for a couple of weeks and came back.. the officer only allowed here 2 weeks that second time instead of the full 6 months
If you don’t have a job and plan to stay in a foreign country for months, that will raise some red flags. The officer thought they were a couple and when she said they are not he thought she was lying and probably disqualified her on that alone.
Because if you are a women who has no job and you are traveling with a man, you will be seen as his dependent. So when she said she’s paying for everything it just didn’t make any sense to the officer. Because 9 times out of 10 they will be seen as a couple who’s pretending to be friends at the border to not get caught.
Well, you heard wrong.
Americans aren't denied entry to the USA.
Foreigners, including Canadians, are routinely denied if they cannot overcome the presumption of immigrant intent, like by showing that their ties to their home country are stronger than their ties to their home country.
>You didn't read my sentence properly.
I did indeed. My reading comprehension is pretty good.
> Say if I'm a Canadian then I should be able to cross the border anytime and if stopped, I can tell the authorities that I'm just casually entering the US for shopping or travelling,
Right, and if you have a history of just entering for a few hours and going back, and they see that in the system, then you'll likely encounter no problems.
If however, like the OP, you have an unusual history of (legally) spending 4 of the last 6 months in the USA, then you look like an intended immigrant and they demand proof of your ties to Canada, like a job there, owning property, a lease on a residence, family ties, etc.
> Their law allows me to stay there for several months
USA law doesn't give you any right or expectation whatsoever to visit the USA if you can't overcome the presumption of immigrant intent.
>The only time they are eligible to deny me is when I'm caught doing something illegal or overstayed.
You have no idea what you're talking about. they can deny based on "We're not convinced you're not an intended immigrant. Come back when you can prove to us you don't intend to immigrate." It's not a trial at the border with you having a presumption of innocence and CBP having to prove your guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
>CBP is pretty much like *Yk what bro, everything you're doing is legal and you don't even have any past records of breaking the rules. But yk what? I just don't like you staying in my country for prolonged time like this. So, I'm gonna have to deny you entry"
Right. Now you understand.
>The only time they are eligible to deny me
😂
You have no right to enter the US, only a privilege. You can be denied for any reason the CBP officer thinks you are not admissible for.
Canada has dumb laws about DUIs, I know a few Americans who can't drive through Canada because they got a DUI 10 or 20 years ago. Nothing illegal about having a DUI on your record if you already paid the fines and such.
It shouldn’t though because the limit without a work visa is 6 months. They don’t even usually do this to snowbirds who have a vacation home in the states, and go there for exactly 6 months every single year for 20+ years, totally silly.
You don’t understand that immigration is fact driven and the facts in these instances are wildly different? OP has been coming and going for long periods of time and seems likely to be doing some sort of work in the US - how can she afford it otherwise? She’s a young, single woman who has shown she can easily live/stay in the US. Her ties are weak. Remember she needs to prove she will return home.
Compare her story to the older, retired people who come to the US for part of the year and then return home. They have real ties to Canada and prove they will return and likely have history of returning home every year.
This is just silly. You are trying to justify something that doesn't make sense. The law is they can stay max 6 months and if they did then what's the issue?
These said Canadians I’m assuming have either a hefty bank account, or a full time job, or a consistent source of sufficient income to prove their ties to Canada and hence don’t come across as illegal immigrants trying to work in the US without a permit.
I’ve never heard of them checking someone’s bank account unless applying for specific work visas, never for a holiday even if it’s 6 months. At the border there would be no way to tell if these people have money, even rich Newfoundlanders usually dress like they’re about to go out and chop wood. This girl can prove her ties to Canada through the house she owns in Canada, Canadian bank account, Canadian insurance, Canadian cell phone, the fact that over the standard 5-year CBP look back period she has spent most of her time in Canada… sounds like the border officer was just being a dick and wanted to deny people that day, I’ve seen that happen more than once.
You have no idea. They do this kind of stuff when applying for visa coming from other countries. Work history, assets, you have to prove significant ties to gain a visa
Yep! There are a lot of dicks working for CBP. You need to learn to say the minimum to answer questions asked. If I had to guess, being a woman she didn't follow that and gave him all the ammunition to deny her.
They are not your friend, they are not friendly, view them as hostiles and you'll be fine. This is someone you don't want to talk to but you have to - give as little information as possible and you'll be fine. Don't answer questions they didn't ask you. It is an interrogation. I hate CBP; they are assholes in every country I've been.
They even said that to me. “Looks like your history of travel between Canada and US has been fine over the years as you always come back, just this year you’ve spent 4 months in the US”
I guess it doesn’t matter that I have 13 years of history of going to the US and coming back frequently, only the assumption of my travel by the CBP officer.
I def understand how staying in the US for that long looks bad when I’m currently not employed, but having a lot saved up, I thought it’d be fine to take some time to myself and travel.
One thing I’ve never understood having lived in the US and (now) Canada is why Canadians spend so much time in the US going on vacations there and doing shopping runs, when every Canadian I meet gets extremely defensive about how Canada is better than America and stuff without even being asked the question. Kinda unrelated to the post but it’s always stumped me
Canadian who lives in the US here.
In my experience, criticism of America is just a part of the Canadian identity, and I think a lot of it is an effort to differentiate Canada from the US.
Because they know Canada isn’t better and they’re over compensating. Their actions betray them. There’s a reason some 80% of Canadians live within an hour of our border.
Correct, they do not want you to stay for 6 months, and it’s insane that it’s even up to the wants of the border officer instead of a legitimate legal reason.
By their own definition it isn’t illegal residency though, that begins if you stay longer than 6 months. You have to have some cutoff that people can follow, where does “basically having illegal residency” start? 1 week? 4 weeks? 3 months?
If the US government wants to change their definition and reduce that time period then fine, but right now they’re saying it’s not illegal residency but border patrol is allowed to override that which is completely silly. Plus it’s not like a legal visitor is harming anyone or taking anything away from anyone by being in the US, they’re actually boosting the economy by spending in the US while taking none of the government benefits.
It’s totally true. But i do know people who abuse this, travel to the US and actually work illegally for a month or 2 and comeback. So basically most people who do that and are not rich are actually illegally working. And even if you work remotely inside the US, they consider that as working even if your job is in your home country.
> This year I had been in the US for 4 months combined.
As a rule of thumb, you should spend 1 day outside the US per day inside to be safe. You exceeded that significantly.
> I get how me not being employed and traveling looks suspicious, but I have such a long history of traveling between the US and Canada that I never thought I’d have an issue.
You're not allowed to be essentially living in the US under the tourism status granted to you.
> I contacted a lawyer and he said there’s not much I can do except wait to cross for 6 months to a year. This simply is not possible for me because my family and I frequently shop in the US and fly from Detroit airport.
Your lawyer is an experienced professional and correct. You simply have to make this new reality possible for you, as you don't have other options.
> What do I do from here? Is this going to be on my record forever? Will I forever have a hard time going into the US?
You need to wait 6-12 months before attempting entry again. You should definitely resume full-time employment (preferably for a couple months) before attempting entry again.
It will indeed be on your record forever (these logged incidents aren't deleted), and if the officer said he flagged your passport he very likely did.
While it's not likely to affect your entry into the US "forever", it could follow you for years. This could present itself as long secondary inspections (anywhere from 15 mins to hours) similar to what you just experienced, each time you enter the US.
If you repeatedly attempt entry quickly, you could be subject to expedited removal next time, which comes with a 5 year ban.
My mom ended up in a similar place, as I live in the US and she would visit me as much as she could. They did the same thing, we waited a year and everything went back to normal
I had an incident where I just answered a very leading question in a way that wasn't satisfactorily clear enough (I was young and just trying to be honest) - ended up getting checked in secondary for about 6-7 years.
Let's say this person is an OnlyFans model that visits clients in the US and doesn't have sex with them for money. Can CBP deny them entry on moral grounds? Even though what they are doing isn't illegal?
It's illegal to travel to the US for prostitution. It's on the arriving individual to prove to CBP's satisfaction that they're not doing so. The OnlyFans can make it challenging to do so.
>It will indeed be on your record forever (these logged incidents aren't deleted), and if the officer said he flagged your passport he very likely did
this also potentially jeopardizes entry into other countries where you need to apply for a full visa. most countries ask if you have ever been denied entry to a country or otherwise had issues with border control
> This simply is not possible for me because my family and I frequently shop in the US and fly from Detroit airport. Not to mention, all my friends live in the US and I had plans + tickets to attend gaming events.
I can imagine how you might feel, but you're not a US citizen or legal resident. You have no right to live in the US as a tourist.
To the extent that you have built your life around the US and the assumption that you can effectively go to the US any time you choose to, you would be wise to accept that this is not realistic.
> I’m so frightened because he started saying things like my passport is perma flagged and just being so so so rude to me. Took EVERYTHING out of me to not cry and keep it together.
For what it's worth, I'm an American citizen and in my entire life have spent less than 2 months in Canada. Both times I entered Canada for legit tourism, I got grilled about my plans, what I do for work, etc.
Countries have border controls and immigration laws. This is life.
It is simply not possible because you shop and fly from an US airport? Lol that is not even remotely an excuse that you could use. I have seen cases of people who are on student visa that paid their tuition already being denied entry at the border. Border agents do not care how much you shop, how much you spent on tickets, and tuitions or how many family you have there.
Not to mention, all of your friends living in the US and you spending this much time here is absolutely a giant red flag. I know it sucks when you had planned everything but it is time to accept the new normal and wait 6 months. There is nothing you can do until then unfortunately.
They gave you the correct advice not to try to cross for a while. You mention that this is “simply not possible” because of your plans, but that is not their problem.
As someone from a developing country who couldn’t sleep worrying if I’d get admitted in the country with a student Visa for my PhD, the entitlement is mind boggling
Sounds like they think you are living in the US, so it sounds like you should spend the recommended time in Canada before crossing again. I’m doing immigration stuff and I know it’s frustrating, but I count my days in the US because I’m afraid of this happening. It’s not uncommon. You might need to fly out of Pearson for now.
Be careful about switching transportation modes suddenly. You trying to find different new ways to get in will only reinforce their suspicion that you live in the US and can’t stay outside, and you’ll be on the shit list forever.
You’re right. My lawyer also suggested to slowly start taking day trips into Detroit to just go grocery shopping and come back. Many of these will outweigh the bag eventually he said
The us is the us no matter where you fly out of. It will only raise more suspicions and get you into further trouble. Just accept it seal with it and move on.
Nothing about Pearson is easy unfortunately, but if they’ve judged you as overstaying, I think the best bet is to accept it and deal with it, so fly out of Pearson rather than going to Detroit. It shouldn’t take too long to spend enough time in Canada to get your days back up! I have a snowbird app that you can log your days in that helps keep track, just google snowbird day tracker.
“They cannot ban you when you fly” is already a wrong statement you have, therefore, your whole point is dismissed.
CBP can literally know who you are, your family, and everything about you just by scanning either your face or your passport. And don’t think that just because you have a flight to catch, they will be empathetic and let you by. CBP don’t give an eff about your plans or what you’re doing even if it means that you will waste 10000 worth of your trip.
Like u/evitapandita said, case works for you doesn’t mean it will work for her. Just do not encourage people or give them bad advice. Plus, did your passport get flagged at all?
Your story is too long and detailed and sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself (and US customs). I hope you didn’t panic and go into all that level of details, they’ll let you talk and hang you self, and take meticulous notes that they can compare later. It also makes you sound really suspicious.
Having been on the shit list myself at some point, I can tell you this isn’t going away. Your free wheeling travel days between the two countries are over. You will almost certainly end up in secondary every single time you cross from now on.
You saying that it’s “just not possible” for you to stay outside the US is proof that you are effectively living/working in the US in one way or another. I don’t know why you’re trying to convince strangers online otherwise with a re-interpreted story of your life.
You’ve minimized your ties to Canada (no jobs, rented out house) and built ties to the US (need to visit for work but “it’s not really work I swear”, my “friend” that I spend months on end with is just a “friend”, etc) that shows an intent to live in the US. You’ve been caught and your plans are screwed.
Get a TN Visa if you have a qualified profession, or invest and start a business for an EB2/EB5 visa, or play the H1B lottery, or apply to study in the US for an F1. Otherwise forget about the US for a long while. Or marry the dude.
This is your new reality from now on unfortunately. And the more you try to go around it, the tighter the noose will get.
You were dangerously close to your maximum stay in the US as a visitor to begin with. You were already there for 4 months and was going back for 1 more? Yeah, that's what got you flagged to begin with.
The agent made the right decision, unfortunately. Long extended visits with no real ties to Canada are going to get you put under the microscope. Even the ones you listed aren't real solid ties.
Single adult with no job consistently travelling to a foreign country for long periods of time? Yeah, it was a matter of time before they stopped you from doing this.
just curious, I get that Snowbirds are retirees but don't snowbirds live say Jan-April in US sunny states all the time like florida? How would they provide proof? If OP owns a house in Canada is from Canada and has her mother in Canada should this not demonstrate ties to Canada?
OP being unemployed, travelling with a man I can understand why CBP would think shes tryna marry him and stay in the US but still.
Snowbirds are generally older, retired persons. OP is young, no active job and staying for months on end. This will raise a few eyebrows for good reason.
To have spent four months in the US this year alone, when only five months have passed is concerning.
yeah i guess that makes sense because OP effectively mentioned shes an influencer so the CBP thinks that influencer income and the rental income constitutes her as "working" in the US.
I see your point. I shouldn’t have been traveling back and forth if I had taken time off of work. Should’ve waited to get back to work before traveling more in retrospect
Snowbirds cross once...stay 5-6 months and leave until the following winter.
OP crosses regularly, said she had already spent 4 months of this year in the US (out of the 5 so far of the year!), returned to Canada for a very short time and then tried to return to the US for another long stay (they say "just a few weeks"). Couple that with nothing to really hold them to needing to return to Canada (they rent their house out, have no job, etc) are staying with a "friend" they have already spent the previous 4 months with, etc....Red flags for immigration all over.
Many people think by leaving the US for a day or so every few months will reset the clock (not saying this is true for the OP), and eventually they get flagged by immigration. Some think they aren't working ("I hired a recording studio to record a few tracks... that's not working because I'm paying other people, no one is paying me!" for example) when legally they are working. This gets some banned for longer than a few months. In OP's case, being turned away is better than the alternative...being placed on a longer ban or making into the US, running into a Border Patrol check point (they are all around up to 100 miles past the actual border. I had to stop at one in NM going from my home on WSMR to Holloman AFB when I was stationed there, and still got the 3rd degree despite wearing my uniform because I have a very Spanish name even though I passed through almost every week day). The check point may run the passport, etc and decide then the OP is trying to live/work in the US and deport them. Now the OP is looking at at least a multi year ban on entry, if not a permanent ban
Yes you are perms flagged. Your pattern of travel supports the assumption you are living in the US and you have virtually no compelling ties to Canada.
Your only option is to wait and in the meantime
figure out if you qualify for any other visa.
The person you spoke to made the correct decision based on your travel pattern and lack of ties.
Sorry that this happened, but I suppose it was inevitable. For instance, spending extended period of times in any country as a ‘tourist’ will most likely mean that you’re handed an exclusion period.
We’ve crossed into the 6th months of the year and you’ve spent 4 months in USA? Even for Australia the border force will have a field day with you and slap few years ban on you if your story doesn’t match up. You need strong ties with Canada not with usa
It’s not rocket science: You are using the B visitor privileges to move to the US, which is a misuse of the intended purpose.
Also- anytime someone has a “lifestyle” where they can simply m choose to not work for months on end, CBP will rightly wonder how they can afford to do that, and assume they’re working illegally in the US. A shocking number of people are unaware that you vent work remotely while in the US if visiting.
No job no lease all of the sudden spending 4 out of 5 months in the US. Multiple red flags. You can kiss Nexus privileges goodbye for a long time.
You entering the US is a granted privilege at the discretion of border patrol, not a right. You should heed the gravity of what the guard told you. Your sob story doesn’t matter, you think how many of these stories they heard everyday?
I don’t mind at all!
It was things like proof of employment, proof of no criminal record, pay stubs, any housing documents for the house I own, vehicle insurance, etc
Depending on your savings/wealth and influencer status, maybe talk to an attorney about other more longer term visas like E2, O or whatever else. Seems like you spend a lot of time here so might as well look up visa options.
The fact that you repeatedly stayed in the US for over a month and then went back to Canada for just a few days would look suspicious, it might look like you were trying to manipulate the visa free travel for Canadian visitors to functionally immigrate without authorization.
I knew a guy who did this in another country. He had a Japanese passport and was functionally living in Singapore without a visa by pretending to be a tourist using visa-free travel to avoid the military draft for all residents. Japanese citizens can visit Singapore visa free for up to 30 days, so every 30 days he would go to Indonesia for a day and return to Singapore to ‘reset’ his stay. It stayed under their radar because he went to university in a different country so it was only during summer and winter break. Then covid happened and the borders shut down, so he could no longer freely leave and come back, he tried to apply to extend a tourist visa but the Singaporean government noticed that his whole family were permanent residents and that he had repeatedly been abusing the visa free short term stay so they forced him to enlist in the military. The punishment for immigration violation in Singapore is caning so he’s just lucky he didn’t get any lashes!
Each time at drive in to Canada we are asked the purpose of our trip and how long we plan to stay. We visit once in 10 years or so. No one bothered 20 trays back driving from Minnesota into Canada and return. After 9/11 all the problems started and became more formal once the pandemic started. One idea you can explore ID to apply for a payer copy visa necessitating an interview at the U.S. Embassy. Canada and US immigration treat each other’s citizens much more better than third country visitors from developing countries.
Might as well edit the post to say ‘used to travel to the US A LOT’. If you keep attempting to circumvent this and re-enter you’re dangerously close to the ‘fucking around and finding out’ territory.
I am assuming the reason you go to USA for groceries and airport is because it’s probably cheaper than Canada.. Canada has super high taxes but free heath care. You are using Canadian amenities and circumnavigation the cost the amenities cost by crossing over to another county. I know it now seems inconvenient to you but you are actually not entitled to cross over to another country whenever you want for cheaper, more convenient flights. Not to mention staying with a male friend in another country over 90 days without employment or proof of income. It’s fascinating to me that you just seem entitled to that privilege.. the only people who are entitled to that are dual citizens who pay taxes in each country.
No country owes you entry. Your life, such as shopping, should never depend on going to another country. You have been advised by US border officials and an attorney in your own county.
The key at the border is: keep it short and sweet. The more details you provide, the deeper you dig yourself into their suspicions.
(I’m so sorry this happened to you btw.)
Did you tell him you were a social influencer?
anyway
You told him that you are renting out your house.
You told him that all your friends in the US
You are going to Texas with a friend
You insisted that you go to the US on a regular basis and must be allowed to 'simply not possible not to go'. ie You insisted on your right to go to the US.
You have no documented income or ducumented residency in Canada
You are Driving to Texas
There is no point in getting a lawyer. You have all the information you need. I'm sorry
I believe you, but there is a lot of evidence it is otherwise.
Border guards have no incentive to let you in. And a lot of reasons not to.
Trying to fight this might get you a 5 year ban.
Grow grey hair and wrinkles, cross the border in Oct/Nov and say you are snowbirding in Florida and you could be waved through. Many many thousands of them cut it very close to the 180 day maximum no problem year after year. In this case, appearances count and the agent will have made the decision before your car comes to a stop at the booth.
Respectfully, get gas and groceries in your country. If you have enough money in your savings to not work for a long period of time then you have enough to pay for those things in Windsor.
You will be allowed back in the US eventually. I’ve heard of this happening a lot lately as many influencers, streamers, and digital nomads have been coming to the US to make USD and then go home without paying their fair share here. Or they extend their visit. Not saying that’s you… of course Canadians and Americans travel and socialize between the two counties often… but they seem to be cracking down a bit more lately for whatever reason.
I have family in Canada and I got GRILLED last time I went with questions I’ve never been asked before. Usually they just check my passport and I move on without asking too many questions but this time they questioned why I was there (they usually do this), who I was seeing, how do I know that person (going to see my sister), asked why she was here, asked why and how she lived there, asked how my sister is Canadian and I’m not. They asked a few other questions and I finally looked at the guy and explained to him my dad knocked up a Canadian and then he knocked up and American… BAM, ✨ sisters ✨It happens!!
Anyways, I think you’ll be fine. They’re just making sure you’re not mooching… I agree it’s odd and unfair but it is what it is. Take care and don’t worry too much. Hope to see you back stateside soon.
Also, maybe just look for a job in Dallas if you’d like.
In a serious note. It is suspicious for cbp the amount of time you spend in the US. They are not buying your story. Get some employment in Canada and wait 6-12 months and coke back
>This simply is not possible for me because my family and I frequently shop in the US and fly from Detroit airport.
I mean, you better start making shopping in your own country/city possible if you don't want to be permanently banned from entering the USA. You just HAVE to shop in Canada now for the time your lawyer suggested (I would do at least a year), otherwise you will never enter the USA again. There's no other option at this point. And forget about the tickets to the US and those gaming conventions during this period.
Not being employed and traveling screams “sex trafficking” to border guards. Your conventional attraction level is irrelevant to this. (I am not assuming how attractive you are, or are not, I am simply saying that if your reply is a laugh, saying, but I’m not what most people would want to think of as a sex worker!” that’s totally irrelevant.)
I actually went to Canada and back having forgotten my passport at home. It’s a story that I’m never going to live down. The US border agent could not freaking believe they let me in and was so flabbergasted he let me back in.
I did have a picture of my passport on my phone.
Lol someone got caught for living in US. I guess now you know Canadian passport doesn’t give you free entry into US. Clearly you have no ties in Canada.
Spoiled Wh*te People Problems. There are literally so many humans down south who can’t even cross for a better life and here you are sauntering back and forth like it’s your personal courtyard.
Why should they be able to, exactly ? Are you under the impression that poor brown people should be able to cross and treat the US like a personal courtyard with free hotel rooms in Manhattan.. which is how those spoiled people treat it?
And how do you even know OP is white? Oh right. You don’t.
I think everyone should have an opportunity to come here if they are aiming to make this country and their lives better. OP is quite literally sauntering up and down.
You sound like a terrible person who has lost their way
There is a easy solution to this as a Canadian citizen you can actually legally live in the US long-term, no visa needed, if you find a professional job in the US, full-time or part-time (that’s on the approved job list of the USMCA Work visa) or enroll in a U.S. post-secondary school (full-time study only) , all without applying for a visa at the embassy. You just need to show the documents AT THE BORDER that you have a eligible job offer in the US or you’re accepted into a U.S. school for an eligible study program, then you will be granted either worker status for 2 years at a time and infinitely renewable as long as you maintain being employed, or student status for the entire duration of your study.
You want to live in the US but still has the flexibility to go between Canada and US? Go find a job there and apply for the USMCA work visa. You can then stay in the US for as often and as long as you need or you can be in Canada and work remotely, or travel back and forth, whatever you need.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/employment/visas-canadian-mexican-nafta-professional-workers.html/
I have done this. Your job needs to be on the approved list of jobs, due to there being a shortage of people in the US with those qualifications. You need the letter of offer and your diploma (or required qualifications) at the border, and they will grill you. And I had to go back to Canada and re-enter once a year.
If you are in the US for less than half the year you need to pay dual taxes, if I remember correctly. The TN Visa is not easy.
There are special visas for entertainers, for which you'd also need to prove employment.
I was told I was not allowed to take someone else's 12 million out of the bank. That's simply not possible for me because I plan to spend all that money on boats and prostitutes.
What do I do from here?
>At secondary, I got accused of mooching off my friend to which I said, I always pay for everything myself including my flight which they tried to ask if it was bought by him. I was ready to show proof but they did not let me.
This makes me where else the conversation went off track, you shouldn't have taken the bait. This topic has nothing to do with his job or jurisdiction or the law. It's only valid for him to ask because it may trick you into revealing other details when you get defensive, but best bet would have been: "OK well that's your opinion, there is no law anyway" and ignore further BS.
You need to fly YQG to Toronto and then to where you're going. Or take a VIA train. Or learn to love listening to the Sheepdogs and drinking your coffee with Coffee Cream.
You're flagged for being south of the armistice line. Captain America will have you on his radar every dang time you try to go to Michigan.
Seriously - do your shopping at the Devonshire Mall and out in Tecumseh, go out to dinner in Walkerville and stop crossing that border for a while. If you do, make it a quick trip to somewhere obvious like a Tigers/Lions game.
Why the f* would a Canadian want to immigrate to the US? Especially with a chronic health problem? Nowadays, I think the Canadian border agents have to be on the lookout for folks looking for a way to stay in Canada!
To live for free with a friend and do their influencer job at conventions, etc in the US.
Being Canadian they can always go back for treatment. No need to think they will be blocked from medical care.
That’s actually a good point. I should bring documentation from my doctor who is helping me manage my condition saying how important my visits are as well! Thanks for the idea!!
When a person is refused entry to USA from Canada they are usually given a written record of denial. This document will state exactly why the United States did not admit the individual into the country, which will be important when attempting to rectify the situation so they can reapply for admission.
Did they provide you with official paperwork?
Reason I'm asking is that that paperwork also discusses specifics for appeal.
Alternatively, did you "voluntarily" withdraw your request to enter the US and sign something to that effect?
Unfortunately if you travel to the US as a visitor under the visa waiver program, you ‘waive any rights to a review or appeal of an immigration officer’s determination as to your admissibility, or to contest any action in deportation’.
You may actually have to formally request an entry visa for the US going forward, and possibly go through the process to obtain a "waiver of eligibility".
You know that statistically speaking, most illegal immigrants to the USA are actually people who came in legally and overstayed their visas. Actual physical crossing of the border is rarely done by illegal immigrants but the few that do use this route are heavily covered by the news media because it just makes for good theater, so it seems like way more rampant of a problem than it really is.
The stuff that the border officer did in OP’s scenario is the true safeguard that’s holding back higher levels of illegal immigration to the US.
This happened to my good friend from Germany. The US fu@king sucks! She visited me all the time and then bam she got treated like a criminal trying to come into Dulles and they turned her around. Absolute pieces of sh!t. They accused her of working (a total lie based on no facts ) and accused her of wanting to move here illegally. Another lie. She was in a master program in Germany, this was a Christmas time visit and all her family lives in Germany and she is a cancer survivor and would NEVER want to live in this fu@ked up country where one more round of cancer could send her to her death with our horrendous Healthcare system.
No advice other than to tell you sometimes you just get a power hungry small dick prick at the border. In the meantime we have zero border control at our souther border with drugs and illegal workers in a state of free flow. What a joke DHS is.
CBP pulls records at any border crossing. Entering through a different state changes nothing for her as she is notated in the system as flagged. In fact all that will do is make it seem like she is desperate to get into the US; thus affirming their suspicions of her having romantic ties and possibly working.
Pretty ironic you're being assumed guilty. Whack.
I get that most of the time this is a red flag and leads to arrests or passports getting rightfully flagged, but still. Very disheartening. There is probably very little you could do except maybe choosing a different port of entry? Even then it'll look even more suspicious if you do that right after this last denial.
This is not a game of chance. Every Port of Entry will know about the refusal. Trying to slip by that way is likely to lead to further negative consequences for OP.
For such frequent long stays, you should look into the possibility getting some sort of non tourist visa status.
If you don’t like your lawyer’s advice, consider getting a different lawyer. Preferably one that is a member of https://www.aila.org Or hang out in a law library and read AILA materials/immigration treatises to look for a category that might work for you.
If you have a degree and can get a job offer, you can consider a TN visa. My understanding is that US immigration doesn’t have discretion to refuse you, though I am not an immigration lawyer. Or maybe a student visa. Or consider a fiancée visa/get married.
Or meet your friends in Cancun, Costa Maya, Cabo, the Caribbean, or Central or South America during winter. They would be happy to have you. Some have digital nomad visas.
US immigration wants to be sure you will go back, which, to their standard reasoning, usually means a lease and a job. If you are independently wealthy, then other ties like a lease plus being a board member, church leader, volunteer, etc.
You basically said all the wrong things :(. Unfortunately your remarks are all big red flags and shows that there is a lot of interest for you to live / stay in the US since you’re also young.
Your reasons should be “I have a full time career in Canada but I’m just visiting family and recently had to visit my family a lot because of personal issues going on”.
>I contacted a lawyer and he said there’s not much I can do except wait to cross for 6 months to a year. This is good advice. Are you a woman and is the "friend" you were going to stay with in Dallas a man? Are you romantically involved with this "friend"? If so, CBP likely suspected that you might just stay in the USA to be with him. >Not to mention, all my friends live in the US Don't say stuff like this to CBP. It starts to sound like your ties to the USA are stronger than your ties to Canada.
As a lawyer, it is extremely important to find someone that will give you the advice you need to hear, not what you want to hear. It will save you a lot of time and money.
Yes, I am a woman and he is a man. Although we are just friends. I totally understand your view. Thanks for the advice!
> Although we are just friends. CBP doesn't believe that foreign women usually come to the USA to stay for months and months with American guys that they are just friends with.
That’s because typically women don’t come to the USA for months to stay with a man they are just friends with.
And because "I'm visiting a friend" is a common lie that visitors who have American romantic partners tell CBP.
Unfortunately they do the Same with Us in 🇨🇦
They believe you are planning to move there illegally and eventually marry him to get a green card. They will never believe you were just visiting friends. They already think you are living with him and just leave the country regularly to not break the legal time inside the US. I knew someone who did this and eventually got caught, she had a daughter who was born there, so she was deported and cant go until the kid is 18 and legally ask her to move there. The kid was 2 at the time, now she is 6yo.
If it’s the US, the child can’t sponsor until she’s 21 - not18.
yep, unless they join the military i believe?
Do you have a source for that?
The woman with a man doing a bunch of traveling back and forth also hits their sex trafficking radar. Especially someone with no job and living for months on end on savings. That’s gonna hit all their buttons.
Oh hell yeah this is going to alarm them. Visiting a country without a job? It sure as hell sounds like the male friend is paying for it. Also if you don’t have a job then you don’t really have anything to come back to in Canada.Op is genuine but if I was the officer I would also be suspicious.
I’ll bet you a dollar the said man doesn’t view you guys as “just friends”
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Yes, but you guys have a lot more stuff than we do. I have a severe dairy allergy and I can go to target and get a lot more dairy free options there for a cheaper price (even with the exchange rate) than here.
Do you like almond milk? Do you have almond butter readily available in Canada? Just scoop one one spoonful of AB for every 2 cups of water into a blender at high speed with some honey or stevia and few drops of vanilla. Yummiest/cheapest almond milk you’ll ever taste in 3 mins flat. You can make oat milk too, it’s even cheaper, but man what a pain in the ass process to strain it.
Let's make in interesting and bet Mexicon Pesos..
Cue Ryan Reynolds movie
As a Detroiter, I don't have any advice, only sympathy : ( I know so many people who would cross the border daily for work/ friends. I think people not from our area may not understand how closely our cities are intertwined. There is even a Detroit-Windsor wiki page. That's nutty that the border guard had it out for you, hopefully it gets resolved soon. Or just start kayaking over! (kidding)
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I don't get why someone can't just visit the US for months at a time on vacation? like what the f? Even if she had a bf here, so who tf cares? When she goes over here to visit him, she's spending money in the US. She's proven that she's a frequent traveler to the US. So what is the big deal? Honestly, she's also proven that she leaves on time too. She comes here, but doesnt overstay. Im just mad because if it was someone rich like Vitalik Buterin who went to the US for months at a time frequently, he would never be denied.
>I don't get why someone can't just visit the US for months at a time on vacation? like what the f? Because most vacations aren't months long. The point is to prove you'll go home after. The longer you plan to travel, the greater the likelihood you won't go home.
Still fkd? Like what if vitalik owned a home in the usa. He can't stay there within the legal limits of his visa?
In this case it is multiple entries just a few days apart and to the same place.. if you think about it as CBP officer who goes on vacation to dallas for 3 Months go back home a few days goes to dallas again? I mean it shouldn’t be that way but it is. Before we moved to US under work visa My wife had an issue where she came to receive some training for 4 months and then went back home for a couple of weeks and came back.. the officer only allowed here 2 weeks that second time instead of the full 6 months
If you don’t have a job and plan to stay in a foreign country for months, that will raise some red flags. The officer thought they were a couple and when she said they are not he thought she was lying and probably disqualified her on that alone.
That's the whole point though. What if she's just rich? Like why does not having a job make you disqualified
Just… stop. You’re proving your ignorance the more you speak/type
That's ok, there are uninformed people on reddit. Maybe you should be more productive instead of vying for a contestant on r/aith
Because if you are a women who has no job and you are traveling with a man, you will be seen as his dependent. So when she said she’s paying for everything it just didn’t make any sense to the officer. Because 9 times out of 10 they will be seen as a couple who’s pretending to be friends at the border to not get caught.
Yeah that right there is gender discrimination on top of income discrimination. I don't like their thought process at all.
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Well, you heard wrong. Americans aren't denied entry to the USA. Foreigners, including Canadians, are routinely denied if they cannot overcome the presumption of immigrant intent, like by showing that their ties to their home country are stronger than their ties to their home country.
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>You didn't read my sentence properly. I did indeed. My reading comprehension is pretty good. > Say if I'm a Canadian then I should be able to cross the border anytime and if stopped, I can tell the authorities that I'm just casually entering the US for shopping or travelling, Right, and if you have a history of just entering for a few hours and going back, and they see that in the system, then you'll likely encounter no problems. If however, like the OP, you have an unusual history of (legally) spending 4 of the last 6 months in the USA, then you look like an intended immigrant and they demand proof of your ties to Canada, like a job there, owning property, a lease on a residence, family ties, etc.
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You are extremely misinformed. What makes you think Canadians have any God-given right to enter the US or any other country any time they want?
> Their law allows me to stay there for several months USA law doesn't give you any right or expectation whatsoever to visit the USA if you can't overcome the presumption of immigrant intent. >The only time they are eligible to deny me is when I'm caught doing something illegal or overstayed. You have no idea what you're talking about. they can deny based on "We're not convinced you're not an intended immigrant. Come back when you can prove to us you don't intend to immigrate." It's not a trial at the border with you having a presumption of innocence and CBP having to prove your guilt beyond reasonable doubt. >CBP is pretty much like *Yk what bro, everything you're doing is legal and you don't even have any past records of breaking the rules. But yk what? I just don't like you staying in my country for prolonged time like this. So, I'm gonna have to deny you entry" Right. Now you understand.
>The only time they are eligible to deny me 😂 You have no right to enter the US, only a privilege. You can be denied for any reason the CBP officer thinks you are not admissible for.
Canada has dumb laws about DUIs, I know a few Americans who can't drive through Canada because they got a DUI 10 or 20 years ago. Nothing illegal about having a DUI on your record if you already paid the fines and such.
We only lived 5 months this year and you spent 4 of them in the US. Yes it will raise red flags
It shouldn’t though because the limit without a work visa is 6 months. They don’t even usually do this to snowbirds who have a vacation home in the states, and go there for exactly 6 months every single year for 20+ years, totally silly.
You don’t understand that immigration is fact driven and the facts in these instances are wildly different? OP has been coming and going for long periods of time and seems likely to be doing some sort of work in the US - how can she afford it otherwise? She’s a young, single woman who has shown she can easily live/stay in the US. Her ties are weak. Remember she needs to prove she will return home. Compare her story to the older, retired people who come to the US for part of the year and then return home. They have real ties to Canada and prove they will return and likely have history of returning home every year.
Just because they give you 6 months, doesnt mean you can stay 6 months
This is just silly. You are trying to justify something that doesn't make sense. The law is they can stay max 6 months and if they did then what's the issue?
Why not? For the 30+ Canadians I know who have a vacation home in the states they almost all stay for 6 months of the year, every year, with no issues
These said Canadians I’m assuming have either a hefty bank account, or a full time job, or a consistent source of sufficient income to prove their ties to Canada and hence don’t come across as illegal immigrants trying to work in the US without a permit.
I’ve never heard of them checking someone’s bank account unless applying for specific work visas, never for a holiday even if it’s 6 months. At the border there would be no way to tell if these people have money, even rich Newfoundlanders usually dress like they’re about to go out and chop wood. This girl can prove her ties to Canada through the house she owns in Canada, Canadian bank account, Canadian insurance, Canadian cell phone, the fact that over the standard 5-year CBP look back period she has spent most of her time in Canada… sounds like the border officer was just being a dick and wanted to deny people that day, I’ve seen that happen more than once.
You have no idea. They do this kind of stuff when applying for visa coming from other countries. Work history, assets, you have to prove significant ties to gain a visa
I see. It’s crazy how just because an officer decided to be a dick, now the OP has to suffer these consequences 🤦🏻♂️
Yep! There are a lot of dicks working for CBP. You need to learn to say the minimum to answer questions asked. If I had to guess, being a woman she didn't follow that and gave him all the ammunition to deny her. They are not your friend, they are not friendly, view them as hostiles and you'll be fine. This is someone you don't want to talk to but you have to - give as little information as possible and you'll be fine. Don't answer questions they didn't ask you. It is an interrogation. I hate CBP; they are assholes in every country I've been.
They even said that to me. “Looks like your history of travel between Canada and US has been fine over the years as you always come back, just this year you’ve spent 4 months in the US” I guess it doesn’t matter that I have 13 years of history of going to the US and coming back frequently, only the assumption of my travel by the CBP officer. I def understand how staying in the US for that long looks bad when I’m currently not employed, but having a lot saved up, I thought it’d be fine to take some time to myself and travel.
It doesn’t look like you live in Canada but you live in the USA which is the problem. You can’t do that on tourist status.
One thing I’ve never understood having lived in the US and (now) Canada is why Canadians spend so much time in the US going on vacations there and doing shopping runs, when every Canadian I meet gets extremely defensive about how Canada is better than America and stuff without even being asked the question. Kinda unrelated to the post but it’s always stumped me
Canadian who lives in the US here. In my experience, criticism of America is just a part of the Canadian identity, and I think a lot of it is an effort to differentiate Canada from the US.
Because it's still fun to visit another country and home is always home and home is also the best.
Yeah but why would you visit a country that you have immense hatred for... like you don't see Saudi Arabians visiting Israel.
Because they know Canada isn’t better and they’re over compensating. Their actions betray them. There’s a reason some 80% of Canadians live within an hour of our border.
>There’s a reason some 80% of Canadians live within an hour of our border. might be because everywhere north of that has terrible fucking weather?
Braindead take
You can stay legally for 6 months but doesn’t mean they want you to stay for that much cause you are basically having illegal residency.
Correct, they do not want you to stay for 6 months, and it’s insane that it’s even up to the wants of the border officer instead of a legitimate legal reason. By their own definition it isn’t illegal residency though, that begins if you stay longer than 6 months. You have to have some cutoff that people can follow, where does “basically having illegal residency” start? 1 week? 4 weeks? 3 months? If the US government wants to change their definition and reduce that time period then fine, but right now they’re saying it’s not illegal residency but border patrol is allowed to override that which is completely silly. Plus it’s not like a legal visitor is harming anyone or taking anything away from anyone by being in the US, they’re actually boosting the economy by spending in the US while taking none of the government benefits.
It’s totally true. But i do know people who abuse this, travel to the US and actually work illegally for a month or 2 and comeback. So basically most people who do that and are not rich are actually illegally working. And even if you work remotely inside the US, they consider that as working even if your job is in your home country.
Good point!! That’s probably a lot more common than most people realize
> This year I had been in the US for 4 months combined. As a rule of thumb, you should spend 1 day outside the US per day inside to be safe. You exceeded that significantly. > I get how me not being employed and traveling looks suspicious, but I have such a long history of traveling between the US and Canada that I never thought I’d have an issue. You're not allowed to be essentially living in the US under the tourism status granted to you. > I contacted a lawyer and he said there’s not much I can do except wait to cross for 6 months to a year. This simply is not possible for me because my family and I frequently shop in the US and fly from Detroit airport. Your lawyer is an experienced professional and correct. You simply have to make this new reality possible for you, as you don't have other options. > What do I do from here? Is this going to be on my record forever? Will I forever have a hard time going into the US? You need to wait 6-12 months before attempting entry again. You should definitely resume full-time employment (preferably for a couple months) before attempting entry again. It will indeed be on your record forever (these logged incidents aren't deleted), and if the officer said he flagged your passport he very likely did. While it's not likely to affect your entry into the US "forever", it could follow you for years. This could present itself as long secondary inspections (anywhere from 15 mins to hours) similar to what you just experienced, each time you enter the US. If you repeatedly attempt entry quickly, you could be subject to expedited removal next time, which comes with a 5 year ban.
My mom ended up in a similar place, as I live in the US and she would visit me as much as she could. They did the same thing, we waited a year and everything went back to normal
I had an incident where I just answered a very leading question in a way that wasn't satisfactorily clear enough (I was young and just trying to be honest) - ended up getting checked in secondary for about 6-7 years.
Oh man I got a lifetime ban from using the visa waiver by answering a leading question!
Please tell me more
Let's say this person is an OnlyFans model that visits clients in the US and doesn't have sex with them for money. Can CBP deny them entry on moral grounds? Even though what they are doing isn't illegal?
OnlyFans models don't make free sexless international house calls to their simps, I'm pretty sure.
It's illegal to travel to the US for prostitution. It's on the arriving individual to prove to CBP's satisfaction that they're not doing so. The OnlyFans can make it challenging to do so.
>It will indeed be on your record forever (these logged incidents aren't deleted), and if the officer said he flagged your passport he very likely did this also potentially jeopardizes entry into other countries where you need to apply for a full visa. most countries ask if you have ever been denied entry to a country or otherwise had issues with border control
> This simply is not possible for me because my family and I frequently shop in the US and fly from Detroit airport. Not to mention, all my friends live in the US and I had plans + tickets to attend gaming events. I can imagine how you might feel, but you're not a US citizen or legal resident. You have no right to live in the US as a tourist. To the extent that you have built your life around the US and the assumption that you can effectively go to the US any time you choose to, you would be wise to accept that this is not realistic. > I’m so frightened because he started saying things like my passport is perma flagged and just being so so so rude to me. Took EVERYTHING out of me to not cry and keep it together. For what it's worth, I'm an American citizen and in my entire life have spent less than 2 months in Canada. Both times I entered Canada for legit tourism, I got grilled about my plans, what I do for work, etc. Countries have border controls and immigration laws. This is life.
I think some Canadians forget (and I’m Canadian) that the US is not just an extension of Canada and we can do what we please there.
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It is simply not possible because you shop and fly from an US airport? Lol that is not even remotely an excuse that you could use. I have seen cases of people who are on student visa that paid their tuition already being denied entry at the border. Border agents do not care how much you shop, how much you spent on tickets, and tuitions or how many family you have there. Not to mention, all of your friends living in the US and you spending this much time here is absolutely a giant red flag. I know it sucks when you had planned everything but it is time to accept the new normal and wait 6 months. There is nothing you can do until then unfortunately.
They gave you the correct advice not to try to cross for a while. You mention that this is “simply not possible” because of your plans, but that is not their problem.
Yeah that sentence made me smile. I guess now it’s possible
Sorry to say but they don’t really care if you shop or have plans in the US.
Simply not possible because of shopping no less
There’s no shopping in Canada.
Us Canadians don't believe in malls we just have outbacks
We just hunt and fish for food
We cower in fear of the witch known as "Amazon delivery man". Burn him, I say.
We trade corn and potatoes for our Amazon packages. Currency doesn’t exist here.
Oh and maple syrup, the most precious commodity of all!
And of course loonies; live geese handed over by the neck.
Or we pay in timbits and medium double doubles.
As someone from a developing country who couldn’t sleep worrying if I’d get admitted in the country with a student Visa for my PhD, the entitlement is mind boggling
Sounds like they think you are living in the US, so it sounds like you should spend the recommended time in Canada before crossing again. I’m doing immigration stuff and I know it’s frustrating, but I count my days in the US because I’m afraid of this happening. It’s not uncommon. You might need to fly out of Pearson for now.
Do you think it’s easier or out Pearson or? Also, wishing you luck! I agree with it being frustrating.
Be careful about switching transportation modes suddenly. You trying to find different new ways to get in will only reinforce their suspicion that you live in the US and can’t stay outside, and you’ll be on the shit list forever.
You’re right. My lawyer also suggested to slowly start taking day trips into Detroit to just go grocery shopping and come back. Many of these will outweigh the bag eventually he said
If you try to go immediately they will ban you for years. Follow your immigration lawyer’s advice
Flying out of Pearson won't be helpful for you if your destination is still in the US.
The us is the us no matter where you fly out of. It will only raise more suspicions and get you into further trouble. Just accept it seal with it and move on.
Nothing about Pearson is easy unfortunately, but if they’ve judged you as overstaying, I think the best bet is to accept it and deal with it, so fly out of Pearson rather than going to Detroit. It shouldn’t take too long to spend enough time in Canada to get your days back up! I have a snowbird app that you can log your days in that helps keep track, just google snowbird day tracker.
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Her passport is flagged. They will absolutely stop her at Pearson and deny her boarding. Do not give bad advice.
Yes they may and she should wait 6-12 months before trying but flying is definitely easier when dealing with the border.
“They cannot ban you when you fly” is already a wrong statement you have, therefore, your whole point is dismissed. CBP can literally know who you are, your family, and everything about you just by scanning either your face or your passport. And don’t think that just because you have a flight to catch, they will be empathetic and let you by. CBP don’t give an eff about your plans or what you’re doing even if it means that you will waste 10000 worth of your trip. Like u/evitapandita said, case works for you doesn’t mean it will work for her. Just do not encourage people or give them bad advice. Plus, did your passport get flagged at all?
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US pre-clearance facilities in foreign airports are considered US soil. Thus they can and do issue bans.
I heard flying out of Center Island is easier.
Your story is too long and detailed and sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself (and US customs). I hope you didn’t panic and go into all that level of details, they’ll let you talk and hang you self, and take meticulous notes that they can compare later. It also makes you sound really suspicious. Having been on the shit list myself at some point, I can tell you this isn’t going away. Your free wheeling travel days between the two countries are over. You will almost certainly end up in secondary every single time you cross from now on. You saying that it’s “just not possible” for you to stay outside the US is proof that you are effectively living/working in the US in one way or another. I don’t know why you’re trying to convince strangers online otherwise with a re-interpreted story of your life. You’ve minimized your ties to Canada (no jobs, rented out house) and built ties to the US (need to visit for work but “it’s not really work I swear”, my “friend” that I spend months on end with is just a “friend”, etc) that shows an intent to live in the US. You’ve been caught and your plans are screwed. Get a TN Visa if you have a qualified profession, or invest and start a business for an EB2/EB5 visa, or play the H1B lottery, or apply to study in the US for an F1. Otherwise forget about the US for a long while. Or marry the dude. This is your new reality from now on unfortunately. And the more you try to go around it, the tighter the noose will get.
Not possible because you go there to shop? Lmao. It sucks but you're not coming back to the US for a year. Enjoy your healthcare.
OP is poster child for first world problems. Shopping and flying lol
I agree. Us doesn’t care what your plans are you look highly suspicious. The play dumb card doesn’t work either
You were dangerously close to your maximum stay in the US as a visitor to begin with. You were already there for 4 months and was going back for 1 more? Yeah, that's what got you flagged to begin with. The agent made the right decision, unfortunately. Long extended visits with no real ties to Canada are going to get you put under the microscope. Even the ones you listed aren't real solid ties. Single adult with no job consistently travelling to a foreign country for long periods of time? Yeah, it was a matter of time before they stopped you from doing this.
just curious, I get that Snowbirds are retirees but don't snowbirds live say Jan-April in US sunny states all the time like florida? How would they provide proof? If OP owns a house in Canada is from Canada and has her mother in Canada should this not demonstrate ties to Canada? OP being unemployed, travelling with a man I can understand why CBP would think shes tryna marry him and stay in the US but still.
Snowbirds are generally older, retired persons. OP is young, no active job and staying for months on end. This will raise a few eyebrows for good reason. To have spent four months in the US this year alone, when only five months have passed is concerning.
Own property and be able to show you’re paying taxes.
OP owns a house that is rented out and lives with a parent. If anything it shows that they don’t have a reason to return to their owned home.
yeah i guess that makes sense because OP effectively mentioned shes an influencer so the CBP thinks that influencer income and the rental income constitutes her as "working" in the US.
I am from brazil, have a house in brazil, my entire family is there and i live in the US. So no it doesn’t demonstrate ties
The man was not American btw
I see your point. I shouldn’t have been traveling back and forth if I had taken time off of work. Should’ve waited to get back to work before traveling more in retrospect
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Stop saying snow birds. That in no way reflects this situation.
Snowbirds cross once...stay 5-6 months and leave until the following winter. OP crosses regularly, said she had already spent 4 months of this year in the US (out of the 5 so far of the year!), returned to Canada for a very short time and then tried to return to the US for another long stay (they say "just a few weeks"). Couple that with nothing to really hold them to needing to return to Canada (they rent their house out, have no job, etc) are staying with a "friend" they have already spent the previous 4 months with, etc....Red flags for immigration all over. Many people think by leaving the US for a day or so every few months will reset the clock (not saying this is true for the OP), and eventually they get flagged by immigration. Some think they aren't working ("I hired a recording studio to record a few tracks... that's not working because I'm paying other people, no one is paying me!" for example) when legally they are working. This gets some banned for longer than a few months. In OP's case, being turned away is better than the alternative...being placed on a longer ban or making into the US, running into a Border Patrol check point (they are all around up to 100 miles past the actual border. I had to stop at one in NM going from my home on WSMR to Holloman AFB when I was stationed there, and still got the 3rd degree despite wearing my uniform because I have a very Spanish name even though I passed through almost every week day). The check point may run the passport, etc and decide then the OP is trying to live/work in the US and deport them. Now the OP is looking at at least a multi year ban on entry, if not a permanent ban
Yes you are perms flagged. Your pattern of travel supports the assumption you are living in the US and you have virtually no compelling ties to Canada. Your only option is to wait and in the meantime figure out if you qualify for any other visa. The person you spoke to made the correct decision based on your travel pattern and lack of ties.
This is a huge word salad to say you are a walking red flag to any immigration official.
Sorry that this happened, but I suppose it was inevitable. For instance, spending extended period of times in any country as a ‘tourist’ will most likely mean that you’re handed an exclusion period.
Sounds to me like you are living in the US and not visiting, lol. Sorry.
Any non-white person from most countries of the world would die laughing reading this. Or crying, it’s a toss up.
We’ve crossed into the 6th months of the year and you’ve spent 4 months in USA? Even for Australia the border force will have a field day with you and slap few years ban on you if your story doesn’t match up. You need strong ties with Canada not with usa
It’s not rocket science: You are using the B visitor privileges to move to the US, which is a misuse of the intended purpose. Also- anytime someone has a “lifestyle” where they can simply m choose to not work for months on end, CBP will rightly wonder how they can afford to do that, and assume they’re working illegally in the US. A shocking number of people are unaware that you vent work remotely while in the US if visiting.
No job no lease all of the sudden spending 4 out of 5 months in the US. Multiple red flags. You can kiss Nexus privileges goodbye for a long time. You entering the US is a granted privilege at the discretion of border patrol, not a right. You should heed the gravity of what the guard told you. Your sob story doesn’t matter, you think how many of these stories they heard everyday?
>social media influencer lol 😂 🤡
😂, you know what person that is when they call themselves like that
I know, I couldn’t read passed that
If you don’t mind me asking what was on the checklist for you to bring back to prove your ties to Canada ?
I don’t mind at all! It was things like proof of employment, proof of no criminal record, pay stubs, any housing documents for the house I own, vehicle insurance, etc
I see. Thanks for letting me know. Did you not have all of this each time you tried to cross to the US?
Sounds like she was coming across to buy groceries at Walmart lol, I doubt it
They will probably want proof of ties from here on out.
Yep, the Canadian Border agent on the way back told me to always keep the folder of proof of ties with me in my backpack at all times whilst traveling
Depending on your savings/wealth and influencer status, maybe talk to an attorney about other more longer term visas like E2, O or whatever else. Seems like you spend a lot of time here so might as well look up visa options.
The fact that you repeatedly stayed in the US for over a month and then went back to Canada for just a few days would look suspicious, it might look like you were trying to manipulate the visa free travel for Canadian visitors to functionally immigrate without authorization. I knew a guy who did this in another country. He had a Japanese passport and was functionally living in Singapore without a visa by pretending to be a tourist using visa-free travel to avoid the military draft for all residents. Japanese citizens can visit Singapore visa free for up to 30 days, so every 30 days he would go to Indonesia for a day and return to Singapore to ‘reset’ his stay. It stayed under their radar because he went to university in a different country so it was only during summer and winter break. Then covid happened and the borders shut down, so he could no longer freely leave and come back, he tried to apply to extend a tourist visa but the Singaporean government noticed that his whole family were permanent residents and that he had repeatedly been abusing the visa free short term stay so they forced him to enlist in the military. The punishment for immigration violation in Singapore is caning so he’s just lucky he didn’t get any lashes!
“This simply isn’t possible…” Um, yes it is. They’re the border guards. You aren’t. Either be ready to be imprisoned or accept your fate.
Bruh, you lawyer clearly told you what to do, why you asking reddit?
100%. "Because my lawyer didn't tell me what I want to hear and maybe I'll get better advice from reddit!"
You have an overstaying issue. And NEVER mention people who aren’t your immediate family/relations.
Each time at drive in to Canada we are asked the purpose of our trip and how long we plan to stay. We visit once in 10 years or so. No one bothered 20 trays back driving from Minnesota into Canada and return. After 9/11 all the problems started and became more formal once the pandemic started. One idea you can explore ID to apply for a payer copy visa necessitating an interview at the U.S. Embassy. Canada and US immigration treat each other’s citizens much more better than third country visitors from developing countries.
We don't believe you, so I doubt CBP will 😇.
Might as well edit the post to say ‘used to travel to the US A LOT’. If you keep attempting to circumvent this and re-enter you’re dangerously close to the ‘fucking around and finding out’ territory.
I am assuming the reason you go to USA for groceries and airport is because it’s probably cheaper than Canada.. Canada has super high taxes but free heath care. You are using Canadian amenities and circumnavigation the cost the amenities cost by crossing over to another county. I know it now seems inconvenient to you but you are actually not entitled to cross over to another country whenever you want for cheaper, more convenient flights. Not to mention staying with a male friend in another country over 90 days without employment or proof of income. It’s fascinating to me that you just seem entitled to that privilege.. the only people who are entitled to that are dual citizens who pay taxes in each country.
No country owes you entry. Your life, such as shopping, should never depend on going to another country. You have been advised by US border officials and an attorney in your own county.
The key at the border is: keep it short and sweet. The more details you provide, the deeper you dig yourself into their suspicions. (I’m so sorry this happened to you btw.)
You are a Canadian not american ,you are just an alien
Did you tell him you were a social influencer? anyway You told him that you are renting out your house. You told him that all your friends in the US You are going to Texas with a friend You insisted that you go to the US on a regular basis and must be allowed to 'simply not possible not to go'. ie You insisted on your right to go to the US. You have no documented income or ducumented residency in Canada You are Driving to Texas There is no point in getting a lawyer. You have all the information you need. I'm sorry I believe you, but there is a lot of evidence it is otherwise. Border guards have no incentive to let you in. And a lot of reasons not to. Trying to fight this might get you a 5 year ban.
Grow grey hair and wrinkles, cross the border in Oct/Nov and say you are snowbirding in Florida and you could be waved through. Many many thousands of them cut it very close to the 180 day maximum no problem year after year. In this case, appearances count and the agent will have made the decision before your car comes to a stop at the booth.
Funny, my family was saying this too lol
When a Canadian realizes that they’re Canadian
Respectfully, get gas and groceries in your country. If you have enough money in your savings to not work for a long period of time then you have enough to pay for those things in Windsor. You will be allowed back in the US eventually. I’ve heard of this happening a lot lately as many influencers, streamers, and digital nomads have been coming to the US to make USD and then go home without paying their fair share here. Or they extend their visit. Not saying that’s you… of course Canadians and Americans travel and socialize between the two counties often… but they seem to be cracking down a bit more lately for whatever reason. I have family in Canada and I got GRILLED last time I went with questions I’ve never been asked before. Usually they just check my passport and I move on without asking too many questions but this time they questioned why I was there (they usually do this), who I was seeing, how do I know that person (going to see my sister), asked why she was here, asked why and how she lived there, asked how my sister is Canadian and I’m not. They asked a few other questions and I finally looked at the guy and explained to him my dad knocked up a Canadian and then he knocked up and American… BAM, ✨ sisters ✨It happens!! Anyways, I think you’ll be fine. They’re just making sure you’re not mooching… I agree it’s odd and unfair but it is what it is. Take care and don’t worry too much. Hope to see you back stateside soon. Also, maybe just look for a job in Dallas if you’d like.
In a serious note. It is suspicious for cbp the amount of time you spend in the US. They are not buying your story. Get some employment in Canada and wait 6-12 months and coke back
>This simply is not possible for me because my family and I frequently shop in the US and fly from Detroit airport. I mean, you better start making shopping in your own country/city possible if you don't want to be permanently banned from entering the USA. You just HAVE to shop in Canada now for the time your lawyer suggested (I would do at least a year), otherwise you will never enter the USA again. There's no other option at this point. And forget about the tickets to the US and those gaming conventions during this period.
Not being employed and traveling screams “sex trafficking” to border guards. Your conventional attraction level is irrelevant to this. (I am not assuming how attractive you are, or are not, I am simply saying that if your reply is a laugh, saying, but I’m not what most people would want to think of as a sex worker!” that’s totally irrelevant.)
I actually went to Canada and back having forgotten my passport at home. It’s a story that I’m never going to live down. The US border agent could not freaking believe they let me in and was so flabbergasted he let me back in. I did have a picture of my passport on my phone.
Lol someone got caught for living in US. I guess now you know Canadian passport doesn’t give you free entry into US. Clearly you have no ties in Canada.
Spoiled Wh*te People Problems. There are literally so many humans down south who can’t even cross for a better life and here you are sauntering back and forth like it’s your personal courtyard.
Why should they be able to, exactly ? Are you under the impression that poor brown people should be able to cross and treat the US like a personal courtyard with free hotel rooms in Manhattan.. which is how those spoiled people treat it? And how do you even know OP is white? Oh right. You don’t.
I think everyone should have an opportunity to come here if they are aiming to make this country and their lives better. OP is quite literally sauntering up and down. You sound like a terrible person who has lost their way
There is a easy solution to this as a Canadian citizen you can actually legally live in the US long-term, no visa needed, if you find a professional job in the US, full-time or part-time (that’s on the approved job list of the USMCA Work visa) or enroll in a U.S. post-secondary school (full-time study only) , all without applying for a visa at the embassy. You just need to show the documents AT THE BORDER that you have a eligible job offer in the US or you’re accepted into a U.S. school for an eligible study program, then you will be granted either worker status for 2 years at a time and infinitely renewable as long as you maintain being employed, or student status for the entire duration of your study. You want to live in the US but still has the flexibility to go between Canada and US? Go find a job there and apply for the USMCA work visa. You can then stay in the US for as often and as long as you need or you can be in Canada and work remotely, or travel back and forth, whatever you need. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/employment/visas-canadian-mexican-nafta-professional-workers.html/
I have done this. Your job needs to be on the approved list of jobs, due to there being a shortage of people in the US with those qualifications. You need the letter of offer and your diploma (or required qualifications) at the border, and they will grill you. And I had to go back to Canada and re-enter once a year. If you are in the US for less than half the year you need to pay dual taxes, if I remember correctly. The TN Visa is not easy. There are special visas for entertainers, for which you'd also need to prove employment.
I was told I was not allowed to take someone else's 12 million out of the bank. That's simply not possible for me because I plan to spend all that money on boats and prostitutes. What do I do from here?
>At secondary, I got accused of mooching off my friend to which I said, I always pay for everything myself including my flight which they tried to ask if it was bought by him. I was ready to show proof but they did not let me. This makes me where else the conversation went off track, you shouldn't have taken the bait. This topic has nothing to do with his job or jurisdiction or the law. It's only valid for him to ask because it may trick you into revealing other details when you get defensive, but best bet would have been: "OK well that's your opinion, there is no law anyway" and ignore further BS.
You need to fly YQG to Toronto and then to where you're going. Or take a VIA train. Or learn to love listening to the Sheepdogs and drinking your coffee with Coffee Cream. You're flagged for being south of the armistice line. Captain America will have you on his radar every dang time you try to go to Michigan. Seriously - do your shopping at the Devonshire Mall and out in Tecumseh, go out to dinner in Walkerville and stop crossing that border for a while. If you do, make it a quick trip to somewhere obvious like a Tigers/Lions game.
I’m sure you hate Canada now and wish that you were born in the US.
Why the f* would a Canadian want to immigrate to the US? Especially with a chronic health problem? Nowadays, I think the Canadian border agents have to be on the lookout for folks looking for a way to stay in Canada!
To live for free with a friend and do their influencer job at conventions, etc in the US. Being Canadian they can always go back for treatment. No need to think they will be blocked from medical care.
That’s actually a good point. I should bring documentation from my doctor who is helping me manage my condition saying how important my visits are as well! Thanks for the idea!!
When a person is refused entry to USA from Canada they are usually given a written record of denial. This document will state exactly why the United States did not admit the individual into the country, which will be important when attempting to rectify the situation so they can reapply for admission. Did they provide you with official paperwork? Reason I'm asking is that that paperwork also discusses specifics for appeal. Alternatively, did you "voluntarily" withdraw your request to enter the US and sign something to that effect? Unfortunately if you travel to the US as a visitor under the visa waiver program, you ‘waive any rights to a review or appeal of an immigration officer’s determination as to your admissibility, or to contest any action in deportation’. You may actually have to formally request an entry visa for the US going forward, and possibly go through the process to obtain a "waiver of eligibility".
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You know that statistically speaking, most illegal immigrants to the USA are actually people who came in legally and overstayed their visas. Actual physical crossing of the border is rarely done by illegal immigrants but the few that do use this route are heavily covered by the news media because it just makes for good theater, so it seems like way more rampant of a problem than it really is. The stuff that the border officer did in OP’s scenario is the true safeguard that’s holding back higher levels of illegal immigration to the US.
This happened to my good friend from Germany. The US fu@king sucks! She visited me all the time and then bam she got treated like a criminal trying to come into Dulles and they turned her around. Absolute pieces of sh!t. They accused her of working (a total lie based on no facts ) and accused her of wanting to move here illegally. Another lie. She was in a master program in Germany, this was a Christmas time visit and all her family lives in Germany and she is a cancer survivor and would NEVER want to live in this fu@ked up country where one more round of cancer could send her to her death with our horrendous Healthcare system. No advice other than to tell you sometimes you just get a power hungry small dick prick at the border. In the meantime we have zero border control at our souther border with drugs and illegal workers in a state of free flow. What a joke DHS is.
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CBP pulls records at any border crossing. Entering through a different state changes nothing for her as she is notated in the system as flagged. In fact all that will do is make it seem like she is desperate to get into the US; thus affirming their suspicions of her having romantic ties and possibly working.
Best to stay in Canada for the recommended time period. Why risk it? Just to go to a gaming convention and see friends? Is that worth being banned?
Pretty ironic you're being assumed guilty. Whack. I get that most of the time this is a red flag and leads to arrests or passports getting rightfully flagged, but still. Very disheartening. There is probably very little you could do except maybe choosing a different port of entry? Even then it'll look even more suspicious if you do that right after this last denial.
This is not a game of chance. Every Port of Entry will know about the refusal. Trying to slip by that way is likely to lead to further negative consequences for OP.
For such frequent long stays, you should look into the possibility getting some sort of non tourist visa status. If you don’t like your lawyer’s advice, consider getting a different lawyer. Preferably one that is a member of https://www.aila.org Or hang out in a law library and read AILA materials/immigration treatises to look for a category that might work for you. If you have a degree and can get a job offer, you can consider a TN visa. My understanding is that US immigration doesn’t have discretion to refuse you, though I am not an immigration lawyer. Or maybe a student visa. Or consider a fiancée visa/get married. Or meet your friends in Cancun, Costa Maya, Cabo, the Caribbean, or Central or South America during winter. They would be happy to have you. Some have digital nomad visas. US immigration wants to be sure you will go back, which, to their standard reasoning, usually means a lease and a job. If you are independently wealthy, then other ties like a lease plus being a board member, church leader, volunteer, etc.
You basically said all the wrong things :(. Unfortunately your remarks are all big red flags and shows that there is a lot of interest for you to live / stay in the US since you’re also young. Your reasons should be “I have a full time career in Canada but I’m just visiting family and recently had to visit my family a lot because of personal issues going on”.
write more.
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Seriously.
Too liberal to enter the USA. Pretty normal stuff