dimon237

Now it's my time to right a little experience review of my landing.

First of all my timline:
Category: SW, Single, Buffalo, Currently in Canada
Applied Sept 30, 2003
AOR Oct 07, 2003
IA May 27, 2004
RCMP sent May 27, 2004
Meds sent July 09, 2004
Add'l Docs June 29, 2004
PP request: Nov 04, 2004 (dated Oct 20, 2004)
Landed: Nov 09,2004

I recieved a passport request on Nov 4, 2004. I decided not leave anything to chance and get a visa myself (or almost myself). I live in Canada, but did not have a US visa, so I asked my friend to come with me and go to the states to submit and recieve my passport. We left around 7am and were at the border around 8:40. I stayed in Niagara Fall in Sheraton hotel lobby with my laptop and was doing some work in the mean time. I gave my friend my passport, passport request and a notarized authorization to do everything on my behalf.
From what he told me, the experience was pretty much like the one in yogi's post. When he got back around 2pm, he handed me an envelope with COPR, my passport with visa attached, a letter explaining what to do and a little card with a reference to some website for newcommers (was too excited to pay attention).
While I was in Niagara Falls, I walked into the immigration building and found out what I had to do to land. They told me I had to go to the States, get refused enterance and come back.
That's exactly what I did. My friend was driving, so I left him in Niagara Falls and decied to walk to the States (you can do that on Rainbow bridge, maby somewhere else). I paid 50cents and started walking. When I got to the US side, I walked into a little building where I met US immigration. I told them that I need to land, so I need them to refuse entry for me. They've asked me to wait. I sat down. 15 minutes have gone by - nothing. I see them standing and just chatting. I ask "how much longer", they say "ok, ok come here". After thier typing, checking my passport and some attitude I get a paper saying that I am refused entry. I walk back. Come into the customs booth and tell them I need to land. They ask me if I have any goods coming later, I say no. The guy asks me to go to the immigration across. I go in and is greeted by A LOT friendlier folks. They asked if I was landing and took my docs. The guy checked the COPR and my visa and started typing. Then asked me to go with him and take a picture. After that, he replaced the picture on the COPR and gave me another 3 "for your fridge"
Now comes the part that nobody seemed to be able to answer. He asked if I had any money with me "or everything is already in Canada" (I have a work permit, and recieved arranged employment points"). I say "offcourse, I have a car, appartment and all the rest of it for some years now" He says ok and PUTS 0 FOR MONEY IN POSSESSION field on COPR. He give me a copy of the COPR and my passport back and says that I will get the PR card in 6-8 weeks. "Have a good day" he says and I walked out of the building a landed immigrant. That's it. Amazingly, when I recieved my AOR, the generic letter said that it will take about 60 weeks to complete my application and IT DID!!!

Good luck to everyone waiting and thank you to all who helped me and is still helping others. This forum is sure a great comfort in such a nurve wrecking experience. Thanks again.

NathanS

Congrats!!!

LadyTyger

Congrats!!!

dimon237

BTW here are some tips from me personally:
1. I'm attaching a file with instructions for more automated way to check eclient status for paranoid people like me
2. Numbers to call RCMP to check status for your clearance (although most of the time they're useless):
613-998-6362 (published)
613-998-6361 (I was given this when I dropped by RCMP)
613-993-4690 (same as above)

3. I did my medicals at a DMP in TO for CAD120, that about 100 bucks less than average. Here is the doctors office number: (416) 921-4532
4. Don't worry too much if you're within general timeframe. +/- 4-6 weeks from the timlines you see here with similar circumstances is completley normal. You can start scratching if you're way off (maybe 4-6 month)
5. ALWAYS ALWAYS use premium postal services (FedEx, UPS, DHL etc) to make sure things get there and you'll know exactly when.
6. If you're applying without help, read instructions, CIC manuals and everything else (OFFICIAL) you can find to make sure you're not any blank spots. Do not read into things, just read them. What I mean is, a lot of people read a document and get what they think is there, but it's not.

yogi799

Hi Dima

Congrats, first of all. Finally your deal is over.

I do have several questions, though. Are you sure that being "refused entry" to the US is such a sweat deal and is so funny as everyone thinks??? Now they probably have you in the system and whenever you try to visit the USA in the future you might be denied entry just because of this silly incident! (sometimes they work like this: once denied, always denied...) Did you consider that at all? I think it is weird that Canadian officials told you to go get refused - it's like telling someone, "go drive 250km/h on QEW and get pulled over".... They asked you to do something illegal -attempting to cross border without documentation.

Secondly, I have heard that on some border bridges or other crossings there are medians which you can cross in the middle of the bridge and return to where you came from BEFORE hitting another side's immigration booths - in case you forgot your documents, etc. Was in not the case there? Could you have not returned to Canada while you were already on the bridge, WITHOUT attempting entry to USA (which you clearly did not mean to do in the first place)?

kenshin78

Hi Yogi,
I live in Toronto and still waiting for my passport to be returned from Buffalo. I will land as soon as I receive my passport. I am too planning to land on Niagara Falls border.

After reading your post, it seems like I should not go to US immigration and get a rejection letter. So, what should I do in this case? Any advice would be greatly appreciate. Thanks!

dimon237

I asked both Canadian Immigration and US about this and they said that it will not effect anthing as this is just a procedural formality, athough I have exactly the same reservations as you. Just whenever you try to get a US visa and you have to answer whether you have ever been refused entry, just right "yes" and explain the whole thing. I know that thousands of people are doind this and I have not heard of any of them having any further problems.

kenshin78

Hi Dimon,
Thanks for your reply, it clears thing up

Hopefully, I will get my passport back soon ...

Jonny

This might sound stupid but can't you just leave Canada without trying to enter the US and then just turn around and re-enter Canada to land. This does the same thing but without being refused entry. This is what we've been told to do at the US border near Vancouver.

I just can't see being refused entry as having no consequences later on in life...

dimon237

On Rainbow bridge you can go into the Immigration building without even being on the bridge, but they won't do anything unless you have the refusal. At least that what they said and I've read this from other people as well. I did not insist on anything else as getting landed for me was far more important than potentially some day do to the States

yogi799

Well, just hope that when they ask if you've ever been refused they will actually WANT TO hear your explanation... They may stop you before you ever come to this point. To me that's bunch of bull, honestly - I think they directed you to a huge mess that may hunt you forever. Looks like Canadian officers don't care too much about immigrants - I don't think telling someone to do something illegal is a common practice among 'native' Canadians. It's unreal, never heard of something like that in ANY country, especially well developed North America...

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kenshin78

So, any suggestions for me to land on Niagara Falls?

dimon237

Yogi, it's just USA no big deal. But seriously, a lot of people I know get an american visa right after they do this procedure.

yogi799

Whichever is true, good luck to you in the future, dima.

Kenshin, you seem to wonder which way to proceed... Have you thought about leaving for home (taking a little celebratory vacation and time off) and then coming back to Canada while doing your first official landing? I think that's what I'd do in Dima's and others' shoes. If one can't enter the USA, then might as well go back abroad to their countries and then land.


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kenshin78

You're absolutely right, I wonder which way I should proceed!
Yeah, going back to my home country is a good idea, but it is probably too late to book the air ticket now. Besides, I have no idea how long does it take to get my passport back