simongrounds

My 1 year (BUNAC) work permit expires in under 3 weeks, I am not working. We are heading to the states for a few days this weekend. I am wondering if I can be stamped, back into Canada, as a visitor on my return? Instead of applying for a change of status.

My PR (spousal sponsorship) is currently being processed in London.

Thanks in advance

Simon

Lethe

If you have a valid work permit it's my understanding that they don't stamp your passport on your way back in. Is there a reason you don't want to apply for a change of status?

simongrounds

It would be easier, and cheaper (free), to be stamped in as a visitor!

Aviator

You can also be denied entry as a visitor.

simongrounds

How likely is that?!

Aviator

There is no certainty until you show up at the border and try to get in. Even if it is a remote possibility, it is still a possibility.

simongrounds

Oh well, I won't let that worry me

jericho

My TWP expired the other day, although I'm waiting to hear if an extension has been provided. In the meantime, I have implied status.
However, my lawyer has told me in no uncertain terms that I should NOT leave the country as there is a high probability I could be denied re-entry.

Lethe

I think it's more likely than not in all honesty, you may get an awesome border officer who lets you through no problem but you may get a real hard liner and if you can't prove intention to leave (and funding) they don't have to let you in and may not. It's only $75 for piece of mind and I believe they will refund it if your PR is granted prior to them getting round to processing your application to extend (which is very possible as I still haven't heard about my extension and have just been granted PR). I absolutely would not risk it. I live right on the border and the temptation was great but not worth it!

admissiblebrit

I've been denied entry at the US/Canadian border a few years ago long before i got PR, this was after a day trip and it wasnt a pleasant experience. It took me a month of hassle in the US to get everything straightened out to get back in. So being from UK and having a PR app in doesnt mean anything CBSA can deny you. If you dont have prrof of funds to support your stay and proof you will leave canada you're in for a hard lesson in border politics unless you get a nice officer. I got a real prick he didnt even care my kids were canadian. Coming off a BUNAC and trying to re enter as a visitor means you're probabaly gonna get grilled at secondary. Do yourself a favor forget the trip and apply for an inland extension/change of conditions to change to visitor. If that fails then you can apply for restoration of status, by the time thats all been done likley hood is you'll prolly have your PR from CHC london

simongrounds

I have just returned from a 4 day trip to Washington State (where I met, the jazz legend, Herbie Hancock!).

Immigration was no problem, they stamped me in as a visitor for 6 months, ample time for my PR to come through.

I was completely upfront with the border staff, letting him know that my work permit was expiring within 2 weeks. I was also with my Canadian wife, we also showed him her sponsorship approval letter and discussed my PR application (currently in London)

My advice for anyone else doing this; be prepared (take some paperwork with you), be honest and upfront with the border staff (I started talking as soon as I passed over the passports), travel with you wife/common law partner (if applicable/possible).

All in all a great weekend; we saved money on tires, met a living legend and saved $75 and some form filling!

admissiblebrit

Congrats it's so much nicer when you get a nice cbsa officer

cheepnis

Simon,

tell us more about meeting HH! How'd it happen - a festival performance?

simongrounds

So.... the show was at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. After the show we crept into the zoo! I'd already checked out a map, so we headed to the orangutan enclosure, where a funky dude swung down and greated us!! It was very cool! Then an alarm went off, which scared our new friend! We though we'd better get out of there, so headed back towards the stage, where we wandered into backstage, we saw this portercabin where Herbie was giving signatures!

Herbie's manager was a Brit so I got chatting to him and was about to leave, being pretty satisfied with seeing Herbie. But then my wife piped up "Herbie, my husband loves you!", to which Herbie got up and came over. I shook his hand and told him how much I love Head Hunters (at the show he played so much of his funky stuff from the 70s) and Future2Future. We then posed for a photo with him!

An amazing evening!!

cheepnis

cheers for that, lucky sod.

love all his stuff. but recently I've been relistening to his early '80s album "lite me up", produced by rod temperton aka the brit who wrote thriller. can't get enough of his vocoder!