Yasmina2005

Hello,

Canadian permanent resident studying in the USA (F-1 Visa) has to give away his I-94 card upon entering Canada by bus from The Blackpool Border Crossing commonly known as the International Boundary. It connects Champlain, New York and St-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec...

Please share whether the Canadian Officer would take the I-94 from him without being reluctant. He is traveling by Bus..
Any advice to this student

Thank you,

ian-mstm

Let the officer take the I-94... if the officer wants it. A new one will be issued when the student returns to the US as long as the student has his passport (and visa) with him.

Ian

airbusfan

Also need an endorsed I-20 from the school if the student is still studying full time at the University.

crg

If the F-1 is taking a short trip to Canada and returning to attend school, the student should not give up the I-94. The student reuses it to come back to the US. A new one can be issued upon return, but it will cost six dollars and could take hours depending on how busy it is.

If the F-1 isn't coming back or coming back as a different category the I-94 should be surrendered upon departure to the Canadian official.

Steve_

Yeah, you don't surrender it if you're planning on going back to the US, it's multiple entry.

I always think airline check-in are the worst for this, they seem to automatically want to yank the thing out of your passport and then you have to explain you're not a tourist.

The problem then is that you go back to the US and if you aren't paying attention and CBP aren't paying attention they enter you as a tourist rather than the category you're in (although I suppose this isn't as likely for other nationalities as they'll have a visa in their passport). I know someone who had this happen to her recently, the inspector entered her as a visitor rather than F-1 by mistake, because the airline took the I-94 on her way out.

CBSA usually ask if you want to surrender it. Then you have the reverse problem, you keep the I-94 when you should have given it up, but that's not a problem in this scenario.