My experiance at Toronto Airport ( H1B + Cdn PR returning )
Jul 8th 2001, 2:46 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hello,
I had landed in Vancouver a month ago and had subsequently returned back to the US.
I had to go to toronto for an interview, these are my experiances:
1) Northwest flight from Detroit to Toronto, no one asked about the I-94.
2) Filled up the canada customs form, there were 12 lanes open at the airport when we
landed, all were idle, the lady asked me: purpose of coming to canada, my answer:
for the interview. how long since you are coming back ? answer: 3 weeks ago I was
in Vancouver, I went back to the US and am coming back. how long will you be in
canada , answer: if I get the job I need to come back with my wife. All questions
were asked very politely and nicely, although in a bit bored and sleepy fashion (
it was 8:20 am ). My landing paper was stamped with the date ( not the passport )
and I submitted the customs form to another officer down the line and I was
done..a 30-60 second procedure
3) On my way back, filled up the US customs form and presented myself to the "gateway
to the USA" , the officer asked my visa type and looked at my white I-94 card,
slid my H1 visa ( which is not expired but from my prev. company and the
underlying petition for that has been cancelled ) , asked how many days in canada
...I said 2. she remarked that I need only the I-94 to come back and stamped the
customs form that I submitted, again no entry on the passport...entire procedure
30-60 seconds again. Also all Qs asked in a very nice way.
So my observations are:
4) H1 visa stays valid until its expiry , DOES NOT matter if the visa is from a
previous company and that company has cancelled its H1 petition. I was carrying my
new H1 xfer approval notice but no one looked at it. I got the same input from the
officer at Peace Arch in Blaine, WA ( the H1 visa is not employer specific, the
approval notice
is )
2) Canadian officers dont ask about US status , US officers dont ask for
Canadian status.
3)Both US and Candaian Officers are very polite and professional. if you have your
visas and docs in order, you have no problems at all.
4) I had heard a lot of bad experiances from Pearson airport, but this one is one of
the good ones..
5) So far I have been to canada 3 times now ( twice by land at two crossings in BC/WA
and once by Air here in toronto ) at all the times no problems in immigration
procedings at all.
-s
I had landed in Vancouver a month ago and had subsequently returned back to the US.
I had to go to toronto for an interview, these are my experiances:
1) Northwest flight from Detroit to Toronto, no one asked about the I-94.
2) Filled up the canada customs form, there were 12 lanes open at the airport when we
landed, all were idle, the lady asked me: purpose of coming to canada, my answer:
for the interview. how long since you are coming back ? answer: 3 weeks ago I was
in Vancouver, I went back to the US and am coming back. how long will you be in
canada , answer: if I get the job I need to come back with my wife. All questions
were asked very politely and nicely, although in a bit bored and sleepy fashion (
it was 8:20 am ). My landing paper was stamped with the date ( not the passport )
and I submitted the customs form to another officer down the line and I was
done..a 30-60 second procedure
3) On my way back, filled up the US customs form and presented myself to the "gateway
to the USA" , the officer asked my visa type and looked at my white I-94 card,
slid my H1 visa ( which is not expired but from my prev. company and the
underlying petition for that has been cancelled ) , asked how many days in canada
...I said 2. she remarked that I need only the I-94 to come back and stamped the
customs form that I submitted, again no entry on the passport...entire procedure
30-60 seconds again. Also all Qs asked in a very nice way.
So my observations are:
4) H1 visa stays valid until its expiry , DOES NOT matter if the visa is from a
previous company and that company has cancelled its H1 petition. I was carrying my
new H1 xfer approval notice but no one looked at it. I got the same input from the
officer at Peace Arch in Blaine, WA ( the H1 visa is not employer specific, the
approval notice
is )
2) Canadian officers dont ask about US status , US officers dont ask for
Canadian status.
3)Both US and Candaian Officers are very polite and professional. if you have your
visas and docs in order, you have no problems at all.
4) I had heard a lot of bad experiances from Pearson airport, but this one is one of
the good ones..
5) So far I have been to canada 3 times now ( twice by land at two crossings in BC/WA
and once by Air here in toronto ) at all the times no problems in immigration
procedings at all.
-s
Jul 8th 2001, 2:56 pm
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Thanks for the input.
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Jul 8th 2001, 3:10 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
"Syder_sayez" <[email protected]> wrote ...
>
The I-94 is supposed to be turned in to the Canadian authorities, when taking a
commercial transport from the U.S. to Canada. This is stated on the reverse of the
form. Unless it is a non-immigrant visa (as opposed to a visa waiver) and it is still
valid and needed to re-enter the US.
>
>
>
What interview? While the customs inspector should have asked more clarifying
questions, it also helps to be specific and informative in your answers. Especially
at 8:20 am.
>
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>
You have confused me. Where are you getting the job? Where are you presently living?
What is your status in Canada? Are you planning to be outside of Canada more than 183
days in any 12 month period?
>
>
>
Your LANDING paper was stamped with the officer's date stamp?!? This is not a
procedure that customs officers do. The customs officer's port stamp, when used at
the primary line, is to admit a traveller for a period of 6 months. We may stamp ON
REQUEST Canadian passports, but Cdns have right to enter and do not require the
cachet. We do not stamp IMM1000's at primary, because permanent residents also have
right of entry. The stamp is also used to stamp the E311 Customs Declaration Card in
order to show that your declaration was made and point of finality reached at primary
to a customs officer, therefore fulfilling your legal obligation to report and answer
all questions truthfully under the Customs Act and Immigration Act.
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We sometimes do ask about US status, but not usually at the primary line. For
example, I have occasionally had travellers who were permanent residents both of the
US and Canada. In this case, we will ask clarification of their status, as a person
cannot be a permanent resident of both countries.
>
>
On this point I can concur. When I have seen my colleagues acting up, it is usually
because a traveller isn't aware of the procedures, is being dishonest, or
argumentative, or downright rude. Me personally, I try very hard never to let a
traveller's actions get me upset -- I realize that people sometimes are comign from
wide and varied personal experiences. For example, they may have been rerouted, had
to wait several hours at strange airports, or may have suffered a loss in the family.
If they are upset at me, I don't take it personally. However, at the end of the day,
I must still arrive at a point of finality with the declaration, and it is made much
easier when both the traveller and the myself, the inspector, co-operate.
>
>
Look at it this way -- even if customs and immigration officers WANTED to give people
a hard time all the time, the volume alone would prevent it from happening. Terminal
3 (where you would have arrived, on Northwest Airlines) has up to 25-30,000
passengers enter from the US and Internationally each DAY. This is equal to the
monthly average at Ottawa's MacDonald-Cartier Int'l Airport.
>
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Glad to hear it!
- wzombie A customs inspector at PIA - Toronto
>
The I-94 is supposed to be turned in to the Canadian authorities, when taking a
commercial transport from the U.S. to Canada. This is stated on the reverse of the
form. Unless it is a non-immigrant visa (as opposed to a visa waiver) and it is still
valid and needed to re-enter the US.
>
>
>
What interview? While the customs inspector should have asked more clarifying
questions, it also helps to be specific and informative in your answers. Especially
at 8:20 am.
>
>
>
>
>
You have confused me. Where are you getting the job? Where are you presently living?
What is your status in Canada? Are you planning to be outside of Canada more than 183
days in any 12 month period?
>
>
>
Your LANDING paper was stamped with the officer's date stamp?!? This is not a
procedure that customs officers do. The customs officer's port stamp, when used at
the primary line, is to admit a traveller for a period of 6 months. We may stamp ON
REQUEST Canadian passports, but Cdns have right to enter and do not require the
cachet. We do not stamp IMM1000's at primary, because permanent residents also have
right of entry. The stamp is also used to stamp the E311 Customs Declaration Card in
order to show that your declaration was made and point of finality reached at primary
to a customs officer, therefore fulfilling your legal obligation to report and answer
all questions truthfully under the Customs Act and Immigration Act.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
We sometimes do ask about US status, but not usually at the primary line. For
example, I have occasionally had travellers who were permanent residents both of the
US and Canada. In this case, we will ask clarification of their status, as a person
cannot be a permanent resident of both countries.
>
>
On this point I can concur. When I have seen my colleagues acting up, it is usually
because a traveller isn't aware of the procedures, is being dishonest, or
argumentative, or downright rude. Me personally, I try very hard never to let a
traveller's actions get me upset -- I realize that people sometimes are comign from
wide and varied personal experiences. For example, they may have been rerouted, had
to wait several hours at strange airports, or may have suffered a loss in the family.
If they are upset at me, I don't take it personally. However, at the end of the day,
I must still arrive at a point of finality with the declaration, and it is made much
easier when both the traveller and the myself, the inspector, co-operate.
>
>
Look at it this way -- even if customs and immigration officers WANTED to give people
a hard time all the time, the volume alone would prevent it from happening. Terminal
3 (where you would have arrived, on Northwest Airlines) has up to 25-30,000
passengers enter from the US and Internationally each DAY. This is equal to the
monthly average at Ottawa's MacDonald-Cartier Int'l Airport.
>
>
>
>
>
Glad to hear it!
- wzombie A customs inspector at PIA - Toronto
Jul 8th 2001, 8:24 pm
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
"> The I-94 is supposed to be turned in to the Canadian authorities, when
>
>
>
I know, but no one takes it, especially at the land border where the proceedings are
not so formal as the airport.
>
>
>
>
I was trying to save some typing..interview for a job in canada actually
>
>
>
>
I landed in Vancouver, stayed there for over 4 weeks, did not get any job , so moved
back to the US. Stayed there for 3 weeks and got this job interview scheduled in
toronto. I am a PR of canada since May and I am trying very hard to land a job
anywhere so that I never violate the 183 day rule..I dont even want to cross another
border again.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Well I got a stamp on my landing paper ( on the back that says <date> / PIA-AIP ).
>
[usenetquote2]> > 3)Both US and Candaian Officers are very polite and professional. if you have[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > your visas and docs in order, you have no problems at all.[/usenetquote2]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Thank you ! It is no fun trying to wrap one's life up and move to another country, I
have done that once and now am in the process of doing it again and it helps a lot to
know that the people with the badge have a heart.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
[usenetquote2]> > 5) So far I have been to canada 3 times now ( twice by land at two crossings in[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > BC/WA and once by Air here in toronto ) at all the times no problems in[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > immigration procedings at all.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > -s[/usenetquote2]
>
>
I am glad too !
>
>
>
-syder
>
>
>
I know, but no one takes it, especially at the land border where the proceedings are
not so formal as the airport.
>
>
>
>
I was trying to save some typing..interview for a job in canada actually
>
>
>
>
I landed in Vancouver, stayed there for over 4 weeks, did not get any job , so moved
back to the US. Stayed there for 3 weeks and got this job interview scheduled in
toronto. I am a PR of canada since May and I am trying very hard to land a job
anywhere so that I never violate the 183 day rule..I dont even want to cross another
border again.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Well I got a stamp on my landing paper ( on the back that says <date> / PIA-AIP ).
>
[usenetquote2]> > 3)Both US and Candaian Officers are very polite and professional. if you have[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > your visas and docs in order, you have no problems at all.[/usenetquote2]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Thank you ! It is no fun trying to wrap one's life up and move to another country, I
have done that once and now am in the process of doing it again and it helps a lot to
know that the people with the badge have a heart.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
[usenetquote2]> > 5) So far I have been to canada 3 times now ( twice by land at two crossings in[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > BC/WA and once by Air here in toronto ) at all the times no problems in[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > immigration procedings at all.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > -s[/usenetquote2]
>
>
I am glad too !
>
>
>
-syder
Jul 10th 2001, 3:01 am
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
>
[usenetquote2]> > taking a commercial transport from the U.S. to Canada. This is stated on the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > reverse of the form. Unless it is a non-immigrant visa (as opposed to a visa[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > waiver) and it is still valid and needed to re-enter the US.[/usenetquote2]
>
>
>
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > What interview? While the customs inspector should have asked more clarifying[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > questions, it also helps to be specific and informative in your answers.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Especially at 8:20 am.[/usenetquote2]
>
>
>
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllll
[usenetquote2]> > You have confused me. Where are you getting the job? Where are you presently[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > living? What is your status in Canada? Are you planning to be outside of Canada[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > more than 183 days in any 12 month period?[/usenetquote2]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Your LANDING paper was stamped with the officer's date stamp?!? This is not a[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > procedure that customs officers do. The customs officer's port stamp, when used[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > at the primary line, is to admit a traveller for a period of 6 months. We may[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > stamp ON REQUEST Canadian passports, but Cdns have right to enter and do not[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > require the cachet. We do not stamp IMM1000's at primary, because permanent[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > residents also have right of entry. The stamp is also used to stamp the E311[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Customs Declaration Card in order to show that your declaration was made and[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > point of finality reached at primary to a customs officer, therefore fulfilling[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > your legal obligation to report and answer all questions truthfully under the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Customs Act and Immigration Act.[/usenetquote2]
>
>
>
>
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > > 3)Both US and Candaian Officers are very polite and professional. if you have[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > > your visas and docs in order, you have no problems at all.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > On this point I can concur. When I have seen my colleagues acting up, it is[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > usually because a traveller isn't aware of the procedures, is being[/usenetquote2]
0
[usenetquote2]> > taking a commercial transport from the U.S. to Canada. This is stated on the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > reverse of the form. Unless it is a non-immigrant visa (as opposed to a visa[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > waiver) and it is still valid and needed to re-enter the US.[/usenetquote2]
>
>
>
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > What interview? While the customs inspector should have asked more clarifying[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > questions, it also helps to be specific and informative in your answers.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Especially at 8:20 am.[/usenetquote2]
>
>
>
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllll
[usenetquote2]> > You have confused me. Where are you getting the job? Where are you presently[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > living? What is your status in Canada? Are you planning to be outside of Canada[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > more than 183 days in any 12 month period?[/usenetquote2]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Your LANDING paper was stamped with the officer's date stamp?!? This is not a[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > procedure that customs officers do. The customs officer's port stamp, when used[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > at the primary line, is to admit a traveller for a period of 6 months. We may[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > stamp ON REQUEST Canadian passports, but Cdns have right to enter and do not[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > require the cachet. We do not stamp IMM1000's at primary, because permanent[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > residents also have right of entry. The stamp is also used to stamp the E311[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Customs Declaration Card in order to show that your declaration was made and[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > point of finality reached at primary to a customs officer, therefore fulfilling[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > your legal obligation to report and answer all questions truthfully under the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Customs Act and Immigration Act.[/usenetquote2]
>
>
>
>
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > > 3)Both US and Candaian Officers are very polite and professional. if you have[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > > your visas and docs in order, you have no problems at all.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > On this point I can concur. When I have seen my colleagues acting up, it is[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > usually because a traveller isn't aware of the procedures, is being[/usenetquote2]
0
