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Must be Canadian resident (and citizen) to get 6 months in US?

Must be Canadian resident (and citizen) to get 6 months in US?

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Old Aug 13th 2002, 7:32 pm
  #1  
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Red face Must be Canadian resident (and citizen) to get 6 months in US?

Hello. Thanks for your help.
I have a UK and a Canadian passport. I live in the UK, but was born in Canada. I hope to fly from London to Canada to see my Mom, using my UK passport, and then to take a bus to the US to see friends there, switching to my Canadian passport.
I want to do this so that I can get the six months in the US as a Canadian, and so I will not have a stamp in my Canadian passport saying I flew from the UK, as they may then see I do not live in Canada and may deny me the six months in the US.
My UK passport also shows a recent long visit to the US and that could work against me getting in again.
1. Am I asking for trouble?
2. If questioned, I would tell the truth, about where I live and even about having two passports. (but would carry only the Canadian) I do not think I am doing anything illegal., AM I?
3. Can I get 6 months in the US as a tourist , just because I am a Canadian citizen, or do I need to be resident in Canada as well?
4. Am I more likely to be queried (carrying a Canadian passport) if I fly into the US or if I take a greyhound bus?

I appreciate I will need good reasons to be in the US for six months (I have several relatives there). I can prove I have enough money. I can also show mortgage payments on my home in the UK if need be. Unfortunately I have no UK job at the moment. (actually I rather like it)
Sorry to be so complicated.... many thanks.
bigbird is offline  
Old Aug 13th 2002, 9:29 pm
  #2  
Eric Matto
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Default Re: Must be Canadian resident (and citizen) to get 6 months in US?

As a Canadian citizen you're supposed to enter Canada with your Canadian passport
regardless of what other passports you may hold. You won't get your passport
stamped on entry.

"bigbird" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > Hello. Thanks for your help. I have a UK and a Canadian passport. I live in the UK,
    > but was born in Canada. I hope to fly from London to Canada to see my Mom, using my
    > UK passport, and then to take a bus to the US to see friends there, switching to my
    > Canadian passport. I want to do this so that I can get the six months in the US as
    > a Canadian, and so I will not have a stamp in my Canadian passport saying I flew
    > from the UK, as they may then see I do not live in Canada and may deny me the six
    > months in the US. My UK passport also shows a recent long visit to the US and that
    > could work against me getting in again.
    > 1. Am I asking for trouble?
    > 2. If questioned, I would tell the truth, about where I live and even about having
    > two passports. (but would carry only the Canadian) I do not think I am doing
    > anything illegal., AM I?
    > 3. Can I get 6 months in the US as a tourist , just because I am a Canadian
    > citizen, or do I need to be resident in Canada as well?
    > 4. Am I more likely to be queried (carrying a Canadian passport) if I fly into the
    > US or if I take a greyhound bus?
    > I appreciate I will need good reasons to be in the US for six months (I have
    > several relatives there). I can prove I have enough money. I can also show
    > mortgage payments on my home in the UK if need be. Unfortunately I have no UK
    > job at the moment. (actually I rather like it) Sorry to be so complicated....
    > many thanks.
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com
 
Old Aug 13th 2002, 10:24 pm
  #3  
Stuart Brook
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Default Re: Must be Canadian resident (and citizen) to get 6 months in US?

bigbird wrote:

    > I have a UK and a Canadian passport. I live in the UK, but was born in Canada. I
    > hope to fly from London to Canada to see my Mom, using my UK passport, and then to
    > take a bus to the US to see friends there, switching to my Canadian passport.

You should enter Canada with your Canadian passport ... you are a Canadian Citizen
and so to enter with a UK passport may raise questions.

    > I want to do this so that I can get the six months in the US as a Canadian, and so
    > I will not have a stamp in my Canadian passport saying I flew from the UK, as they
    > may then see I do not live in Canada and may deny me the six months in the US.

Although Canadians are permitted up to 6 months in the US (as are Brits if you apply
for a visa ... but you don't have to as a Canadian), it is still at the discretion of
the admitting INS Officer ... He can still limit your stay, because for example,
with longer stays, he will want to know that you have a residence abroad you have no
intention of abandoning, and that you have the funds for your stay. He will not care
that you came from the UK ... all he cares about are these two items and "Canadian
Citizen". He may not put a limit on your entry, leaving the Until ... blank, or may
put other abbreviations which mean up to 6 months.

    > My UK passport also shows a recent long visit to the US and that could work against
    > me getting in again.
    > 1. Am I asking for trouble?
    > 2. If questioned, I would tell the truth, about where I live and even about having
    > two passports. (but would carry only the Canadian) I do not think I am doing
    > anything illegal., AM I?
    > 3. Can I get 6 months in the US as a tourist , just because I am a Canadian
    > citizen, or do I need to be resident in Canada as well?
    > 4. Am I more likely to be queried (carrying a Canadian passport) if I fly into the
    > US or if I take a greyhound bus?

You are not doing anything illegal, but as you suggest it, you are likely to raise
more questions. Far better to be straight forward about
it. There's no difference if you're a Canadian living in the UK or a Canadian living
in Canada.

    > I appreciate I will need good reasons to be in the US for six months (I have
    > several relatives there). I can prove I have enough money. I can also show
    > mortgage payments on my home in the UK if need be. Unfortunately I have no UK
    > job at the moment. (actually I rather like it)

No job could be an issue.

Stuart
 
Old Aug 13th 2002, 10:25 pm
  #4  
Stuart Brook
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Posts: n/a
Default Re: Must be Canadian resident (and citizen) to get 6 months in US?

Eric Matto wrote:
    > As a Canadian citizen you're supposed to enter Canada with your Canadian passport
    > regardless of what other passports you may hold. You won't get your passport
    > stamped on entry.

Even with a Canadian passport, mine is routinely stamped on entry by air from the UK.
 
Old Aug 13th 2002, 10:37 pm
  #5  
Eric Matto
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Posts: n/a
Default Re: Must be Canadian resident (and citizen) to get 6 months in US?

"Stuart Brook" <[email protected] > wrote in message [u-
rl="news:[email protected] anada.ca"]news:3D5987A2.688A7C00@n-
ot.here.for.spam.att.canada.ca[/url]...
    > Eric Matto wrote:
    > >
    > > As a Canadian citizen you're supposed to enter Canada with your Canadian passport
    > > regardless of what other passports you may hold. You won't get
your
    > > passport stamped on entry.
    > Even with a Canadian passport, mine is routinely stamped on entry by air
    > from the UK.

When I lived in Chicago working in TN status I returned to Canada several times for
visits as a US resident both by air and car and never had my passport stamped. Maybe
there are different procedures coming from US as compared to UK?
 
Old Aug 13th 2002, 11:13 pm
  #6  
Stuart Brook
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Posts: n/a
Default Re: Must be Canadian resident (and citizen) to get 6 months in US?

Eric Matto wrote:

    > When I lived in Chicago working in TN status I returned to Canada several times for
    > visits as a US resident both by air and car and never had my passport stamped.
    > Maybe there are different procedures coming from US as compared to UK?

I've only once had a passport stamp coming from the US into Canada with
Canadian passport. It does happen, but rare. It is far more common coming
from anywhere else.
 

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