visiting Canada to get to know on-line boyfriend

[Alysia]

Hi, This is my first post on the site, and I had a few questions regarding entering Canada as a visitor.
I quit my job as a teacher after about 10 years, and sold my house here in the U.S. I did this so I would have about 50K in the bank because I know I won't be able to work in Canada for awhile, perhaps years. My daughter is starting college in the fall.
I'm planning to visit a man I met in Canada in about a month. I've been chatting with him on-line and talking on the phone for about 5 months. We've met twice, and we're madly in love, and he's already asked me to marry him, but I want to spend time with him before we take the plunge.
I'm wondering what to tell the customs agents at the border. I know I don't need a visa to be a visitor, and I'm not planning on working for awhile, but I'm not sure how long I'm going to stay. If it doesn't work out with my wonderful Canuck I was planning on relocating to another U.S. city. Do I explain all this to them at the border. Is it okay to visit for "maybe" 2 months or 6 months, and then return to the border once that time is up and ask to stay longer? or should I just say I'm staying for 6 months? Do they require an invitation letter from him for something like this? I'm sure he would write one. And what about the fact that I quit my job. Is this going to cause problems?
Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.

[Auld Yin]

Originally Posted by Alysia

Hi, This is my first post on the site, and I had a few questions regarding entering Canada as a visitor.
I quit my job as a teacher after about 10 years, and sold my house here in the U.S. I did this so I would have about 50K in the bank because I know I won't be able to work in Canada for awhile, perhaps years. My daughter is starting college in the fall.
I'm planning to visit a man I met in Canada in about a month. I've been chatting with him on-line and talking on the phone for about 5 months. We've met twice, and we're madly in love, and he's already asked me to marry him, but I want to spend time with him before we take the plunge.
I'm wondering what to tell the customs agents at the border. I know I don't need a visa to be a visitor, and I'm not planning on working for awhile, but I'm not sure how long I'm going to stay. If it doesn't work out with my wonderful Canuck I was planning on relocating to another U.S. city. Do I explain all this to them at the border. Is it okay to visit for "maybe" 2 months or 6 months, and then return to the border once that time is up and ask to stay longer? or should I just say I'm staying for 6 months? Do they require an invitation letter from him for something like this? I'm sure he would write one. And what about the fact that I quit my job. Is this going to cause problems?
Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Alysia and welcome to the site.

You may enter Canada as a visitor and stay for up to 6 months. You cannot work under visitor status but you may seek employment while visiting and provided the prospective employer is willing to offer employment/seek a LMO, then you may apply for a two year TWP and subsequently apply for PR status.
You do not require to explain this to Canada's border people and personally I wouldn't do so. As far as they're concerned you're on vacation and/or visiting a friend. The fact you are not employed is totally irrelevant.

[Alysia]

Originally Posted by Auld Yin

Hello Alysia and welcome to the site.

You may enter Canada as a visitor and stay for up to 6 months. You cannot work under visitor status but you may seek employment while visiting and provided the prospective employer is willing to offer employment/seek a LMO, then you may apply for a two year TWP and subsequently apply for PR status.
You do not require to explain this to Canada's border people and personally I wouldn't do so. As far as they're concerned you're on vacation and/or visiting a friend. The fact you are not employed is totally irrelevant.

Thanks so much. That's very helpful. I went to one web site that said I had to prove that I had a job waiting for me, but if what you say is true, this should be of no concern. Thanks for responding.

[Auld Yin]

Just so we're clear. Having a job waiting for you would be the case if you were attempting to immigrate but as visitor there will be no problem. Tens of thousands of US citizens cross the border daily for vacation and other purposes. There are many who have summer homes here and come for the six months vacation time every year.

[Jade]

Originally Posted by Alysia

Hi, This is my first post on the site, and I had a few questions regarding entering Canada as a visitor.
I quit my job as a teacher after about 10 years, and sold my house here in the U.S. I did this so I would have about 50K in the bank because I know I won't be able to work in Canada for awhile, perhaps years. My daughter is starting college in the fall.
I'm planning to visit a man I met in Canada in about a month. I've been chatting with him on-line and talking on the phone for about 5 months. We've met twice, and we're madly in love, and he's already asked me to marry him, but I want to spend time with him before we take the plunge.
I'm wondering what to tell the customs agents at the border. I know I don't need a visa to be a visitor, and I'm not planning on working for awhile, but I'm not sure how long I'm going to stay. If it doesn't work out with my wonderful Canuck I was planning on relocating to another U.S. city. Do I explain all this to them at the border. Is it okay to visit for "maybe" 2 months or 6 months, and then return to the border once that time is up and ask to stay longer? or should I just say I'm staying for 6 months? Do they require an invitation letter from him for something like this? I'm sure he would write one. And what about the fact that I quit my job. Is this going to cause problems?
Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi there

As to your question at the border: just be honest and say that you are here to visit a guy you met.
You will not be refused for that reason.
( I will suggest not to mention that you quit your job and sold your house, that info, keep to yourself)

You may stay for up to six months and before the end of that period you must leave Canada, and may re-enter if you wish to.

If 6 months has passed , and you still wish to stay( without leaving Canada), you must apply for extension of stay , and not at the border . you must do it a least a month before 6 months elapsed.

for more info contact oshratj@yahoo.com

Good luck
Jade

[Auld Yin]

There is no need to explain any of this to the Canadian border people. It is none of their business. You are allowed to come as a visitor and stay up to six months. If asked where you'll be staying give them your friend's address and tell them that your visiting him.

[topcat83]

Just having a peek in from the NZ forum...

It sounds like a valid return ticket to the US of some sort might set Custom & Immigrations mind to rest a bit too?

[Alysia]

My boyfriend just spoke with some people at the border and they made it sound like the fact that I don't have a job waiting for me in the US might raise some eyebrows. I have a daughter here (17) which is good, but they want me to show them that I am truly a visitor. For some reason the immigration officer doesn't like people selling their house, quitting their job and coming to canada to get to know their on-line boyfriend. That somehow this makes someone more than a visitor. I have no intentions of working there in the next year, and if it works out with this guy, then yes I would like to work up there but at the moment I would like to spend time with him to see where this is going. My back up plan is to move to California.
I suppose my big worry is what if they ask if I have a job waiting for me back home. If I'm honest and say I quit can they keep me out of Canada?
And should I ask for 6 months right at first or say I'm only staying for a couple of months to not raise suspicion. ????

[Auld Yin]

Originally Posted by Alysia

My boyfriend just spoke with some people at the border and they made it sound like the fact that I don't have a job waiting for me in the US might raise some eyebrows. I have a daughter here (17) which is good, but they want me to show them that I am truly a visitor. For some reason the immigration officer doesn't like people selling their house, quitting their job and coming to canada to get to know their on-line boyfriend. That somehow this makes someone more than a visitor. I have no intentions of working there in the next year, and if it works out with this guy, then yes I would like to work up there but at the moment I would like to spend time with him to see where this is going. My back up plan is to move to California.
I suppose my big worry is what if they ask if I have a job waiting for me back home. If I'm honest and say I quit can they keep me out of Canada?
And should I ask for 6 months right at first or say I'm only staying for a couple of months to not raise suspicion. ????

Alysia.

You and/or your boyfriend have opened a can of worms. There was no need to tell the border people anything other than you are going to visit. Millions of Americans cross into Canada each year on vacation with minimal or no questioning. Drive to the border, tell them you are visiting for a couple of months. Say nothing about selling your house, quitting your job. This information they don't need to know.