How to prove Canadian residency at the border

I can talk from personal experience as I was stopped at the Coutts/Sweetgrass border a couple of years ago. They asked me to prove I had a permanent fixed address in Canada. I had my passport, drivers license and my Alberta healthcare card. They said that was not good enough as "they were too easy to get without proving where you actually live". They wanted something like a utility bill or property tax bill with my name and address which I did not have.

It looked like I was struck and would have to head back into Canada and get them. By chance, They saw that I had a paystub in among my papers. They took that and allowed me in to the US. Funny thing, was that it was from a US company for some consulting work I did!! However, it clearly showed my Canadian address. Go figure.

Now I always carry some recent utility bills and my current property tax receipt. Have not been stopped since then though.

I am also carefull about filing my 8840 form. And yes, I had reported the consulting fees previously and paid the appropriate tax...to both the IRS and my friends at Revenue Canada.

moisheh wrote:
There are RV'rs on Escapees that have been turned away. Neither had any real proof of residency. Remember it is up to the US Immigration agent to allow or deny entry and you have ZERO recourse. DL and registration are not sufficient proof. If asked you will need a property tax statement or another similar document.

Moisheh

X2; To many people sell everything to become full-timers with out really thinking about all the consequences. The time a few years back that we were asked and given the third degree by the US customs agents, we were lucky and convinced them that we had a house in Calgary and could have proved it. Since then we always carry documentation with us. You just never know when you will be asked to prove a closer connection to Canada.

obgraham wrote:
Our guys haven't time to call Canistan. Too busy checking on Twitter and evaluating all those videos I download.

What is Canistan. :h

There are RV'rs on Escapees that have been turned away. Neither had any real proof of residency. Remember it is up to the US Immigration agent to allow or deny entry and you have ZERO recourse. DL and registration are not sufficient proof. If asked you will need a property tax statement or another similar document.

Moisheh

obgraham wrote:
Our guys haven't time to call Canistan. Too busy checking on Twitter and evaluating all those videos I download.

Nah. There's a big machine called Prism that does all that. There's a documentary about it on TV called "Person of Interest". :)

Our guys haven't time to call Canistan. Too busy checking on Twitter and evaluating all those videos I download.

Almot wrote:

PackerBacker wrote:
Both sides {US and Canada} move data back me forth but on request. Neither side has direct access to the other side without specific permission.

This has been my impression as well, only that "permission" is being granted automatically or for certain periods of time. US enter you in computer when you cross into the US, Canadians enter you when you cross back into Canada, and either side can pull your record on the screen with touch of a button. I had 2 occasions to witness this, both times it was not a pleasant feeling as they suddenly began asking a whole bunch of questions, and questions were right to the point. One should always assume that US/Canada border is an integrated system with access to records from either side.

For the past 3 years we have not "checked in" when returning to Canada. We were aked for no id at all. The plate on the vehicle will tell them the registered owner but they had no idea who was in the vehicle. It could have been one of our kids and spouse returning our vehicle to Canada.

PackerBacker wrote:
Both sides {US and Canada} move data back me forth but on request. Neither side has direct access to the other side without specific permission.

This has been my impression as well, only that "permission" is being granted automatically or for certain periods of time. US enter you in computer when you cross into the US, Canadians enter you when you cross back into Canada, and either side can pull your record on the screen with touch of a button. I had 2 occasions to witness this, both times it was not a pleasant feeling as they suddenly began asking a whole bunch of questions, and questions were right to the point. One should always assume that US/Canada border is an integrated system with access to records from either side.

joebedford wrote:

obgraham wrote:

and desire to ask again "are you going to stay 6 months like before".

I don't know how US border folks would have in front of them how long you stayed before. You don't check out with them when you leave.

Ah but we check in with the Canuckians. I'm sure our government passes that data south.

Both sides move data back me forth but on request. Neither side has direct access to the other side without specific permission. This is what I was told during our Nexus card interviews 3 years back. No idea if it has changed since then.

obgraham wrote:

and desire to ask again "are you going to stay 6 months like before".

I don't know how US border folks would have in front of them how long you stayed before. You don't check out with them when you leave.

Ah but we check in with the Canuckians. I'm sure our government passes that data south.