Hi all,

I am a Canadian PR working in US on H1B1. I have a valid Indian passport and H1B1 visa (i.e. I-797 with I-94 card attached to it avlid until june 2006) I would like to visit Canada for a week in my car registered in US.

About 4-5 months back I read somewhere on internet that if you are visiting Canada for less than 30 days you don't need visa in your passport but the valid H1B1 visa document is sufficient to re-enter US. Can anyone please confirm this and provide me a link as I have lost mine ?

Also I do not have PR card but IM1000 immigration doc as I left Canada before applying for it. One of the main reasons for visiting Canada is to apply for it.

If anyone has recently travelled to Canada under similar situation I would like to hear your experience.

Thanks.....

Yes there is a 30 days rule if you are visiting Canada but some of my friends had a bad experience with POE officers ...you might be fine but there is a risk as all POE officers don't follow and are not eager to follow the rules.Of course if your H1B visa ia valid till 2006 you shouldn't have any issue in reentering even POE snatch your current I94
I reentered Canada in August 2004 for applying PR card,I had valid visa but at POE officers didn't take my I94 and I acould reenter with same I94
Anyway you could find more experience over
http://www.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=85613
http://www.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=96966

If possible you visit following two websites and you will get some very useful info
http://www.murthy.com" rel="nofollow">LINK
http://www.immigrationportal.com" rel="nofollow">LINK

Regarding to your other query as long as you are not entering Canada in a commercial vehicle(Rented car would be fine ) IMM1000 doc will be good

Thanks and best of luck

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ani

Thanks ani for sharining your experience and opinion. It would help me visit Canada with a peace of mind...

Since I don't have PR card but IM1000 doc I'll be driving either in my car or rented car.

Hi ani,

I checked out the link to "immigrationportal" that you gave. There are quite a few ppl who shared their different experiences. I would like to know what time, day of the week and POE you used to re-enter US. I am planning to return back on sat Aug 28 thru Windsor-Detroit.

Thanks...

In August '03 when I visited for applying PR card I crossed via Buffello -Niagra border and reentered US via same POE after 4 days
In end November(During US thanks giving ) I finally moved permanently but my project moved to Chicago that time so I entered via Port Huron
When I started driving from Chicago per my original route map I was supposed to enter via Windsor-Detroit but near the border somehow(weather was pathetic that particular day!) I lost the orginal route and managed to enter via Port Huron .I am telling you it turned out to be very good for me .. POE officers were very cool ..they even didn't check up anything in my rented car .. just checked IMM1000 and I was done within 2 minutes time .The route is also fairly simple from there ..first 402 and then 401 straight all along to Toronto

N.B To avoid conflict it is better to cross the border via rented car and booked for return also.This will also help to convince POE officers that you are coming back within next few days ..so they won't take your I94 card

Thanks

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ani

401 to 402 to I-94 via port Huron appears good. Specially when you are returning back you are more anxious for a quick re-entry into US. Besides, I guess Windsor-Detroit would be more busy than Port Huron-Sarnia. Also your suggestion about using rental car seems reasonable.

Hi Shagufta,
Can I ask you a straight forward question?
Are you planning to visit Canada mainly for applying for PR card?
I am asking because as long as you are not crossing the border in commercial vehicle you don't really need PR card and your current IMM1000 doc is more than enough .Worst case scenario you can always reenter with a travel doc which you will easily get from any Canadian Embassy in US
To maintain PR requirement you need to return to Canada before your 3 year absence period expires.So logically PR card is not helping you to that extent considering the fact that there is always a risk that POE officer might deny to reenter US without H1B visa restamped
I would rather plan to visit Canada at the time of permanent move.For my case when I applied for PR card I had valid visa and that's why I made that additional visit

Thanks

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ani