US traveller declined by Canadian border! HELPPP!!!?

You did not give enough details for us to give you a proper answer.

Your cousin was refused entry to Canada. Can she try again? Yes. She can try as many times as she wants and from different ports of entry. HOWEVER, it is already on file that she tried to enter once and was denied. The REASON for denying entry is what is important.

If she just goes ahead and tries to enter Canada again on some other bridge, they see that she tried once already, and if nothing has changed from the last time she tried, then 99% of the time, shewill be denied entry again.

Some reasons that you might be denied entry:

1) You don't have proper travel documents. An American needs a valid WHTI document or may not be allowed into Canada, because without those documents, US Border Services does not have to let her back into USA.

http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/eng_map.html

2) If you are not American or Lawful PR, and you are not visa-exempt, you will need a tourist visa (known as Canadian Temporary Resident Visa) to come into Canada. Those are issued by the Canadian embassy in your home country.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp

3) If you have a criminal record. Something as small as a DUI, that may not be a criminal offense in USA can make you inadmissible to Canada. In those cases, a minimum of five (5) years would have to have passed before you can apply to come into Canada. Even then, you may have to apply for a status of "deemed rehabilitated".

4) If they suspect you are coming up to try and work in Canada, then you will be refused entry. Work means someone like a carpenter or plumber coming up to help build a house, for example. It does not include sales people.

5) If they suspect you are trying to immigrate and obtain permanent residence in Canada illegally. If you come to Canada with no money to pay for hotels, no proof that you have a residence to return to, or plan to stay an indefinite time, that can set off red flags to the border guards.

There are a few other conditions that may keep you out, but you get the idea.

You mentioned that she was coming up to Canada to visit family and attend an exhibition? Coming for a trade show or some sort of exhibition is not a reason for keeping a person out of Canada. You are allowed to come for these things. It's considered business-related, but you are not working here, just showing up essentially for a sales pitch or training seminar which is allowed through the free trade agreement.

What is the exhibition you mentioned?

1)Being denied at one border crossing and then trying another one is what the officers there call "bridge shopping". If your cousin does this, it will be a factor that they can use to make a decision to seek an exclusion order or a deportation order depending on why she is inadmissible.

2)Since this was an enforcement matter, the record of it will remain in the system permanently. She will be flagged every time.

3) She has to wait long enough until a time when she can satisfy an officer that she is no longer inadmissible.

BTW, people don't get refused for driving rental cars. The car can be refused, but not the person for this reason.

More info is definitely needed.

Whether she will be able to cross the bridge depends upon why she was refused in the first place. If the border guard found that she was acting in a suspicious manner she could try the other bridge right away. But, if she is on a "List" like the "No Fly" lists that are out there she might as well forget it. I actually walked across that bridge and got into Canada without any ID at all..... but that was a LONG time ago.

CIC requires engaged couples to be married before you can apply for permanent residency. Since you have made plans to get married, CIC does not see it as a problem that you get married now rather than later. You are NOT the only ones, Many other couples have been in your situation. You do not have a choice if he wants to live in Canada. I think one of you said the wrong thing at the border. You or he should have never mentioned getting married. Then your b/f would have been allowed in like normal. So now you must either get married or go live in his country and become common-law. (that requires 12 months of legally living together, combining accounts and and have proof to show that 12 months). Yes he can try and apply for a work permit - BUT when he is asked if he has ever been denied entry to Canada, he must say yes and explain why. Therefore he MAY have problems getting back into Canada since he has already indicated that he will stay in Canada. Getting married really is the only way to get him into Canada legally. Finance does not matter. Yes you (the canadian) need to have a job or income of some kind as long as it is NOT welfare, but there is NO low cut off income level that you must have, in order to support him. Also, as others have said, he will not be allowed to work for a few months while the application is in process (this is why you need income or a job to support him) and he MUST extend his visitor status so he does not become illegal.

Did she have proper insurance/proof to drive the rental in Canada?...hmmmm...I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess maybe your cousin didn't have the proper documents-is your cousin an American citizen? I get the feeling maybe she isn't...you say she flew from Cali but.....An aquaintance of mine was stationed at Canada customs in Niagara Falls for a couple years and he told me that 99% of the people they turned back were do to visas-or lack thereof (what would happen is a lot of foreign travellers (especially Europeans and Japanese) would travel to New York City- go up to Niagara Falls then decide they wanted to see it from the other (Canadian)side but didn't have visas...so they are always on the lookout for that there...(If this is the case)-There's a Canadian consulate in Buffalo-however Im not sure if/what they can do on short notice...Either way I wouldn't advise trying to dodge the system-she could find herself banned permanently...Good Luck...

@drew-she's probably not going to leave the car there and walk if that's the case 8-)

Well, the all important peice of information that could help us help you is left out: WHY was she denied entry?

If she was denied for something as stupid as not having a passport, then ofcourse she could get one and will be allowed into Canada. If she was denied because of a criminal conviction or something like that, than that will be recorded and it won't matter which border she tries, she will be denied entry.

Any one who is "Denied Entry to Canada " will be in the Canadian Border Security computer, from now on. SO she isn't going to be admitted , PERIOD.

She will have been TOLD why she was Denied, by the CBSA senior inspector. Its not a secret.

Waiting is NOT going to make ANY difference . She will be denied again, and again.

She should go back home and enjoy the USA.

Jim B.

Toronto.

If she was declined entry there was a good reason for it. Tell her to go back home and don't try anything funny to get across.

Iinformation goes into the computer system and will be available at every crossing.