Landing experince-In canada student applicant

Canada Immigration Forum (discussion group)

Subject: Landing experince-In canada student applicant

So guys,
Finally the process and ordeal is over.yes i finally became a landed immigrant of canada, 19 months after i had sent out my application.Iam so happy now.My landing experience are as follows.,
Before i decide to land in rainbow bridge at niagara falls, canada i have to mention the following things.,
1. I do not have a visa to USA.
2. There were misconceptions that one can cross the rainbow bridge half-way without going through US customs and return back.
here is my story now.,
A friend of mine drove me to rainbow bridge, niagara falls, Canadain a car . Crossed the road to the bridge and entered the CIC office at 1.p.m on Feb 5, 2006.Went to the immigration officer at the CIC counter and showed my COPR and passport and told that i came here to land.The officer told me that he needs a yellow slip from USA for me to land officially. I told him, that i do not have a US visa (as its expired)to land and asked him how can i land then??
The officer was unhelpful and suggested that i go back to my home country and come back and land or go out to USA and come and land and there were no other ways to land.
I was shocked.I went to the pedestrian bridge, dropped 50 cents , entered the bridge leading to USA and walked. It was very windy and chilly.Reached the US customs and met 3 immigration officers with stern faces asking me why iam here.I was a bit scared initially, but told that
1.I wanted to land in canada as landed immigrant and gave my passport and COPR.
2. I also told that i talked with CIC, canada across the bridge and they told me that they cannot complete the formalities unless i get the yellow slip from US side.
Before i could tell the immigration officer that i do not have intentions of landing in US, he just left to an office inside with my passports and COPR.Another immigration officer told me to wait for few minutes.After 10 minutes the first US officer came back and gave me a white letter titled "denial of entry to US" with the word I-94 in small at bottom.My name and date of birth was filled along with the name of immigration officer.he also returned my passports and COPR.
He did not fill any reasons for denial in the big box provided nor tick mark the column saying reason for denying entry to united states, nor did he sign the form.I got the forms said thank you and when i start walking on the bridge i realized that the immigration officer has not signed on the form. I went back again to the US immigration. This time the officer asked me again what did i want?? I asked him whether it will be ok for me to submit the form without his signature on to the canadian side. He said its ok.So i walked back along the bridge to canadian side.The customs officer there asked me for the form from US side.I gave the white letter "denial of entry to US" and then the canadian officer filled an yellow form and asked me to go inside CIC office with both the forms (white one from US side and yellow from canadian side) and complete the process.
I went inside and gave both the forms (yellow and white).The officer asked me for my current bank statement.I showed the RBC bank statements.I also showed her my bank statements for last 3 months.She noted the amount and asked for my address.I gave it.Then she asked to show my proof of employment.I showed my letter fromm university and the oprofessor.She then saw it , said ok and then told me to apply for my SIN number and OHIP inside toronto and asked me to wait for few minutes and then go through customs.After 15-20 minutes the customs officer called me and asked to submit my goods to follow list.I had included car in my list.The officer asked me whether i owned the car at this point of time. i said no.So he cut that out from the list and mentioned that it cannot be imported as i do not own it at this point.He totalled the amounts for all the other goods on the list (around $19,000).He asked me where i will be importing these items from??I said from my home country.He noted that down in one of the forms and gave it to me along with another form and said that i have to show these forms whenever i bring goods to canada from my home country.I said ok.The whole process starting from walking across the bridge till i finished customs took 2 hours.
Till then it did not strike my mind whether the US customs would have stamped something in my passport. I opened my passports anxiously and checked for any stamp of entry denied in passport. But nothing was stamped.
Came back to starbucks canada, relaxed and drove back to toronto, chilled out, called my friends and talked.Went today to hrdc center and applied for change of status for SIN number and OHIP center to apply for OHIP.
Also called CIC canada and confirmed whether my PR card was applied. They said that it was done when i entered the port of entry itself.
Came back to university, filled some forms and got back refund for UHIP from june onwards.So iam all set now as a new immigrant of canada.Now needs to get my degree finished and get a job.Now i feel my life has got back on track with job prospects in canada.
Now i wanted to know from you guys, whether this process will affect my US visa application in near future or the letter which US customs gave me was a routine one??
My time lines are as follows
In-canada student applied as skilled worker in buffalo,USA with masters degree from asia and 1 year 4 months industry work experience.
Applied-july 2004
Acknowledgement of receipt-August 2004
RCMP fingerprints done-March 2005
Initial assessment-April 2005
(No interview, no IELTS asked, no RCMP asked)
Passport request-January 2005
landing papers received-Febrauary 1, 2005
Landing completed at rainbow bridge, USA on -Febrauary 5, 2005
Applied for SIN,OHIP cards-febrauary 6, 2005.
I wish good luck with the existing applicants and the bottomline is the patience and luck for the whole process.Also please be very prepared with all the documents which CIC specified along with other relevant documents.
Ok then.Good luck guys and i hope it will all end well..

[06-02-2006,18:08]
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Boss