USA Green Card holder flagpoling. Safe?

[Emi]

Hi,

I live in Vancouver and wanted to flagpole in point Robert's since the ircc still hasn't contacted me and it's been a month

I am a US permanent resident and I cant help the feeling like I shouldnt be flagpoling, that's if I even can since i so have a valid entry card.

I guess I'm just terrified that the US side will hone in onto the fact that I am a US permanent resident yet I'm trying to become a Canadian PR. I feel like they'll start questioning how long I've been in canada.

What do you guys think? Paranoid or justified.

 

[Riley Haas]

Honestly, it's at least a little justified. The CBSA (Canada) and US CBP know a lot about our movements.

I don't know when you moved to Vancouver but the US and Canada started sharing exit information in late June or early July. So if you moved to Canada before then, it's possible the US does not know you are in Canada at the moment. (That is assuming you didn't have to tell them you left as part of your Green Card status requirements. I know that most visitors to the US, except Canadians a few others, have long had to notify CBP of their departures but I don't know if that applies to permanent residents.)

Entering Point Roberts would presumably tell them that you have been in Canada for longer than the last 2 months, then. I don't know if they would care about that.

We are a Canadian site and I'm sorry to say I don't know what the requirements are for keeping your Green Card. If your being outside of the US for 2 months is no big deal, this shouldn't raise any red flags. But if it is a big deal - i.e. if you are required to live there all the time - then it would raise red flags and then you could expect lots of questions.

So what's the worst that could possibly happen? I'm not trying to alarm you but my guess about a worse case scenario is that you would be denied entry and have your status revoked. But keep in mind that I have no idea if the latter is even legally possible under US law. (In this situation you could still flagpole, as you would be turned around and, if you're on foot, could just go over to the CBSA office to apply for your work permit or "land" or whatever it is you're trying to accomplish.)

On the other hand, you might just be allowed to enter, you walk or drive around Point Roberts, have lunch or whatever, and then apply for whatever work permit you're intending to flagpole for and everything is fine.

Sorry I cannot give you a more definitive answer.