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Read it late: Kickstart & Immigration Scariness | by deadweasle | 2002-07-22 12:35:24 |
| Wow you got off cheap so far (longish) |
by justncase |
2002-07-22 13:01:29 |
I was bannished (strong word? you decide) from the US for four years trying to get back after setting up a Canadian version of my fathers company. I am a Canadian living in KY. I have a Green Card (Permanent Residency) for the US.
One day on a business trip back to the states, I was stopped by the imigration officer because I told them that I was in Canada to start a company for my father. This they immediately took to mean that I had given up my residency in the US and moved permanently to Canada. I was feeling a little under the weather that day and not thinking clearly. I am allowed to go back to Canada for up to 1 year at a time without telling the INS anything. I had been back and forth accross the border several times already. The officer took my Green Card and told me there would be a hearing about it. He then LET ME CROSS THE BORDER!!!
Fast forward one year. I still had not had my hearing and called the INS to find out why. They told me I had signed a form saying I waved my right to a hearing! I immediatly went back to the border to get a hearing scheduled. To do this they have to arrest you and read you your rights and all. Then take a statement and send you back. After this you are not allowed to enter the US without permission from a judge. I hired a lawyer immediately.
My lawyer was very good but expensive. He cost $200.00 per hour. During my stay in Canada I was on welfare for a month, delivered pizzas for 2.5 years and had sundry other jobs. My total time with the lawyer ended up being about 90 hours with court and the appeals we had to defend AGAINST.
Yup, thats $18000.00 US in legal fees plus all the fees for getting a new Green Card made up. Plus the indignity of being on welfare, delivering pizzas and working for jerks. The worst part of it though, was my Grand Mother died while I was away and I couldn't get permission to come back for the funeral in time. :( |
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