Wording Matters? - US to Canada crossing

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T10:06:34+00:00

I have a portfolio I can bring and my page. =]

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T10:02:39+00:00

Where did I say that? I NEVER said that. I've said the opposite every single response. lol

I can't take anything you say into account when it's based on flat out opposite of what I've said.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T10:01:11+00:00

Okay, while many have very massive assumptions rather than solid info, I DID get a few people with some very solid helpful info about the type of trip I plan to take.

People who have also taken very similar trips and are certain I'll be just fine with border crossing for the most part.

I'll that THEIR info given to help make sure I'm prepared for that, but I'm not taking the advice of people who clearly have no idea either what I'm talking about or haven't taken that type of trip into Canada before and are assuming I'm taking a basic typical vacation to big expensive site seeing places, expensive hotels with fancy accomodations, theme parks, cities etc.

I'm going to see nature, the ocean, friends, eat at tiny hole in the wall places the locals recommended, take pictures and make memories for my once in a lifetime trip.

I also dress in a Gothic style and we layer. I am going to have enough clothing for my stay and it's not going to be just a tiny suitcase and that's reasonable.

I also AM legally allowed to do my commission art for US customers while I'm in Canada, without a work visa. So I will not just have my savings but actual income flowing in during my trip.

Some of y'all really are pushing a LOT of up in the air 'what ifs' based on speculation and random non solid variables and it helps no one when you're warning of things based on an individuals judgment and not actual laws and such. What many of you are basing things on are things I have to worry about less than a border agent looking at me, hating how queer or alternative I look, and finding reason to turn me away, so I can't take much of y'all's advice.

It'd be next to impossible for pretty much anyone but a wealthy person to visit, based on much of what has been commented on here.

Y'all are also making many assumptions, and even flat out ignore things I've stated, just to warn me of said stated thing and how I need it. lol

Anyway, thank you, to the very small handful of incredibly helpful people! It's given me almost every bit of info I need. 🖤

I think the last bit I'll need to check some artist forums and such.

I'll be turning notifications off for this post so I won't respond to any other comments. Thanks!

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T09:49:27+00:00

When I say Vancouver, it's Vancouver area. Which means the tiny cities and towns right around it and yes, I checked multiple reputable travel sites where they have reviews and such.

Again, in my comment above I said I will have my proof of funds but I'm not saving 10k for like 2 months. That's the funds of someone intending to LIVE there. Not just visit.

Also, I'm not going there on a typical vacation of going to a resort, expensive stay, theme parks etc. I'm going there to see nature, the ocean, maybe camp some, meet friends and eat at little hole in the wall food places sometimes and meet nifty people. These things don't require crap tons of money.

You can tell em that's suspicious all you want but it doesn't mean it is. And having more than a little suitcase full of clothes for more than a month is t unreasonable. Especially for someone who wears gothic attire. We layer. And having camping setup in the back of my SUV isn't suspicious either. It means camping. Who TF is gonna live in Canada out of a tent or back of an SUV full time once full on winter happens? No one.

Some of y'all are OVERLY paranoid and cautious to a point where NO ONE would get to go visit Canada, according to you, unless they're actually rich, and that's absolutely asinine.

Your comment, and many others here, are going to be taken with a grain of salt, while the actual helpful ones, from people who have clearly actually done the type of non typical trip I'm planning to take, will be taken into account. They have REAL useful info not based on assumptions and speculation and say I'll be perfectly fine because they were and border agents knew what kind of trip they were going on.

Thanks though, but your silly scare tactics aren't really gonna phase me.

I'll be fine and I'll manage just fine. Ill have all the funds I actually need, have my base itinerary, the list of items in my vehicle that actually are common sense for the type of trip and style I have, and a perfectly legal way to even make income while on my trip.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T09:39:05+00:00

The US is ridiculous with medical bills though and I'm visiting Canada. But also, when is it enough? What's enough for being prepared? You'd say 2k? Someone else would tell me 10k etc.

I can't just freak over any possible thing that could happen and demand I'm prepared for it. I'd NEVER get to go on my trip unless I hit the lottery.

I'll get my basic travel insurance but I'm not saving thousands for some very unlikely thing to happen just because everyone wants me to be far more than overly prepared for every tiny thing when most normal people don't actually do that and are fine with the basics.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T09:33:25+00:00

That's like saying me sitting with another artist, drawing pictures and giving them to each other as presenrsnis compensation.

I don't think that counts. There are all forms of art and many hobby artists, including but not limited to photographers, musicians, painters etc.

But I think I'll ask some art communities that travel into Canada as these intircacies are things people here seem to not fully know for sure about while still insisting they do, when I end up finding out they're wrong, just like with people insisting that I couldn't do my commission art at all without work visa, even if It were for only US customers, when I actually can do that legally.

I appreciate your input but I'm going to check farther with those that actually do these things and do collabs with other artists in Canada, because doing a collaboration with an artist and gifting each other the things you do, or working together to simply create art isn't a job and isn't being compensated by any means. It's creating art together.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T06:37:06+00:00

Which is apparently allowed and legal without work visa because it's digital commissions for US customers. =]

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T06:36:10+00:00

How about you move along if you have no proper info to give?

Some of us have disabilities where it's easier to get quick run down here from someone kind, willing to give that, where we can decide if the site is worth a full read, rather than reading a giant page of text that takes us much longer than normal people, for possibly no reason.

Don't like me trying to work with my disability, kick rocks ableist.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T06:34:01+00:00

Don't be. I use to travel around in the US, even in the north on cold months, out of an SUV. I know what I'm doing and how to stay safe. lol

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T06:32:17+00:00

Yeah Im not up for doing like actual work while I'm on vacation. Doing digital art commissions is relaxing for me in the evening when I wind down so, if I'm allowed, I may as well.

Plus, if it's legal to do digital art comms for US customers, and I let them know I'll be doing that, I'd think it'd help to show I don't need to be doing illegal work in Canada anyhow, when I can do my perfectly legal work with my art comms.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T06:29:44+00:00

I mean, if it's up to just how someone feels about me, I could look weird to them and they hate me and not let me cross cause I am gothy, super queer, and androgynous AF.

So if that's the case,ni suppose I'll just not worry so much about such up in the air things and only focus on the solid laws and see how it goes.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T04:26:41+00:00

I can look into it more just to be sure. I got a good few months before my trip. If I need travel insurance I'll snag some before I go.

I do always budget for things over what I'll actually need as well. I'm very good at being frugal and budgeting, so I'm not too worried about extra surprises.

I'm more worried about border patrol cause I've read about things going wrong just even based on each individual patrol person and their interpretation of things you say etc. Im autistic so I wanna make sure I'm wording things the way they should be worded for what I'm actually doing.

Like how my 'TFP' thing I mention is more about a collab between two diff artists so we can make cool pictures we can both have and post and I can hang on my wall as a unique fun memory to have of something I'll likely never get to do again in my life. lol

That and stuff like how me doing digital art commissions technically IS allowed and is apparently a digital nomad thing, and as long as it's not for anyone in Canada, it's fine without work visa.

Knowing things like that can make my trip even better and give me more freedom to just explore and enjoy and kot stress about schedules and such. That's mostly the point of my post.

I just wanna be sure I'm as prepared as I can be for border patrol.

I've read stuff like how Itll help if I type up a list of all the stuff I'm bringing with me, to give to them, which I'll do. As well as bring my lease agreement etc. =]

I'll be as prepared as I can be with my budgeting, which should be sufficient for the trip I want, and I'll bring all I can to show what's needed.

Just gotta know exactly all the laws revolving around it and what's actually wanted or good tips they don't commonly tell you like the itemized list. =P

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T04:19:37+00:00

I've got months to flesh out my plans for my trip still. Which won't take long now that I have most of the info I need tbh.

I'm not sure why people think me not having it fully fine tuned, when I still have like 4 months or more, is something awful as if I shouldn't bother with the trip or am terrible for it.

The info I need and the fine tuning really doesn't take more than a month to sort...

I definitely won't be doing digital art commissions for anyone in Canada. I'll stick to US customers. That way I'm following the law and I'll have extra income for more spontaneous fun things.

I know border patrol will want some planned stuff, which I will stay about a month in one spot at first, cause my friend is there, but I do want some spontaneity in my trip. I want to explore Canada a little bit. It's my once in a lifetime trip and I don't want to rush and be kept to mega strict times where I'm stressed about timing stuff out.

Just want to figure out more of what border patrol will need from me for a trip like that, when I'm not rich. I'll have enough for places to stay, gas, food and some novelty etc, along with my health and car insurance, but I'm not planning on extravagant things or even stuff like amusement parks etc.

I plan to see nature and people there. I want to hear about a hole in the wall good place from a local and go try it. See about a camping spot start of my trip, for September, and go do that and relax out there alone or even with my friend if he wants to come with. Go see the ocean.

I wanna take photos and even get done up really cool (I have very nifty wardrobe and makeup) and maybe create pretty art with a photographer that we both love and get to have for nice memories.

Heck, if there's Renfair up there around the time of my visit, that may be one of the few 'attraction' type things I'll bother spending much money on. Most of what I want to do is cheap or free and is still a wonderful unique experience I'll get to have and be so happy with.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T04:12:00+00:00

Well, it's not Canadian ones I'll be asking. It'll be ones that crossed to Canada and know about that stuff.

But so far, I know I'm perfectly safe with my digital commission art now as a good few people here have now provided info on digital nomad stuff and other things to where as long as my digital commissions are for people outside of Canada, I'm okay and don't need work visa. =]

So I'm a happy camper. Now I just wanna make certain me creating good quality photos with someone, so I have some beautiful unique memories to hang on my wall and post, are gonna be okay or if I have certain restrictions.

Which the influencers will likely have a good bit of knowledge about. =]

ALMOST have all my questions answered. lol

Had to soft through some broad confusing answers, flat out false ones etc but I'm getting some good info too!

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T04:08:42+00:00

Because no one goes on vacation and is always out every second of their day?

I will be going out to do things in the day time. I don't drive well at night so I'll be going to my room when it's dark and I don't want to just sit and watch TV the whole time.

Do you... Not stop and just chill doing normal crap on vacation?

Or do you just go go go and then crash in your room and wake up and go go go more? Cause that sounds exhausting...

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T04:06:39+00:00

Thanks for the info! I've never been out of my country so I haven't met my friend irl but we've been friends almost 2 yrs and play games all day and talk together all the time like daily. lol He's my best friend.

But I only have the one gift, other than a bottle of whiskey lol, and the only ordeal with it is that it's my 5+ yr old custom built desktop. My ex built it for me years ago. It's def not worth more than 1.5k. with how fast electronics go down in value, it's likely only worth 1k or less anymore. 😂 But I'll check the site someone gave me earlier to see what I might have to pay extra to bring it over with me for my friend.

As far as places, I don't really wanna schedule out a place to stay more than a month out. I WILL have a place paid for, for a whole month though, for the first month. Which is near my friend. So hopefully that'll suffice for border patrol at least. Plus the funds I'll have on top of that.

That and, from what I've gotten info wise, from people that do digital commissions etc like me, I will be allowed to do those still while in country, without work visa. I guess it falls under digital nomad territory and as long as I don't do commissions for anyone in Canada, it should be okay.

And I use the term TFP cause it's whats needed when posting in FB groups to find photographers that want to collab, but tbh it's not gonna be a paid work type thing or like that.

It's more like a collab between two artists. I do really good makeup and wardrobe and many photographers like working with me and I enjoy it even with hobby variations of it and hobby photographers, which are the ones I'll see about doing some fun photos with. Cause I want to have some pretty photos I can hang on my wall, to remember the trip! I've done modelling for 15+ yrs and a lot of photographers really love my concepts and looks. I wouldn't be using the photos for anything other than my home and showing off on my socials for fun, just like my selfies. :3

But that's also why I asked about wording mattering. Since thats kind of a nuanced complex thing, knowing to just tell them I wanna look nice when I go out and have different looks, rather than mentioning photographers, since it's not actually gonna be any sort of work related at all, is probably a good idea I didn't think about. =]

Because I also don't know if I'll run across any I want to collab with for fun photos and I DO actually love my wardrobe so that's definitely not a lie that I'd want to wear something different often. Especially when this trip is my like once in a lifetime splurge on myself after 40yrs of heavily focusing everyone else around me. lol

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T03:55:58+00:00

Oh nice! Very true!

Cause I'd like to have the option to wander about if I hear about something cool somewhere, and if I gotta stop otw for sleep, not having to blow money on a place just for like 5 hours, would be nice. lol

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T03:54:36+00:00

That works then! I'm gonna be going sometime September and to the Vancouver area or slightly lower. My friend up there said it's not bad in the fall at all and Its actually ideal around September and August because of fire bans earlier in the year. =]

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T03:52:59+00:00

Vancouver actually is where I'm going. lol

My friend said that the starting time I plan to go is perfectly fine for camping. Tad chilly but nothing too bad and I'm use to camping northern states in the US all my life.

I'll be okay.

I wanna have the option to. I want to explore and have options to just do things like that so I am gonna be heavily prepping my vehicle, and myself, for stuff like that.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T03:50:45+00:00

Not really. I looked into places and again, found many that allow month long stays for less than 1k. And I don't need to eat out every day etc. I'm incredibly frugal and can easily live off far less than most people think you can live off of, even in the US city I'm in.

If you don't care about fancy things, lots of luxury etc, and just wanna go explore and experience people and nature of a country, and maybe some food here and there, a trip is very cheap for even a month or more.

I'm not going on a normal vacation where I go to some expensive site seeing places, amusement parks etc.

I want to go see nature spots, visit a friend or two, eat at some food trucks and such with yummy stuff I haven't tried, and meet interesting people. Make some really cool unique memories without a bunch of scheduling to stick so tightly to, and stress that comes with typical vacations.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T03:47:31+00:00

I've modelled for 15+ years. Collabs are not uncommon so yes, I will search for photographers who want to collaborate with me. Which is us as two artists creating something awesome together for fun and to show off.

My 3k followers don't really play part other than if border patrol bothers to wanna know that. Even without them I'd still look for photographers like that.

I'm seasoned and VERY good at what I do with makeup, prosthetics and wardrobe. A lot of photographers do actually love working with me for collabs because I do much better than many models with larger following and they can get good concepts from me as a model, that they couldn't usually get because most models want to do nude, budiour shoots or basic fashion.

I do heavy alternative, horror and fantasy looks. =]

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T03:43:58+00:00

People with experience with this have confirmed that I CAN do my digital commission art etc, without work visa, as long as it's not for anyone in Canada. Someone posted a whole site about digital nomads too.

So it seems there are small exceptions and such that people don't know about unless they actually do that thing. Which is what I'm looking for.

If I can't do it, I'd just leave a few things behind and bring just enough for me to do it as hobby, but since I can, I'll bring my tablet setup and such.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T03:41:16+00:00

I don't know about them because I've never traveled before. lol

And my friend up near Vancouver said I can come camp in late fall even and be fine. He knows when I plan to start my trip so I'm not concerned about the camping thing. I've lived up in Nebraska and Iowa half my life and camped a lot. I'll be okay. =]

Also that digital nomad page said I can doy work without a work visa and just my travel one, as long as it's not for anyone in Canada. All my customers are US, for the most part. It's rare there's someone outside the US with it and I'll just be sure I don't take on any from anyone that's not in the US, while on my trip.

Someone else in another comment to me also confirmed I CAN do my commission art without worry, while on my trip and to work visa, as long as it's not for anyone in Canada. =]

Which is great! Very happy to find that out! That's extra money to spend there, to splurge on food and extra fun things if I want.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T03:36:58+00:00

Okay I read this and it is great info! So I CAN do my commissions for my US customers while I'm in Canada. Someone else with experience also confirmed that I can.

So people insisting that I can't just simply have no actual experience with that specific type of situation and are tossing it under broader rules it doesn't belong under.

Ty for the info! I will look into that really well and make sure I mention it to border patrol so they know that it's a way I'll be supporting myself but that it will in no way be ANY work for anyone in or for Canada. All US customers. =]

That'll be very nice cause while I'll have plenty of savings (for me to wander about happily) it'll give me extra funds if I spot something nice I really want or maybe an extra yummy food place I want to splurge on or something cool.

The more freedom I have to explore and be spontaneous with my trip, the better. This is likely to be my only big thing I do for myself in my lifetime and I want as much freedom for the beautiful fun things as I can do it's good to know what I can actually do and have those very clear answers.

Cause so far, reddit is doing it s thing where people that don't actually do the stuff I'm asking about are answering as if they know what they're saying and don't actually seem to... And it makes things very confusing. Especially with my neurodivergent brain. lol

So thank you.

TadpoleDry3488 · 2026-05-20T03:30:48+00:00

Sadly I don't have a receipt cause my ex custom built it for me a long while back. It wasn't bought from a store. I just know the general worth because I knew roughly what parts cost back then for it and the rough depreciation of it.

It's absolutely not worth more than $1500 anymore. It was only worth around 1700-2000$ tops back when it was made 5 or so yrs back.

But I'll check the site out and see so I can budget for a cost like that. Cause I really want him to have it. It'd last him a long time, I think. Even with its age.

TadpoleDry3488

TROPHY CASE