I work at CLT in immigration i.e. the person who interprets and tells you what line/officer to go to. In any case I came upon this forum and decided to explain what happens at CLT.

Canada is not a ''Visa-Waiver'' country. If you were the Immigration officials would be fingerprinting you all and taking your picture and you would be required to fill out the GREEN FORM in addition to your Blue Customs Declaration. Additionally a new rule goes in effecti n January for Visa-Waiver participants....you'll have to log online 72 hours before boarding your plane and register electronically, so CBP will know who you are and what you're about before simply jumping on the plane.

I repeat this only applies to countries in the Visa-Waiver program. Canada isn't in that program!

Yes it is true that you don't need a Visa to come to the US though if you are Canadian. However, Canadians are in a different category pretty much. Anyways, following 9/11 when CBP began cracking down on immigration and illegal aliens they discovered many Canadians came to the United States and just never went home. As a result at CLT they make Canadians who are staying overnight fill out the I-94 form unless they have tickets going to Canada or to a border city. They want accountability and have a record that the Canadian national did leave the US.

This rule has changed back and forth many times at CLT, so it is a little gray. Three years ago we didn't make Canadians do this, then it tirned into if you're going to be in the US more than 7 jours you have to fill it out. Then it became if you're only driving across the border or staying over 7 hours in the US. Then it became only if you are spending the night in the US.

This is where the policy stands right now. If you are staying overnight in the US...it doesn't matter if its a hotel in the border city or spending the night in the airport you have to fill out the form. Leave lines 9 and 10 blank because those are City Where Visa Was Issued and Date Issued of Visa, respectively.....and DING DING you guys don't have Visa even though you're using the Visa Form.

This is a fight pretty much everyday with Canadians over filling out these forms. I understand you guys probably haven't done it other places, but realize every port of entry and general area has its own director. As its been explained to me, the port has some flexibility in terms of how they carry out things and implement things.

Oh and by the way about slipping into line with the USCs...do so at your own risk. Again every airport is different, its best to ask first rather assume as its up the port to decide how they want to handle passengers. Some Airports have special lines for Diplomats, Permanent Residents, Canadians etc. Other airports let US Citizens and Residents go together, and let Canadians process in US lines or give them their own official/unofficial lines or have special Apec Cardholder lines.

In CLT, there's no profential treatment for Canadian citizens as they are Aliens as well. Foreigners have their own line, US Citizens and Residents share one, and then there is a Special Assist, Crew, Diplomat, Apec Cardholder Line which they all share.

As for calling or wanting to know defacto what lines Canadians can go in or can't etc...if anything you should call the Port of Entry you'll be going through...because they will be the best informed as to how things are done at that airport, sea terminal or whichever. Even then, they might just rehash the official rule but in practice it may be very different.

BTW Canadians are not exempt from the passport requirement either as mentioned by a poster... that went into effect 1 or 2 years ago. The US said people can't travel here on birth certificates etc anymore, and that Canadians need to have passports and so Canada reciprocated it and American's need passports to go to Canada too. Yes you guys are VISA exempt but not passport exempt anymore.

As for questions about entering etc...realize when you're flying from Canada to the US...you are precleared ie there are American agents in the Canadian city and they process you there. That way you come to the airport as a domestic flight. In any case if you are transiting through the United States back to Canada for example, you still have to go through Immigration and Customs. Following 9/11 the US abandoned its' transit policy. So all passengers on their first port of entry from a non-precleared foreign destination will have to go through CBP inspection before continuing onto their other flight. Yes, we have passengers for example from Britain who go to Mexico for vacation but fly through the US. They have to fill out their Visa Waiver form fill out a Customs Declration be processed then go onto their flight and turn in their departure record 15 minutes later to the gate agent for a flight to London. It doesn't matter where you're going if you're from an international flight that isn't precleared you have to go through that process!