Originally Posted by
skywalkerLAX
I'm wondering why so many people complain about the Canadian Customs & Immigration procedures. I've been travelling many times to YVR now and never have been bothered with unreasonable questions or any attitude whatsoever.
I have never been referred to the secondary by the CBSA, but their attitude (i.e, tone of voice, bunch of questions, giving commands, etc) did not vary greatly from that of our own CBP. I love Canada and I will travel there regardless of the border experience, but it still spoils first hour of the trip once you clear immigration control.
Contrary to the US where the CBP officials are often on a power trip and the treatment of intl arriving pax depends on the mood of the day. My recent experience at US Customs YVR was a 3 hour secondary inspection where a brand new agent was trained by a senior officer. He told him to take his time until he understood everything correctly. Not guilty of any wrongdoing he said to him "look for proof to charge him with 212 a) etc etc..."
It is troubling, especially considering that you are subjected to this kind of treatment on your own soil. Well, at least secondary inspection at pre-clearance areas should not be as intimidating as the secondary inspection in the USA. The worst thing for you would be being denied boarding and being kicked out of the pre-clearance area.
Now one could say, let the european countries crack down on things like this. Do not accept modified passports with extra pages, non signed passports and deny the individual entry. However that would be just as wrong as these condition go back to the incapability of the United States to provide sophisticated documents (come on, who applies for a passport at the post office & gets it delivered by regular mail) and the general culture of ignorance.
Would you prefer to show up in person at a local branch of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs to apply for a passport?
And then come again to receive the passport in person? That is what I have to do in my other country of citizenship. The passport indeed seems more secure and durable, utilising a polycarbonate bio page with laser-engraved photo and the signature. I am not sure, however, that the quality would degrade if the processing was done through post office.