Originally Posted by
RobertS975
I know that the border between the US and Canada has tightened considerably since 9/11. From personal experience, I can assure you that Canadian customs and immigration folks are not kind and friendly towards mileage runners.
I never make pure MRs... it is always a place that I would generally never get to otherwise, and I usually spend at least one night. Well, last week, I showed up at an Alberta airport... told the first agent I was just there as a tourist, one night... sent for secondary inspection where I was interrogated and searched for nearly two hours... laptop searched for child pornography etc. Finding none, the agent asked: "Do you have any pornography on here at all? I find it difficult to believe that you have nothing."
Essentially, they could not fathom why someone who said they did not know anyone, was not meeeting anyone etc. would come for just one night. I told them over and over that indeed that was the case... here is my return res #, car rental confirm, hotel confirm... a wallet full of platinum cradit cards etc.
Anyone else have any "fun" Canadian customs stories to tell?
I had a similar experience on a mileage run with a one night layover at YVR. I waited for 40 min in the regular international arrivals lines. The agent in my line did not believe my story of a mileage run, although I had my return ticket and hotel reservation at hand. I also felt that the concept was new to at least this particular agent.
So I was send to secondary inerrrogation. I was only allowed to take my shoulderbag inside, my other carryon had to stay outside in a big pile of unmonitored pieces of luggage. They had two lines in there one for travellers with work visa and one for people where they did not believe their story. Waiting in line for 1.5 hours I was surrounded by Chinese, Mexican and Eastern Europeans. Secondary Contol Immigration Officer was friendly but none the less asking me again again, why I would fly all the way from Germany to Canada and just stay for a few hours. He tried to talk me into admitting that I have a girlfriend that I want to see in Vancouver. But mostly he was trying to find ot if I intend to work in Canada. I understand that single one day travellers migh look suspiciously looking for illegal jobs. But I have a good job as a physician, which I proved by my employer ID und my international Doctors ID. After 20 minutes, he let me go and proceed to customs. There my shoulderbag an my carryon was searched thoroughly. But what I find personally disturbing is the practice of searching laptops in the open, people waiting behind you. Browsing through hundreds of picutures, of my family, friend, collegues and lovers or what ever there was he didn't find anything that he objected.
So finally after about 2:40 minutes I stept out into a friendly sunny evening in Vacouver, the snowy montains howering over the city in a distance.