US Customs @ Calgary...
 

Hello All - can anyone tell me what to expect @ Calgary customs? My wife is flying through Calgary tomorrow and has a 55 minute connection time....is there a connections line to go through US Customs? I don't anticipate it being too busy at 11:00am.......but any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

Any bags?

She may feel rushed, as I doubt she'll arrive at the gate 30min before departure... but she should make it on the flight without any problem though.

Looks like 4 flights around that time, IAH, JFK, LAX, DEN, so it will look kinda busy.

Connecting passengers leave the secured concourse and go to US checkin... located in the middle of the terminal (Look for "C"). Cnx pax don't re-check in, just go through the first doors, claim your baggage on the right hand side, then go through US Immigration and Customs. Then through security again and onto the gates.

Most likely the biggest delay will be security.

http://www.calgaryairport.com/maps/d...arturesmap.cfm

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Thanks!
 

No bags so loads of time saved. No lounge time though!

Calgary customs at 11am can be a very busy place. Leaving within 2 hours of 11am security time arew the following flights: ORDx2, DENX2, IAHx2, LAX, JFK, SEA, and SFO. The UA and AC counters are very busy at this time of day.

See the above poster for cnx bagage information. There is a USA connection signage directing traffic, the signs are located about 1/2 down the checkin line. Unfortunately the pathway is sometimes not clear as pax in check-in lineup sometime block the path way.

US Customs officers are busy at this time of day and 15 minute line-ups are not unheard of. Last year at this time the security line-up was a conx killer. It can take up to 30 minutes to clear the security area. HOWEVER CATSA has improved considerably since January with a huge increase in staff. Therefore I do expect to make the cnx.

Of course there is the unforseen problem of stopping short of the gate, which is very common for AC operations at YYC. This could delay things by a few minutes.

55 minutes is tight but doable so long as the BP for YYC-USA portion is retreived at origin.

There are no lounges in concourse C @ YYC. The concourse A MLL is under renovation and usually max out at this time of day (major domestic bank for AC). Your wife is not missing much by skipping the YYC lounge.

You can expect rude and ignorant Custom agents.

Actually, last time I went through YYC CBP, the agent was pleasant.

Hehe, reminds me of my experience @ YYC in April.

Agent: NEXT
Me: Good morning Sir. How are you?
Agent: CITIZENSHIP?
Me: Netherlands
Agent: WHERE ARE YOU GOING TODAY?
Me: San Francisco
Agent: HOW LONG ARE YOU PLANNING TO BE IN THE US?
Me: Two days
Agent: stamps passport and shouts "NEXT"

There were no lines around 1030am and I was through in 5 minutes.

Well I was going through YYC customs with my legally married Husband ( We're a same sex couple) I filled out ONE customs form for the both of us, as it's per family. After waiting in line to clear customers
Agent: where are you going in the US?
Me: Hollywood
Agent:Why?
Me: To sightsee
Agent: And who is this?(looking at my husband)
Me: Mathew
Agent: Do you live at the same residence
Me:Yes
Agent: And what is your relationship?
Me: Spouse
Agent: Excuse me?
Me: He's my husband
Agent: He might be your husband here, but in America he is no relation to you
Me:....Okay?
Agent: Yeah, what you have is not, and will not be recognized in the USA.
Me: Okay, well we're common law, surely that is allowed?
Agent: No, it is not. Now, I have to refuse the both of you entry
Me:Why?
Agent: Because you filled out this form incorrectly, you need to fill out TWO form, not one. Don't you understand? This form is for family, and after this point you two are no longer considered family.
Me: Well, can I fill out my form here so I don't have to go to the back of the line?
Agent: No, I'm busy. I can accept this form, but your "Friend" will have to go over there and fill out his own form, and you must stand over there, as you have now cleared customs........NOW

So we had to split up, which was scary, then my husband did not know the address of the hotel to fill out on the form, so he called me over, so I walked over to him..

Agent: SIR!!! SIR!! I TOLD YOU TO STAND OVER THERE, NOW BACK UP RIGHT NOW AND DO NOT MOVE!!! UNDERSTAND? DO NOT MOVE.


This was one of the worst experience in my life.

Now, want to know the worst part?
I went to Orlando, but cleared customs in YUL. So me and my partner filled out SEPERATE forms and went through US customs together to which the agent got pissed off at us for filling out TWO forms and demanded I return and fill out one form. I told them about what happened in Calgary two months previous to which he replied
"Well, I'll accept two seperate forms just this once but don't let it happen again!"

So, what the heck am I meant to do? What would you do?

That's messed up stuff.

I guess fill in three forms -- one together and two separate? But of course, there may be consequences for that as well?

I hope you gave CBP in YYC a call and had a few words with the supervisor.

I found a couple of references on this subject, doesn't look like the situation has been made any clearer in the last few years:

http://www.samesexmarriage.ca/legal/uscustoms.htm



From Foreign Affairs:

"Although same-sex marriages are legal in Canada, many countries do not recognize them. Attempting to enter as a same-sex married couple may result in refusal by local officials. For more information, contact the foreign government office accredited to Canada."