Rude Canadian immigration
Feb 5, 2011, 1:07 pm
#46
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: YVR
Programs: AC Elite, AA Advantage, BA
Posts: 102
Nexus Eye Scan
I can NEVER make the eye scan arriving in YVR work for me. And YYZ isn't much better. On the other hand, going to the US it usually works. I think they are different machines. But, yes, thank God for Nexus. At least if the eye thing doesn't work you can cut through the lines. So that's at least a benefit.
Feb 5, 2011, 1:35 pm
#47
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YQR
Programs: AC*E35 and decreasing
Posts: 664
While I agree with you 100%, I have to point out one thing (it is something of a pet-peeve.)
You're actually referring to Customs Officers from CBSA, not Immigration Officers from CIC. CBSA staff man the booths and question you. As a Canadian citizen, you'd never deal with a proper CIC Immigration Officer. Immigration staff are located in the secondary screening area.
It may seem a minor distinction, but it actually needs to be understood. It bothers me because if you're going to complain about someone, make sure you're complaining about the right person. Canadian citizens do not interact with CIC Immigration Officers at the airport. We interact entirely with CBSA staff.
Now, again, I agree with you 100% in that those CBSA officers are by far the rudest, and most unnecessarily confrontational border officials in any country I have travelled to.
You're actually referring to Customs Officers from CBSA, not Immigration Officers from CIC. CBSA staff man the booths and question you. As a Canadian citizen, you'd never deal with a proper CIC Immigration Officer. Immigration staff are located in the secondary screening area.
It may seem a minor distinction, but it actually needs to be understood. It bothers me because if you're going to complain about someone, make sure you're complaining about the right person. Canadian citizens do not interact with CIC Immigration Officers at the airport. We interact entirely with CBSA staff.
Now, again, I agree with you 100% in that those CBSA officers are by far the rudest, and most unnecessarily confrontational border officials in any country I have travelled to.
Thanks for the info!
Feb 5, 2011, 1:38 pm
#48
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Nr. Zurich
Programs: LH SEN, IHG Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 1,610
I'm not a US citizen but I second your comment. The worst experience I had at US immigration was in Vancouver. I asked the guy something and he laced into me like nobody's business. When he was finished I just said "A yes or no would have been enough"....
Feb 5, 2011, 1:53 pm
#49
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YQR
Programs: AC*E35 and decreasing
Posts: 664
Regarding the citizenship thing, I'm a citizen of a third world country too, and I have done customs and immigration in Canada as a visitor, as a permanent resident, and as a citizen (more than 30 times in all). Very rarely are they polite, usually they are just distant; from time to time, like today, they are rude.
Regarding the "dose of real world education", I lived in the 3rd world for 30+ years before coming to Canada. Besides Canada, I have crossed the border into Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Malaysia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela. I think that's a big enough pool for comparison.
I still mantain that Canadian officers are particularly rude. And that I have enough "real world education".
Feb 5, 2011, 2:00 pm
#50
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YYJ
Programs: 50K
Posts: 307
Of course we don't have to agree, but you seem to be accusing me of needing "a dose of real work education".
Regarding the citizenship thing, I'm a citizen of a third world country too, and I have done customs and immigration in Canada as a visitor, as a permanent resident, and as a citizen (more than 30 times in all). Very rarely are they polite, usually they are just distant; from time to time, like today, they are rude.
Regarding the "dose of real world education", I lived in the 3rd world for 30+ years before coming to Canada. Besides Canada, I have crossed the border into Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Malaysia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela. I think that's a big enough pool for comparison.
I still mantain that Canadian officers are particularly rude. And that I have enough "real world education".
Regarding the citizenship thing, I'm a citizen of a third world country too, and I have done customs and immigration in Canada as a visitor, as a permanent resident, and as a citizen (more than 30 times in all). Very rarely are they polite, usually they are just distant; from time to time, like today, they are rude.
Regarding the "dose of real world education", I lived in the 3rd world for 30+ years before coming to Canada. Besides Canada, I have crossed the border into Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Malaysia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela. I think that's a big enough pool for comparison.
I still mantain that Canadian officers are particularly rude. And that I have enough "real world education".
Feb 5, 2011, 2:08 pm
#51
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: YQF
Programs: AC/AP-Elite, *G, HH-G
Posts: 46
I find they are certainly more friendly then many of the places I have had to travel to; I have never had a CBSA officer ask me for a personal payment to expedite my customs/immigration process, or other shady practices common with other immigrations officials around the world.
Feb 5, 2011, 2:21 pm
#53
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: UA MP
Posts: 768
I am a u.s. citizen and my experience at YVR US preclereance is the complete opposite. Always very pleasant every time. I go through YVR at least 6 times a year.
Feb 5, 2011, 2:25 pm
#54
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PHL, NYC, DC
Posts: 9,708
i dont want to open a large debate, but just because a customs officer is impersonal (cold/bland whatever you call it), doesnt mean he/she is rude. Did he/she said something to provoke you or make suggestions?
And when i mean they make suggestion, not assumed suggestions, but actual suggestions.... Far too often people take word out of context in the word of assumption and make an issue out of it
And when i mean they make suggestion, not assumed suggestions, but actual suggestions.... Far too often people take word out of context in the word of assumption and make an issue out of it
Feb 5, 2011, 2:29 pm
#55
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YYJ
Programs: 50K
Posts: 307
I've experienced both good and bad situations. Two times ago I was sent to secondary screening after a rather hostile questioning of how often I went to the US on business and for what purpose for which I answered in my usual yes sir no sir way. The last time was very pleasant. It does seem sometimes that there is a good cop/bad cop approach at US immigration whereas on the Canadian side it's mainly just bland cop.
Feb 5, 2011, 2:30 pm
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 13,145
but just because a customs officer is impersonal (cold/bland whatever you call it), doesnt mean he/she is rude.
Feb 5, 2011, 3:47 pm
#58
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,830
Not true, there are more taxes on a ticket to the United States and back that are levied by the US authorities. Check out the "Immigration Fee' and "Agricultural inspection" fee
Feb 5, 2011, 4:22 pm
#59
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,161
Just arrived in YYZ half an hour ago. I usually complain that immigration at Canadian airports is less pleasant than anywhere else; today, it was way beyond that, the official was plainly rude.
As a Canadian citizen, I find it very annoying that the border where I'm questioned the most is that of my own country. I'm not as versed a traveler as some people here, but still I have visited 40 different countries; and in none of them are immigration officials as unfriendly as in Canada.
Does anyone else have the same experience (or different, for that matter?)
As a Canadian citizen, I find it very annoying that the border where I'm questioned the most is that of my own country. I'm not as versed a traveler as some people here, but still I have visited 40 different countries; and in none of them are immigration officials as unfriendly as in Canada.
Does anyone else have the same experience (or different, for that matter?)
London: 1 question asked (are you planning on working here? No? Ok, enjoy your stay)
Prague: 0 questions, stamp and enter.
Istanbul: 0 questions, stamp and enter.
Dubai: 1 question, how long are you staying?
Kiev: 1 question, wait, where are you from? (I was arriving on a flight from Istanbul and it was me and everyone else was Turkish or Ukranian)
Beijing: 0 questions.
Tokyo: 0 questions.
Bangkok: 0 questions.
Sydney: asked a crapload of questions, then taken aside while some special immigration officer was brought out to ask the same questions over again, then proceed to the luggage scanner where they went through all my stuff, held up a transparent bag that contained Tylenol and earplugs and asked, "Is this food?" After staring for a couple of seconds, and saying no, that's not food, I was let into the country in a state of amazement.
Canada: asked the routine stuff. Half the time the guards seem bored, half the time they seem hostile. I realize above I wrote "guard"... when I mean "customs agent." I guess they feel like guards with the attitude and the body armor. The government tells us that the airports are secure and airplanes are safe to fly... so why do these guys get body armor? Am I going to lunge at them and attempt to stab them with my laptop?
Feb 5, 2011, 4:46 pm
#60
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: YUL
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 446