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Old Sep 25, 2012 | 2:14 pm
  #1  
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Crossing into Canada

It's been awhile since I've driven across the border into Canada. anything special that I need to know in order to drive from Seattle to Vancouver?
I have a valid passport. what else?
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Old Sep 25, 2012 | 2:27 pm
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Crossing into Canada

On the return drive into US, have ready plenty of time and patience.
I have experienced 4-5 hour waits
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Old Sep 25, 2012 | 2:32 pm
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Originally Posted by Tony10s
On the return drive into US, have ready plenty of time and patience.
I have experienced 4-5 hour waits
ugh. thanks for the heads-up
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Old Sep 25, 2012 | 2:48 pm
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Crossing into Canada

Have done the journey
4 or 5 times and never waited more than an hour. No worse than most US airports but at least in the car you can sit down.
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Old Sep 25, 2012 | 2:59 pm
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In the future, you can consider getting a NEXUS casrd which can save you some time at the border.
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Old Sep 25, 2012 | 5:37 pm
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Originally Posted by Tony10s
I have experienced 4-5 hour waits
These are very rare.

When you are heading back & driving east on Highway 1 or south on Highway 99 you'll see digital signboards listing the wait times at the various border crossings.

You can also listen to AM730, which is the local 'all traffic' station in Vancouver. About every 10 minutes they'll list the current border wait times.
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Old Sep 25, 2012 | 7:23 pm
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Danger, DANGER will Robinson

Canada participates with a few other countries in what I describe as a HIGHLY restrictive admissibility policy.
The policy strictly limits WHO can be admitted.
"Even" Pres. Bush with a DUI on his record had to have it dealt with before he could be admitted.
Yes, it's that narrowly restrictive.
My point: all's well if it' IS, but felons and lesser criminals beware. I speak as one removed but one step from personal experience of being refused admission.
Did I mention the extreme selectivity and restrctiveness of Canada's border crossing policy? I did?
Oh, but I DIDN'T tell you what happens if/when they toss you in the pokey while they "think" about yout plight. b'rrrrrrrrr
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 5:01 am
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Originally Posted by dcutcher
My point: all's well if it' IS, but felons and lesser criminals beware. I speak as one removed but one step from personal experience of being refused admission.
DANGER, DANGER!!! They are smart enough not to want all kinds of criminals (even lesser) into their country. In my experience most countries are like that, even USA is smart enough to restrict criminals entry in to the land of the free.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 8:06 am
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Originally Posted by dcutcher
Canada participates with a few other countries in what I describe as a HIGHLY restrictive admissibility policy.


Yes, as a result of this HIGHLY restrictive policy, only 35 MILLION people visit Canada each year.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 8:44 am
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Originally Posted by dcutcher
Canada participates with a few other countries in what I describe as a HIGHLY restrictive admissibility policy.
The policy strictly limits WHO can be admitted.
"Even" Pres. Bush with a DUI on his record had to have it dealt with before he could be admitted.
Yes, it's that narrowly restrictive.
My point: all's well if it' IS, but felons and lesser criminals beware. I speak as one removed but one step from personal experience of being refused admission.
Did I mention the extreme selectivity and restrctiveness of Canada's border crossing policy? I did?
Oh, but I DIDN'T tell you what happens if/when they toss you in the pokey while they "think" about yout plight. b'rrrrrrrrr
While he was president of USA, he could enter Canada through diplomatic protocols, without consideration of past offenses.
As has been discussed elsewhere on the internet, after (or before) he was in office, he was subject to the same restrictions anyone else had to adhere to.
So, in the bolded section above, I think your statement should read "Mr. Bush".
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 9:35 am
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Yup....

....leave your firearm at home.
They tend to get the border guards attention.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 11:16 am
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Let's shift this to the Canada forum for further discussion. Thanks! /JY1024, TravelBuzz co-moderator
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 1:23 pm
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Originally Posted by HomerJ
....leave your firearm at home.
They tend to get the border guards attention.
No pepper spray either. Leave it at home.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 9:36 pm
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Originally Posted by dcutcher
Did I mention the extreme selectivity and restrctiveness of Canada's border crossing policy? I did?
Oh, but I DIDN'T tell you what happens if/when they toss you in the pokey while they "think" about yout plight. b'rrrrrrrrr
Hmmm... works both ways I guess. And for what a reason no less...
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Old Sep 27, 2012 | 1:58 pm
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If you drive further out of Vancouver on the #1 highway, you can turn off at Exit 256 (Aldergrove) or the Sumas Way exit (Abbotsford) ...you'll have only a 20 minute Max wait. Its the same distance because the #1 swerves downward south as you travel, so makes the drive towards Bellingham shorter.
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