Entry and exit on two separate passports
#1
Original Poster




Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,604
Entry and exit on two separate passports
I entered Canada on my American passport but so they my correct details would be sent to the EU, I checked in and used my Swedish passport when exiting Canada. Will this cause issues in terms of Canada thinking that me the American is still there and then overstaying?
#3



Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Strictly speaking, Canada and USA do not have immigration exit controls.
Showing the passport to the airline as you are exiting Canada/USA to the next foreign destination is to show them that the next country will allow you entry by virtue of citizenship or visa.
#4
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However theres more going on at immigration than just stamping a passport such as tracking exit and preventing individuals wanted by authorities from departing.
Exit is tracked. From CBP perspective by air it is via APIS (CBSA has something similar), by land, via Exit/Entry agreement between CBP and CBSA.
Its been documented that CBP will pull passenger off a departing flight due to APIS information submitted by the carrier matching person of interest. They can also do a money search on the departing jet bridge/land border.
Just because you dont see a checkpoint doesnt mean there are no immigration exit controls.
Last edited by seawolf; Aug 15, 2022 at 12:14 am
#5




Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,934
If you define immigration exit control as stamping a passport then you are correct there is no control.
However theres more going on at immigration than just stamping a passport such as tracking exit and preventing individuals wanted by authorities from departing.
Exit is tracked. From CBP perspective by air it is via APIS (CBSA has something similar), by land, via Exit/Entry agreement between CBP and CBSA.
Its been documented that CBP will pull passenger off a departing flight due to APIS information submitted by the carrier matching person of interest. They can also do a money search on the departing jet bridge/land border.
Just because you dont see a checkpoint doesnt mean there are no immigration exit controls.
However theres more going on at immigration than just stamping a passport such as tracking exit and preventing individuals wanted by authorities from departing.
Exit is tracked. From CBP perspective by air it is via APIS (CBSA has something similar), by land, via Exit/Entry agreement between CBP and CBSA.
Its been documented that CBP will pull passenger off a departing flight due to APIS information submitted by the carrier matching person of interest. They can also do a money search on the departing jet bridge/land border.
Just because you dont see a checkpoint doesnt mean there are no immigration exit controls.
How does Canada know you exited?
#6
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An entry on the northern land border will be shared with the other border agency so they can note that as an exit.
CBP could have just RFID the passport.
So if you drive up across the border for duty free and come back before being out of country for the minimum duration to qualify for duty free exemption, dont be surprised if they already know the answer to the question of how long were you in the other country before they even asked.
Last edited by seawolf; Aug 15, 2022 at 8:18 am
#7




Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 6,483
Many times at YYZ T3 I have precleared US immigration then my flight gets cancelled or I accept a VDB credit and I simply exit to the street. Canada has no clue I am still in Canada. Note that when this happens in T1 with AC I always have to reclear Canada Customs (because some travellers bypass entry to Canada while in transit). But never in T3. I often buy a dummy refundable ticket to see spouse or kid through US immigration and pretend I am travelling with them then I simply leave once they have boarded. The records show I am in USA but I never board the plane and just go back to my car parked at YYZ.
Last edited by sydneyracquelle; Aug 15, 2022 at 6:47 pm
#8
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Many times at YYZ T3 I have precleared US immigration then my flight gets cancelled or I accept a VDB credit and I simply exit to the street. Canada has no clue I am still in Canada. Note that when this happens in T1 with AC I always have to reclear Canada Customs (because some travellers bypass entry to Canada while in transit). But never in T3. I often buy a dummy refundable ticket to see spouse or kid through US immigration and pretend I am travelling with them then I simply leave once they have boarded. The records show I am in USA but I never board the plane.
#9




Join Date: Apr 2011
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If you define immigration exit control as stamping a passport then you are correct there is no control.
However theres more going on at immigration than just stamping a passport such as tracking exit and preventing individuals wanted by authorities from departing.
Exit is tracked. From CBP perspective by air it is via APIS (CBSA has something similar), by land, via Exit/Entry agreement between CBP and CBSA.
Its been documented that CBP will pull passenger off a departing flight due to APIS information submitted by the carrier matching person of interest. They can also do a money search on the departing jet bridge/land border.
Just because you dont see a checkpoint doesnt mean there are no immigration exit controls.
However theres more going on at immigration than just stamping a passport such as tracking exit and preventing individuals wanted by authorities from departing.
Exit is tracked. From CBP perspective by air it is via APIS (CBSA has something similar), by land, via Exit/Entry agreement between CBP and CBSA.
Its been documented that CBP will pull passenger off a departing flight due to APIS information submitted by the carrier matching person of interest. They can also do a money search on the departing jet bridge/land border.
Just because you dont see a checkpoint doesnt mean there are no immigration exit controls.
#10
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OK, but still how will it work when I use my old country's (EU and Schengen member) passport when traveling to the EU? EU will require ETIAS pre-authorization starting in Nov. 2023. As an EU citizen I'm not eligible for ETIAS. As a Canadian citizen I'm not eligible for eTA. So I'll indeed have to use my EU passport when leaving for the EU and my Canadian passport when returning. How will the authorities reconcile that?
#11
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Dec 2009
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OK, but still how will it work when I use my old country's (EU and Schengen member) passport when traveling to the EU? EU will require ETIAS pre-authorization starting in Nov. 2023. As an EU citizen I'm not eligible for ETIAS. As a Canadian citizen I'm not eligible for eTA. So I'll indeed have to use my EU passport when leaving for the EU and my Canadian passport when returning. How will the authorities reconcile that?
#12




Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Paris, France
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If you enter Canada on a US or Canadian passport, you shouldn't need to worry about having entry and exit records matching up because CBSA doesn't keep exit records for Canadian and American citizens (per https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/agency-a...r-rav-eng.html).
In general though, entering a country on one passport and leaving on another is a very common case, and most systems are set up to handle it. Most of the time entry and exit records are reconciles by passenger name and birthdate, not passport number or citizenship. As an example, I almost always enter the US on my Canadian passport and leave on my British one, and the entry/exit dates on my visitor records have always been correct. However, a colleague of mine who has a very common first and last name is often flagged because someone else with the same name and birthdate once overstayed.
In general though, entering a country on one passport and leaving on another is a very common case, and most systems are set up to handle it. Most of the time entry and exit records are reconciles by passenger name and birthdate, not passport number or citizenship. As an example, I almost always enter the US on my Canadian passport and leave on my British one, and the entry/exit dates on my visitor records have always been correct. However, a colleague of mine who has a very common first and last name is often flagged because someone else with the same name and birthdate once overstayed.
#14
Original Member




Join Date: May 1998
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If you enter Canada on a US or Canadian passport, you shouldn't need to worry about having entry and exit records matching up because CBSA doesn't keep exit records for Canadian and American citizens (per https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/agency-a...r-rav-eng.html).
In general though, entering a country on one passport and leaving on another is a very common case, and most systems are set up to handle it. Most of the time entry and exit records are reconciles by passenger name and birthdate, not passport number or citizenship. As an example, I almost always enter the US on my Canadian passport and leave on my British one, and the entry/exit dates on my visitor records have always been correct. However, a colleague of mine who has a very common first and last name is often flagged because someone else with the same name and birthdate once overstayed.
In general though, entering a country on one passport and leaving on another is a very common case, and most systems are set up to handle it. Most of the time entry and exit records are reconciles by passenger name and birthdate, not passport number or citizenship. As an example, I almost always enter the US on my Canadian passport and leave on my British one, and the entry/exit dates on my visitor records have always been correct. However, a colleague of mine who has a very common first and last name is often flagged because someone else with the same name and birthdate once overstayed.
As of July 11, 2019, the CBSA collects exit information on all travellers (including Canadian and American citizens) in the land mode and in the commercial air mode as of June 25, 2020. Exit data may also be requested through the Travel History Report.
I didnt see anything about this exit information being purged after a period of time.
#15




Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Paris, France
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Posts: 87
I admit I didnt ready every singe word in the link but it appears to say the exact opposite of what you indicated about exit records for CAN/USA citizens.
The 2019 date aligns with what I mentioned earlier about Phase 3 of Beyond the Border Action Plan.
I didnt see anything about this exit information being purged after a period of time.
The 2019 date aligns with what I mentioned earlier about Phase 3 of Beyond the Border Action Plan.
I didnt see anything about this exit information being purged after a period of time.
Given that almost all my trips involve entering Canada on my Canadian passport and leaving on my UK one, I've just put in a Privacy Act request for my entry and exit records to see if they do match them up the way the US does. It's too bad that they say it will take up to 30 days to process the request. You can get the US data online right away.

