Tighter control US-Canada border?
 

Have any of you noticed any change in going through customs/immigration when crossing from the US to Canada? I've travelled to Canada a lot over the past several years but was quite surprised when I was had to see a Canadian Immigration agaent in YEG 2 days ago. I realize that they do spot checks and I've subjected myself to that in the past. However, this last trip was different. I went through customs as usual but was instructed to go to immigration. I stayed there for about 15 minutes answering questions (i.e., how many times have you been to Canada? Do you have a return ticket? Exactly who are you meeting here in Canada? What department does he work in?, I have your US passport but are you a US citizen?, etc.) and watching them go through every single item in my luggage (thank God I only packed for a 2-day trip). Finally, the immigration agent (not customs) stamps my passport with a notation "expires Mar 99." It was late--- I didn't even want to ask what that meant. When I finished, I noticed that there were several people lined up waiting to go see the immigration agent.

Your experience sounds surprisingly similar to mine in Vancouver, but I arrived by train rather than air. I was only staying for a few days as well. I'm from San Diego, so I guessed that perhaps the length of stay and my hometown were patterns that they've been trained to spot for possible illicit drug running.

I live in Hawaii and go home to Vancouver 2-3 times a year. I never have trouble getting into Vancouver (maybe because I have a Cdn passport and am visiting my family). However, getting back into the States has been increasingly harder. It used to be a "wave through" a decade ago and now it's a much more intense interrogation. Last time I was hassled about whether I really purchased the amount I stated and no more than that. The customs agent really got into my face about it. Luckily, I had all my receipts ready to show him.

AusTxHiker and others... thanks for the heads
up on Canadian immigration... I better get
prepared since I have a business trip in
Toronto 10-09 to 10-13... So I better not
back much, buy much or do much.

My passports current and the only "unusual"
thing I'm doing is seeing this Canadian comedy t-v show called "The New Red Green Show."

BlondeBomber... maybe you know why the immigration checks are on the rise. CATMAN

Suspicion on the US side is high as the Canadian dollar has slipped recently (down to around 65-66 cents US) and hence US citizens are tempted to buy lots of stuff here and take it back without declaring.

Actually if you travel to Canada frequently enough (and enter through Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver) then you should get an INSPASS for covering the US side (costs USD$20) - it doesn't preclude them from questioning you but generally they don't - you just go to an ATM-style machine and scan your hand. It is also being introduced (maybe already introduced) at other Canadian airport as well

about the Canadian side I've never had any problem - including 3 weeks ago when I moved my stuff back from Seattle to Toronto and had two huge suitcases + carry-on's and a notebook computer.

It is a very personal and individual thing. Some officers are just "made (or trained) that way (see Graham Nash's song "Immigration Man" or as he calls it "Irritation Man"). Also Immigration/Customs occasionally run training sessions. I have gotten caught (not for doing anything wrong) in these not so obvious training sessions and they held me up for a significant amount of time as they went through all the dirty underwear, papers etc. to find nothing of particular interest. I wouldn't have known they were training unless I had asked. As a Canadian that doesn't bother me but it might be intimidating to someone who is trying to enter. I have had similarly bad experiences (actually far worse) going to the U.S. side with my long-haired buddies. I don't think it is a trend but we should monitor so we can complain if it is. We have enough hassles in our travels without putting up with bureaucratic B.S. I like the INS PASS idea but it is not yet working out here in the west -- it sure beats the hell out of the long lines at Toronto (even Elite lines are too long!). The free trade agreement was supposed to make things easier but I have precious little evidence of that.

LAST 12 MONTH'S (WITH SWISS PASSPORTS):

Seattle-Vanocuver by car (twice): 3 minutes questioning
Chicago-Vancouver (flight): 20 minutes questioning and baggage search
Vancouver-San Francisco: (flight twice): 5 seconds
Vancouver-Seattle (car): waived trough

On my three trips to Vancouver from the US in the past 12 months (two with my wife from DFW and once by myself from ORD), it took less than 30 seconds with the agent each way everytime. Waiting in line to reach the agent took a few minutes, but the agents themselves were cursory in their inspection/questions. Of course, the Canadians were more courteous than the Americans (I'm American by the way).

More importantly, now is a GREAT time to visit Canada. When Air Canada ended its strike last week, it slashed prices to woo travelers back AND boosted its frequent flyer miles. Of course, other airlines responded in kind. For example, now you get a 15,000-mile bonus on Canadian if you fly three round-trips with them; that's easier and a better deal than nabbing three Star Alliance partners! My favorite deal personally is the double AAdvantage miles between DFW and either Vancouver, Calgary, or Toronto. To get this bonus, register first with AAdvantage Dial-In:

From the US, call 800 882 8880. At the first prompt, enter 14 then 2* then 4* then your AAdvantage number and star (#*) then your PIN and star (PIN*) then 1* then DFWCA* (33922*) and finally 1*.

American had a similar double miles offer earlier this year on ALL their non-stop flights between the US and Canada. Their trick there was that you only got double miles on your first transborder segment, not the round-trip. Nevertheless, it was a great deal.

But from now until Sept. 30, fares to Canada are shockingly low. Fares from the Eastern US to Vancouver for example are as low as US$154 round-trip including taxes and PFCs!! Unfortunately, I can't go next week, but for example, anyone who books a flight on-line with American (www.aa.com) from the Eastern US to Vancouver via DFW could get there for under US$25 round-trip because of all the bonus miles and the low fare (US$197 RT if you stay at least three days and over Saturday night). The fares aren't much higher through Dec. 16. If you have elite status on American you get to Vancouver practically free!!! I do hope someone takes AAdvantage of this offer (excuse the pun) 'cuz I really wish I could. Let me know if you do, and I'll feel better :)

I travel to Canada semi-regularly, & they always take a while paging through my passport - I have two fifty-page passports stuck together, with a LOT of visas in them, including some defunct Canadian study/work permits. My most recent trip was the fastest through immigration - I had a kitten with me, & that was all they seemed to notice.

I've never been searched going through Canadian immigration, but an over-officious, very young British Immigration officer did a thorough search last November & took my passport away for a week - seriously disrupting my work & personal travel plans. Interestingly, though they dug through all my dirty clothes, he didn't seem to notice the massive package of biltong (like jerky, but better) I was carrying for homesick southern african friends, & he didn't so much as look at my laptop, though he photocopied all the papers I had.

Three colleagues of mine were stopped & questioned by British Immigration on another occasion because one had recently been to Israel, one had been to Egypt & the third had a whole passport full of Saudi visas. Apparently they didn't look like real terrorists, tbough, because they were let go...

I flew to Calgary in July with my wife and infant son for the Stampede in early July. Everything I read said to make sure to bring the childs birth certificate for proof of identification. Going into Canada was a breeze. Customs agent asked us our nationality and said have fun at the Stampede. Going through customs to return to the US was tougher than any entrance after being in Europe. No problem with the baby identification but the agent was giving my wife and me a hard time over not having passports. I refuse to take a passport to Canada! We gave him drivers license and our Voter ID cards (voter ID is considered a suitable form of ID). He asked if we had any other ID and I responded that I thought you needed to be an American to vote in the US. He gave me a glaring look and passed us through.

I've been to Canada about 15 times, once by plane to/from Vancouver and the rest by car; all but one crossings were done at or near Vancouver, the other at Maine/NB border.

By car...drivers license has been sufficient every time, although I did have a voter ID and or passport just in case. Never been searched or questioned other than the 2 or 3 basic questions. When my Belgian girlfriend was with me last month, they did require her to get a stamp in her passport, but they didn't question me. The only difficulty was when I was leaving from the Vancouver airport. At the Vancouver airport, the U.S. INS, which allows someone to clear customs before departure, gave me a hard time because I couldn't find my passport before I left home and only had a drivers license and voter registration. The INS agent said that my voter registration was not sufficient proof of U.S. citizenship, although I have read that they are supposed to accept it as proof.

My personal feelings on customs/immigration is rather Libertarian...there shouldn't be any! Anyone should be allowed to travel anywhere for whatever reason they want without search, taxes, questioning, or documents. Maybe someday?

One for comment...I thought that NAFFA was supposed to lessen the hassle at the Canadian and Mexican borders? Isn't NAFFA supposed to remove at taxes from goods brought across the N. American borders?

Hey Guys! Do you think I should get any
special documentation for going to Canada this October??? Time is limited (business trip) so I don't want to get stuck at
immigration.

FYI: Another CATMAN MEOWY TIP... I ALWAYS
carry my passport and use it for I-D. It
speeds me though just about everywhere from
getting my packages at the post office to
check-in at the airports. Maybe it's because
my passport picture is so frightening! CATMAN

A passport should do for getting into Canada, Catman.

Your comments about always carrying your passport are appreciated, but as I am a non-resident alien (in the US), the last thing I want to do is lose mine! I keep photocopies of it in various places, but when the last one filled up long before its expiration date it took me almost six months & a couple of transatlantic trips to get a new one. I've been assured that if I lose it I can't hope for anything other than 'emergency travel documents' for a minimum of two years.

I hate being IDed - my drivers licence is metal, with my picture emblazoned on it. Anywhere else in the world people go 'cool', & spend more time considering the ninja-like possibilities than checking my birthdate. Here, even if you're obviously over sixty, you get IDed every time you're within a thousand feet of alcohol. So I should get a US ID, but I have to retake the entire driving test to do that...

Oh - the (obvious) thing that I forgot to say is that every time I get IDed here people think my ID is fake. This despite my obviously foreign accent & my appearance, which is not that of a teenager. Surely they realise it'd be easier to get a fake US/Canadian ID...

For Canadians visiting the US - you need either a passport or a birth certificate. A drivers' license and Social Insurance Card is NOT SUFFICIENT. I realize that 99% of the time, a Driver's License is enough to wave you through but you need to have either a passport of birth cert. with you. About the "stamp in passport issue" I crossed the US-Can border around a dozen times this summer and it was never ever, ever stamped on any trip. So save yourself some hassle and keep a passport with you.

My wife and I carry US passports whenever we travel abroad, and neither US nor Canadian officials stamped our passports into or out of Canada....even though hers is covered with visas from travel to/from India.

a case study from "The Airline Passenger's Guerilla Handbook", page287:

"Several years ago, before the free-trade agreement, Canada was suffering one of its periodic bouts of Anti-American xenophobia. Fearing that the US was taking over the economy.

A Wall Street banker flying into Canada to make a presentation to some potential clients, made the mistake of describing him as a "financier". He was immediately surrounded by several beefy immigration officers and taken into a side room. There, after some hostile questioning, he was forced to make his presentation to the assembled officers.

For over forty-five minutes he went on describing the intricate tax, accounting and mathematical aspects of a billion-dollar-cross-border financing of a power plant, to a group of guys who, altogehter, couldn't have had more than one forehead among them.

At the end of the presentation, one of the officers raised his hand and asked what was, in his protectionist's mind, the key question: "Why can't Canadians do this type of finance themselves?"

The banker couldn't think of an answer that wasn't impolite.

He packed up his briefcase and caught the next flight home.

The next week he reentered Canada giving "salesman" as his occupation. He got through without problems.

Apparently "salesman" was a job the Canadians recognized they clearly could not do themselves .....

Ferry

I'd love to go to Vancouver with AA, but they only allow AAdvantage members into their website. Since I have British Airways membership & they're both part of oneworld... I resent feeling forced to sign up for AA membership before I even get to see the fares.

I too, recently experienced the same thing in Toronto. I was sent over to immigration and held for about 45 minutes. I was asked how
much money I had and then had to show it to her (the agent.) Then she wanted to see my credit cards. At that point, I was so irrate, I litterally threw them at here.

Finally I was let go. Ironically, I heard on the news that in approximately the year 2012,
they may due away with the US-Canadian border
control completely! That's what Europe is moving toward already.

Neal

Tuesday sep-29-98: Vancouver Airport YVR (coming from Vancouver with AC): 30 seconds

Wednesday sep-30-98: Vancouver Airport YVR (going to SFO with AC): 5 seconds

Forgot this one...

This past summer while driving from Seattle to Alaska by way of British Columbia, we crossed into Alaska at Hyder. Hyder is in the extreme southern leg of Alaska and as far as I know, there is only one road in, and that is through British Columbia. When leaving Hyder in a car with Washington State plates, at the border we were stopped for questioning by the Canadian customs/immigration! ??? Perhaps being 100's of miles from anywhere makes the Canadian government suspect everyone is trying to sneak in at this border crossing.

Going to Toronto on 10-09 returning 10-12.
I will let you know what my experiences are
with immigration.

I'm taking my passport for i-d. I can't be
delayed... have a meeting that starts very
close to the arrival of my Air Canada jet
from EWR. CATMAN

Traveled via Air Canada to YYZ on 9/2 and it only took a minute to get through Canadian customs with my passport. The agent started to hand it back without stamping it, but I asked her to. She said it wasn't necessary, but she would. So apparently an entry stamp is not standard practice.

Returned via YYZ on 9/11 and US Customs preclearance there was also brief--surprising since I was in-transit from YHZ and the plane was late. The baggage did not arrive in time to claim & carry through customs. Air Canada told me to go ahead so as not to miss my onward connection. The agent did look at my passport, but didn't even ask about the lack of baggage from a 10 day trip. (The baggage didn't make my onward flight).

Regarding the correct forms of id, my reading of the immigration information provided with travel literature is "proof of citizenship". Birth certificate, passport or voter registration all satisfy that requirement. I'm sure the agents prefer passport because the other two have no photo and also no magnetic encoding, but they have to accept them. One time when I temporarily misplaced my current passport, I took an expired one on a Canadian trip. The US agent didn't like that either-he couldn't use it in his magnetic strip reader due to the cancellation punches. But it IS proof of citizenship, and since the rules for US citizens returning from Canada don't specify "a valid passport", an expired one also suffices.

Dealer, when departing Vancouver, I only had a driver's license(with picture) and a voter's registration card; the U.S. immigration/customs agent gave me a hard time. He stated that the voter registration was not proof of citizenship. Yes, I too thought that he should have accepted my voter's registration, but??? I guess he either didn't know the rules or just wanted to give me a hard time.

Aubie... I'm surprised they would not accept
a driver's license as valid I-D. It is government issued and one of a kind.

For some reason I NEVER got a voter's
registration card in NJ. Maybe they don't
issue them here.

I will ask for the stamp anyway... I'm slowly
building a passport of colorful stamps and
prints to remember how far I have been. And
I use my passport as I-D because it is a
common I-D (and that picture of me frightens
people into letting me through customs!)
CATMAN

Here's my customs experiences:

*Entering Canada... 7 secs, guy looks at
my frightening photo, asks why I'm there.
I tell him to see "The New Red Green Show"
He laughs, stamps and waves me through.

*Leaving Canada... about 30 secs... Mr.
SourPuss (is this a taboo word here?) growled
why I was in Canada... I startled babbling
(to see the CBC station, Les Miserables,
The New Red Green SHow.) He also asked me to
explain the two items I bought:

*A 1999 Red Green Show Calendar.
*A pair of Eddie Boxer Boxer Shorts (I ran out)

He kept looking at me and the passport photo (a very younger me) then let me through.

The YANK before me got into it with Mr.
Sourpuss because he didn't ahve a passport
and kept saying his driver's license should
have been enough I-D. The Customs agent said
"Next time I would suggest that you always
carry a Passport for I-D."

**A CATMAN PHILOSOPHY!!**

The lady who took the Customs card thought
it was funny that I was a fan of the Red Green Show. Two male customs agents did the
"secret" greeting of fans of the show with me. (I won't say it here...)

Also to answer BlondeBomber's concerns about
the airport workers strike... did not see any
unusual delays, although the bus that took
me to the airport parked far from the AC
gate I needed to be at. CATMAN