My Fellow Canadians

RocksforBrains said:

........ I do not think they would appreciate any attempt at humor.

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Depends on your take on their approach. We've had many crossings (and yes they track them all so stay honest) and humor is really situational. Had the occassion once in '98 in unrelenting rain crossing into Ontario and asked if I had anything to declare and me, in some fit of momentary madness, said 'Ya, a sore butt." Asked where to and I said San Francisco. He looked at the /5, smiled and told me to have a good trip.

Absolute do's: sunglasses off, helmet up or off, motor off, be honest/concise but don't rattle on with your life story, have a passport, do not let yourself get flustered by the 'trainee' .... sometimes the questioning can be somewhat surreal but it will pass (I had a senior agent intervene during one odd exchange). - Bob

I cross into the US several times per year, and I have the unique honor of being on a very bad list for Homeland Security. Its not the no-fly list, but it isn't good either. The truth is that its not even me they're looking for. There just happens to be someone with my first, middle and last name, born on the same day, month and year as me that they want, and each time they scan my passport the agent's eyes light up like a granny in a casino that just hit jackpot. About half the time I get pulled over and seriously interviewed...and by serious I mean 2 or 3 hours...the other half I just get more than the usual number of questions and I'm on my way. I've never been denied entry, but either way, it can put a real dent in your itinerary, especially if you are trying to catch a flight. Anyway, back to the point of the thread. When I approach the border agent, the only thing I do is turn the engine off, remove my sunglasses and hand over my passport. If the agent asks me to remove my helmet, then I do, but not unless asked. No matter what the agent asks, I answer clearly, concisely and politely. No extra information...ever! Think of all those cop shows..."anything you say can and will be used against you". Despite my problems at the border, I think most border agents are doing a good job and are very decent people. I was stuck on the bridge from Sarnia to Port Huron 2 years ago in a huge storm, waiting for over an hour in the lineup, and drenched by the time I got to the agent despite my Aerostich gear. When I handed my passport to the agent, I said that he would see that I resemble someone they are looking for, but it isn't me...ask me anything you want. He said "Don't worry, I'll get you on your way". He looked at my file for a couple minutes, handed me back my passport and wished me a good trip...no questions.

Ok, one more small story. I got Nexus a couple years ago in the hope that it would alleviate this pain (it didn't) and just last month I was coming back from the Florida Keys where I was on a dive trip, and presented my Nexus card at the Miami airport. The conversation with the person doing the security screening (it was not a border control point) went something like this:

[Her] "I've never seen one of these...what is it?"

[Me] "Its pre-clearance for trusted travellers"

[Her] "Oh, we don't take that here"

[Me] "It was issued by the US Government"

[Her] "Sir, do you have a passport?"

[Me] "Sigh"

Jim

The Nexus card proved it's worth for me on that Sarnia/Port Huron crossing. I ride an airhead and you know the Blue Water Bridge would take a lot of clutch work to inch up in heavy traffic. Traffic was stopped about 3km from the bridge but the Nexus lane was open and I breezed past, very happy to not be overheating my engine.

Dallas/Fort Worth airport has no clue about it either, but I've flown out of Denver airport using it.

Holly

two stories

A group of us in the Valley BMW Riders club had camped just north of the border. Next day we decided to take a day ride down into Washington state. Since I hadn't brought my passport, I rode up first to enquire if I would be admitted. (Should mention that I have dual citizenship - US and Canadian - but no ID with me except a Canadian driver's license and credit cards.) "Well, if you have US citizenship, we can't keep you out." Great! Then the nightmare started. EVERY bike had tank and saddle bags checked. No guns, of course - but we were also asked about "edged weapons." Yes sir, I have a hatchet in my left saddle bag for pounding tent pegs. That was acceptable. Later we found out the two reasons for this close search of a bunch of elderly guys on BMW's: 1. this was a "training" station for new border guards, and 2. a nearby bakery had recently been closed for exporting marijuana brownies. No problem getting back into Canada.

Several years ago I was VERY concerned about getting back into Canada. I was driving a pickup with a canopy, the bed obviously completely filled and several ladders roped to the boat rack on top. I was also pulling a trailer (no windows) that could have held a couple horses, but in fact was filled with furniture my mom and inlaws couldn't use any longer. Very hard to figure the value of this stuff, but we tried - and we figured to have to pay a large import duty. The border guard spent a couple minutes looking through the windows in the canopy, clearly thought about how he would like to spend the rest of his shift, and asked "are you transporting any live animals?" "No." "OK, you are free to go." WHEW!

I echo all the previous advice - especially, answer only the question asked. If you smoke and/or drink, many border crossings have "tax free"stores that offer a very substantial savings. Obviously, you should declare these purchases, but only if you are asked. Leave the recreational drugs and guns at home when you come to Canada, or you could be in some very serious trouble.

I'm still puzzled by all these stories. I was puzzled the first time I went to the US by the form I had to fill in. You have to indicate if you're a terrorist... Well...if I say yes, I'd be sent back (or to Guantanamo), so just say no and blow up everything all the same. What's the point of these silly forms and what's the point in being so rude/formal/agressive at the border? If the US was the safest place on the planet, I'd understand their attempts in keeping it that way. But it isn't and their attempts surely are not going to help. They only make travellers (who intend no harm) apprehensive and thus entice problems at the bordercrossing. People start making jokes or misunderstand something and the official acts like you're the leader of a terrorist group or something.

Back in the day when we had (real) checkpoints at the borders in Europe it was quite relaxed. I remember the French always being a bit more formal, looking interrogative, but in the end they did nothing weird. But everybody knew that you shouldn't mess with them. They were never agressive or rude.

I understand that you can't just open your borders, but there's a world of possibilities between opening up completely and scaring off innocent travellers. Because criminals or terrorists are not stopped because of an agressive border official. They'll just ignore it and have their stories together.

My first bit of advice for WECM31 would be find a crossing point that isn't usually busy. I don't know how likely that is along the US/Canada border in Ontario but I might suggest the Thousand Islands Bridge just east of Kingston. Or the bridge at Prescott, east of Brockville. My recent personal experience in crossing the land border have all been from Alberta into Montana at Wild Horse, Del Bonita and Carway. Coutts/Sweetgrass south of Lethbridge is the main crossing. The others are quite "isolated". Have all your paperwork ready. They really don't like it if you have to search for your passport. And be courteous.

Best crossing story I have is on my way to Pocatello, Idaho a few years back for a Rounders get-together, the INS/Customs lady asked where I was going. I told her I was headed for Pocatello. To which she responded, "Why Pocatello? Nobody actually goes there, they just pass through." Had to explain that it was approximately half way between Edmonton and San Diego. To this day, I don't think she figured I was serious.

wecm31 said:

Getting me and my posse geared up for the ride to the rally in Bloomsburg and a question has come up.

There will be three of us, each on our own bikes. This will be my first two wheeled border crossing, none of us have any serious issues with legality of the border, but long hair and radical ideas can be problem enough

The question is, do we process through customs one at a time and regroup on the other side? Or given that we are travelling together for a common purpose, do we ride up together and face the man as a team?? Whats the norm?

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Living on the border I cross every week or so mainly to ride in the US.

We go in one at a time, sunglasses off and engine off. Usually they ask you to move forward to type in your licence plate number.

Next they ask for your passport and start the questions. Recently they have been asking to take off the helmet to compare to your passport(even though we 'know' them due to crossing all the time) plus now they are asking to open one of the side bags where they didn't before. They said this is now because they are on camera.

questions such as where do live, where are you going?, how long?, bringing in anything to plan to leave?, to pick up? and rarely something like 'have you ever been convicted of anything?- all reasonable questions and if answered straight up no problem.

have a good trip and cheers.

lvermiere said:

Living on the border I cross every week or so mainly to ride in the US.

We go in one at a time, sunglasses off and engine off. Usually they ask you to move forward to type in your licence plate number.

Next they ask for your passport and start the questions. Recently they have been asking to take off the helmet to compare to your passport(even though we 'know' them due to crossing all the time) plus now they are asking to open one of the side bags where they didn't before. They said this is now because they are on camera.

questions such as where do live, where are you going?, how long?, bringing in anything to plan to leave?, to pick up? and rarely something like 'have you ever been convicted of anything?- all reasonable questions and if answered straight up no problem.

have a good trip and cheers.

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I generally cross into the USA 6-7 times per year (one of which is on my motorcycle). I get the questions as the above post when flying (with or without my SO and for work or not).

However when crossing on my motorcycle the last three years in a row, I have been asked repeatedly if I have a criminal record, asked why I took so long to get my helmet off and hand over the passport (it is law to wear a helmet in Alberta) and two of the years it was pouring rain. This year I was questioned for 15 minutes and so was the person on another bike who was traveling with me. Neither of us have so much as a speeding ticket on our records, answered questions politely with "no sir", "yes sir", were wearing obvious high vis riding gear without sunglasses and had quiet bikes (BMW, Yamaha) so would not likely be construed as 10%-er by any means. All we wanted to do was enter the great country of USA, ride the many varied and twisty roads, spend some $ on fuel, meals, motels, entertainment and gifts, then return home - nothing out of the ordinary. This year in our May crossing we talked about our treatment at the border for the first three days - we just couldn't understand the (almost) abusive and condescending attitude of the the border official.

The only difference for the last three years is that I crossed at a reasonable busy Coutts/Sweetgrass crossing whereas I selected 'Del Bonita' to go to the Highway to the Sun previously which is a very sleepy crossing literally in the middle of nowhere.

Also when crossing back into Canada I have been universally well treated as a returning citizen should.

Having said all of that, I always treat Police Officers, Border Personnel and Judges with the utmost respect knowing they have a very difficult job and do hold my future in their hands... per my mothers advice.

In either direction, do the immigration folks want to see registration or insurance docs too? Or is having passport in hand sufficient?

dbrick said:

In either direction, do the immigration folks want to see registration or insurance docs too? Or is having passport in hand sufficient?

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Never needed more than the passport.

fruit and vegetables, etc.

A fairly frequent question both ways is "do you have any fruits or vegetables." Best advice is not to have any more than you are prepared to dump. Think they are afraid of importing pests.

For years we had a LARGE garlic patch, and every year we would take down a 25 pound box to a friend in WA who craved our excellent garlic with no problem. (Think we sold it for $5/lb back then.) One year I was asked what was in that box on the back seat. "Home-grown garlic for a friend." "You can't import that. Would you prefer I confiscate it, or do you want to return to Canada?" I'll never know whether the rules had actually changed or if I was dealing with a mis-informed border guard. Since I had Canadian friends not far from the border, I made the U-turn, left the garlic with them, and returned to the border. PITA as I have never heard of any pests inhabiting garlic.

Yet another time I brought back my mom's old lawn mower. They had to inspect it to see if there was grass (or more likely, weeds) that I was importing. Just another minor inconvenience.

To all the excellent advice in previous posts, I would add:
1. Know the rules (especially about amount of alcohol or tobacco you are allowed to bring in duty free) and the dollar value of goods purchased that are duty free after a particular time in the other country. I'm not current, but bet somebody reading this is and will chime in. KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS AND HAVE THEM HANDY.
2. A little lying is OK, provided you can't be caught. New tires, a new riding suit, other farkles purchased at the big rally - if there is no good reason for the border guard to think you didn't take them with you, there is no reason you will be questioned. (So don't strap the 15 year old 'stich to the top of your bag while riding in the latest and greatest.) Declare everything you purchased which is under the limit and hide receipts for everything over and not obviously new in a dirty sock.

Hey, I'm not suggesting criminal activity. I'm promoting "free trade."

wecm31 said:

I am otherwise okay with the border process, I fly/drive in/out of the US several times a year. Customs is not something to fool with, they are by far the most powerful officals in our world. They don't need rhyme or reason to ruin your trip!! I have stamps from both Cuba and Vietnam in my passport, always wondered if I would be identified as a commie! (I'll leave the NDP membership card at home)

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They may ask if you have cigars. A friend of mine was returning to the US and they asked him along a remote border in Maine why did you come this way and oh I see you were in Pakistan. Yes I was and its part of my world tour he replied. They said have a nice trip.

I was stopped going into Canada and Sweden for having an Interpol record from the 1970's in Spain. I had to be talked to and had to give a blow by blow play of my future travel plans and who I know on my trip before I could send a post card. And I worked for US government at the time. I am all better now ...... registered !

Its best just to be legal, they know if you are bull ****ting. They also want to get illegal items from you so they can dispose of them properly. One of the job perks.

I'm flabbergasted! A manual for passing a border... It musn't get weirder.

Statdawg said:

They may ask if you have cigars.

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Got that one after going to Cuba and having the stamp in my passport I was smart enough to leave the Cohibas at home. Not giving those up to some glorified security guard to enjoy; sure your going to destroy them, one at a time along with a couple of confiscated beverages

Weirdest question I've been asked was, "When was the last time you were arrested?". Not have you been, but when. Of course my answer was "never". That caught me a bit by suprise. I guessed they must have had some other Ed Miller that showed up with a record on the system or something.

bogthebasher said:

Never needed more than the passport.

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Like wise.

What is up with the fruit and vegetable question? Like bugs can't get past that big F'n wall between the countries? I wanted to ask why such a question when bugs can fly or I could throw an apple across the border. Seems ridiculous. Of course I said nothing but really, what is up the question? Also what is the deal with airplane food? Why do socks have those little hangers? Anyone have a little sock closet?

passport card vs passport

Anyone have any experience with the passport card being any faster or less of a hassle than using the regular passport at border crossings (Canadian)?

Statdawg said:

They may ask if you have cigars. A friend of mine was returning to the US and they asked him along a remote border in Maine why did you come this way and oh I see you were in Pakistan. Yes I was and its part of my world tour he replied. They said have a nice trip. ...................................

Its best just to be legal, they know if you are bull ****ting. They also want to get illegal items from you so they can dispose of them properly. One of the job perks.

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they still have a record of my little Cuban cigar confiscation a while back. "Sir, these are not legal in the United States"...... "Really?" ...... they keep the cigars and I can go. "hmmmm.... hey, if they were good enough for Jack Kennedy then they're ok with me".... I wanted to say but didn't. - Bob