That would explain the fairly clueless response I got although I did speak to a real person and even got her name. I cancelled that particular trip south of the border as I had so little confidence in what I was told. However, for a more straightforward situation I thought it might reassure. Clearly not.

I know academics (Canadians and Europeans) who have been turned back by US immigration officers whether or not they have the correct visas and supporting paperwork. They at least have some right of appeal. I got in only because I was entering the US on a visa not VWP on the occasion I referred to earlier. Unfortunately we all know that even armed with the most up to date information, most prestigious law degree, or most inflated ego in the world, if entering under VWP the immigration officer's decision is final. I know business people and tourists (again Canadian and Europeans) who have either been refused entry or had questioning (read strip searching) when trying to enter under VWP. It works in that it keeps the "undesirables" out. Some of these people (none of them are criminals, extremists etc to my knowledge) no longer visit the US or even transit through it. I just have to scratch my head at how an immigration officer sometimes decides who is undesirable.

It could be racial profiling, does this apply??

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/.../oxan.0530.php

Only if they're profiling whites with European names The best I can think of is that most were well travelled and had interesting visa stamps in their passports. Some even had spouses of a different nationality and ethnicity. Clearly suspicious types! Although there was one well-travelled person who'd just got a new passport with no visa stamps at all. Perhaps their database technology really is all that.

Maybe so. We had no problems we went landed last year, but we only had Canadian stamps in the passports. We had planned to shop for the day and then go back but the weather was atrocious and we didnt have time to hang around. So we just told the US people the situation and asked their advice. They were great, gave us visa waivers and all was fine with them. Canadians weren't very friendly though.

I have an Arab friend who has a British passport, but who lives in the Middle East, he has terrible trouble visiting the USA.

How prophetic (or well researched ) that article turned out to be. It just occurred to me that this will apply to UKCs living in Canada (those who do cross).

The visa waiver system could be retained, but require applicants to fill out forms weeks in advance of their travel. This would be a visa system in all but name, allowing more time to check names against government watch lists.

Starting Jan 12, you will need an electronic preclearance to travel to the US on the VWP.

ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION (ESTA) ADVISORY STATEMENT
Beginning January 12, 2009, all nationals and citizens of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries will be required by law to obtain a travel authorization prior to initiating travel to the United States under the VWP. This authorization may be obtained online through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTAâ„¢), a free Internet application administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through a U.S. government Web site.1


Welcome to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization Web Site.
International travelers who are seeking to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program are now subject to enhanced security requirements. All eligible travelers who wish to travel under the Visa Waiver Program must apply for authorization using the following process: (see page)


Frequently Asked Questions

Why worry you dont have to leave Canada to get your PR paperwork anyway, so why worry, I have just done mine. In SK we arranged an appointment with Saskatoon immigrations then went to the Airport office and completed the required paperwork, so never left Canada.

Thats a bit of a bore if you decide you want to go shopping at the weekend. pah

Just read the stuff, you can apply just anytime, and the thing lasts 2 years.

granted, but this rule has only come into effect mid september 2008. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resourc...tins/ob076.asp

before nearly every applicant of the economic class had to get their pr-status activated at poe, which meant leaving canada for the ones who were already here.

They let you back on then Bazzz?? You trouble maker, you!

Not on the land frontier, according to the Embassy in Canada.
http://www.consular.canada.usembassy...isa_waiver.asp

My golfing buddy is of Filipino extraction, of dusky hue. Like me, he is a Canadian citizen, a middle aged, overweight, balding accountant. Unlike me he is a devout Catholic. Also, unlike me, he is stopped, questioned and searched every time he crosses the border into the States. We've give up crossing together. Now we just arrange to meet on the other side.

Not sure if anything changed since the last post. 3 days ago I and my wife successfully flag-poled on Peace Arch border crossing (Douglas) in BC. It took us about 20 minutes total - we parked in Canada, first went inside Canadian customs building, they told us we need to go to US side and get flag pole letter. We walked to US, they gave us white piece of letter-sized paper stating our names, dates of birth and passport numbers, current date and hand-written "flag pole" note. That's all - no interview, no fingerprints, no denial of entry letters, nothing. We both, however, still had valid I-94 forms (we both have Russian citizenship, therefore we require US visa to enter US, and once we enter, we get multi-entry white I-94 forms, which we can keep to travel back and forth till they expire, which in turn is usually 6 months from issue date). Canadian guys were very nice and friendly. They quickly processed the paperwork, got us to sign everything they needed, gave us little pins with canadian maple leaf and 2 little canadian flags and we headed back home to Vancouver. Very smooth and pleasant flag-poling experience.

PS: Walking across the border instead of driving lets you save huge amount of time on border wait lines both ways.