Landed today, our experience
Aug 5th 2009, 2:22 am
#1
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Kamloops
Posts: 365
Landed today, our experience
Well that all went very smooth !
I know some people have issues with customs and the like, so maybe its my great personality ! lol
I was nervous driving to the border for the 1st time, as i didn't know what to expect from US customs, but we rocked up, queued at sumas for about 10 mins, had a joke with the border guard as he couldn't understand me ! got sent inside, no queue but loads or koreans just milling about ! and 10 minutes later had our visa waivers done by a nice pleasent US customs officer, I asked a few questions about the waiver and what to do on our return and they were all answered, we were welcomed to washington and off we went.
2 days later we arrive back at sumas queued for 5 mins and the Canadian officer asked where we had been so told him and then said we need to activate our PR, ushered into the building where there was no queue at all, and after 15 mins with a customs officer that had a sense of humor
we had our PR activated, asked questions about traveling before the PR cards arrived if we needed to etc, and he was very helpfull.
the only thing is he just forgot to say welcome to Canada, but i'll let him off.
couldn't have had a better exit and entry if we tried.
and we enjoyed our trip to everett, the coast and the shopping and the boeing factory tour.
I know some people have issues with customs and the like, so maybe its my great personality ! lol
I was nervous driving to the border for the 1st time, as i didn't know what to expect from US customs, but we rocked up, queued at sumas for about 10 mins, had a joke with the border guard as he couldn't understand me ! got sent inside, no queue but loads or koreans just milling about ! and 10 minutes later had our visa waivers done by a nice pleasent US customs officer, I asked a few questions about the waiver and what to do on our return and they were all answered, we were welcomed to washington and off we went.
2 days later we arrive back at sumas queued for 5 mins and the Canadian officer asked where we had been so told him and then said we need to activate our PR, ushered into the building where there was no queue at all, and after 15 mins with a customs officer that had a sense of humor
we had our PR activated, asked questions about traveling before the PR cards arrived if we needed to etc, and he was very helpfull.the only thing is he just forgot to say welcome to Canada, but i'll let him off.
couldn't have had a better exit and entry if we tried.
and we enjoyed our trip to everett, the coast and the shopping and the boeing factory tour.
Aug 5th 2009, 2:34 am
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Posts: 7,861
Re: Landed today, our experience
Congrats - sounds painless
Welcome to Canada!
Welcome to Canada!
Aug 5th 2009, 3:14 am
#3
half a century
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sarf Lundun to East Van :)
Posts: 10,222
Re: Landed today, our experience
Nice one - btw what is sumas?? 
Aug 5th 2009, 3:27 am
#5
half a century
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sarf Lundun to East Van :)
Posts: 10,222
Re: Landed today, our experience
Aug 5th 2009, 3:30 am
#7
half a century
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sarf Lundun to East Van :)
Posts: 10,222
Aug 5th 2009, 8:32 am
#9
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Brampton, Ontario
Posts: 142
Re: Landed today, our experience
Congratulations!
Aug 5th 2009, 10:50 am
#10
Wellington NS
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 596
Re: Landed today, our experience
Congrats
Aug 5th 2009, 12:51 pm
#11
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 11
Re: Landed today, our experience
If only everything in life went so smoothly 
Aug 5th 2009, 4:00 pm
#12
half a century
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sarf Lundun to East Van :)
Posts: 10,222
Aug 8th 2009, 6:52 am
#13
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Kamloops
Posts: 40
Re: Landed today, our experience
Done and dusted then. Drinks are in order.
Aug 11th 2009, 2:00 am
#14
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Carleton Place, ON
Posts: 133
Re: Landed today, our experience
Glad it went so well. Good luck and welcome to Canada!
Aug 11th 2009, 2:39 am
#15
.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,185
Re: Landed today, our experience
If you want to jump the US border queue then go into the duty free buy something and you straight through. I always have to buy Canadain ciggies for my yank mates so it don't trouble none me anyway.