OrangeMango

Can anybody share any experiences as a Canadian citizen, traveling (business or pleasure) to the US, especially with the pre-clearance border guards at Canadian airports?
Are there humiliating interviews and questions, or is it very straight forward?
And is one already under suspicion if one doesn't even have a smart phone or a laptop for the trip..?

Apparently the US border guards have extensive rights, on Canadian soil.

U.S. border guards can search your phone: here are some details on how - Technology & Science - CBC News

Just also wondering, do these searches apply to anybody, like only Canadians and foreign citizens, and US-Americans are exempt from these issues?

Former Lancastrian

There are stories everyday about USCBP officers whipping out the latex gloves and tearing apart laptops and cell phones at US Pre Clearance airports in Canada NOT.
Does it happen yes but seriously its something like 0.0003% of all travellers (not a reported figure). Having worked at an airport with US Pre Clearance I can count on one hand how many times serious incidents as you describe occur.
Anyone entering the US or Canada or most countries can be subject to examination and questioning and that includes its own citizens returning to the USA.
Have the US ramped up inspections well yes but there are reasons and not solely down to them wanting to exert their power and be assholes though Im sure there are the odd cases of this. I have also seen many travellers display a sense of entitlement and lack of courtesy towards USCBP officers.
Most of these stories don't tell the whole truth but are reported thereby there are those who travel to the US who might be a bit apprehensive due to these stories.
I have never had a problem though it helps working for the other side
So how many thousands a day do this and how many reports do you see? Draw your own conclusions and do the maths.

OrangeMango

Makes sense. Overblown media, I'd say.

Just also wondering, do the USCBP ask about the travelers political views on Donald Trump or their religious views? Especially if one is a Muslim? or how often one would go to the mosque ?

Could they simply deny entry, just because one is a normal practicing Muslim, but Canadian citizen, or if one has negative views on Trump?

Former Lancastrian

Couldn't possibly give an answer on this. I suspect a person wearing traditional dress that could indicate they follow the preachings of Islam probably might receive more scrutiny but as I have never been present during USCBP interviewing such persons I have no idea. Allegedly this has happened but again always 3 sides to a story. 1. The Complainer 2. The USCBP Officer 3. The facts.

OrangeMango

Is there any kind of Canadian pre clearance on US airports? ( At least I've never noticed them while in the US....)

Does it ever happen that a US citizen is denied entry into Canada for various reasons? Or does Canada feel more diplomatic pressure from the US that this doesn't happen?

Uneasy question, but still it would interest me....

Vulcanoid

Ottawa gets an earful on proposed expansion of U.S. border pre-clearance powers - Politics - CBC News

As of October 2017, "there are no Canadian pre-clearance facilities at U.S. airports, since it is easier for Canada to screen arrivals at the smaller number of Canadian airports."

If you'd ever watched Border Security you'd know that Americans are regularly refused entry, on the same grounds as everyone else (criminal ineligibility, illegal working, plans to live with no paperwork, carrying firearms, etc).

Former Lancastrian

No Canadian Pre Clearance in any country. US citizens are refused entry into Canada everyday for a variety of reasons and some actually detained in jail awaiting admissibility hearings if serious enough. Most released as they can be easily removed back to the US once hearing is done.
TBH Canadian Border officers don't really give a toss about diplomatic or political pressure they will arrest and refuse entry where grounds exist.

OrangeMango

This sounds good.

Hurlabrick

We went through the US pre-clearance at Ottawa for a flight to Newark in September. I am a Canadian, my wife a Brit. She of course had an ESTA. It was a doddle, a couple of random questions and that was it. Hell, the US officer even cracked a smile at my joke - no doubt he will be reprimanded for that!

scilly

I had an interesting experience at the Mexican / US land border post some years ago.

I was on a pre-conference day trip by coach from San Diego to Tijuana. After a days' shopping and return to the border post, we had to get out of the coach with ALL our belongings and walk through. Our travel guide made a particular point of "do not talk to the US officials. Do not smile at the border officials".

I got to the desk, and presented my Canadian passport. Official starts flicking through the pages, then without looking at me said "We Americans are stupid, aren't we?"

errrrrrrmmmmmmmmmm

"Some of them might be" ......... all fingers and toes crossed

"No, we are. We should all have passports, not drivers licenses as the only piece of ID"

He then waved me through, smiling as he did so.


Meanwhile, the travel guide who had got through before me, was having kittens near the exit door.



Going back to the OP .........

........ I've never had a problem going through pre-clearance up here, though I have been pulled out of the line-up at the gate or when actually ready to board the plane several times at US airports to have a secondary search done. At least one of those times involved OH carrying my bag as well as his and being allowed to take both on the plane without checking, while I got a body search (including shoes).

Former Lancastrian

I love reading the stories about people who write a very vitriolic experience they had with Customs both Canada and the USA. How they were treated like common criminals and disdain and were humiliated by being searched etc etc etc

Only trouble is it wasn't Customs but rather the TSA or CATSA screening agents at the airports who are totally separate from Customs.
The clue is when they say in the article they were flying from Toronto to Calgary or San Diego to Minneapolis. Last time I checked domestic flights don't clear Customs
Get to identify your badges and what they say so then you know who to rag out on.

Dorothy

I've done the pre-clearance thing a couple of times at Pearson. It was easy and IMO much less time consuming than getting off a plane load of people and lining up for ages to go through Immigration. The only time I've had any extra questions was when my family emigrated to Australia. The border agent at Pearson was interested in why we were flying on one way tickets to Australia and he asked a few extra questions about trips I had taken to the US (my sisters and I used to go shopping quite regularly in NY or Pennsylvania).

We did have a really excellent experience with Canadian Immigration recently and I should really find out who to send a compliments to at Pearson. Unfortunately I didn't get the names of the officers involved, but they were really helpful and kind to my partner and me.

Former Lancastrian

Use this link to send the compliment. Put in date, time, which Terminal and as much as you can remember about the officer and it will be actioned even without a name
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/com-eng.html

MarkG

I haven't been to America in years, but the last time I went there the pre-clearance in Vancouver took about ten seconds from walking into the immigration hall to walking out the other side.

Dorothy

Thank you. There were 3 agents involved in our contact, so I shall try to remember as much as I can about them.