BexB

Hi,

fingerscrossed:, we will soon have PR and will need to flagpole to activate this. We live in Maple Ridge, BC, for those familiar with the area.

Our original intention was to have a long weekend in Seattle, but that is probably no longer feasible and we're considering just driving to the border. We have valid ESTAs.

We have no wish to "antagonise" the border officials by just going to the States for a few hours, nor do we want a formal refusal of admission.

We have heard it is possible that before entering the States, you explain the purpose is to activate PR status and you're allowed to do so immediately. That would seem the ideal.

Does anyone have any practical experience or advice, e.g. there should be no problems or, on balance, we should stay in the States for at least one night?

Thanks.

snoopdawg

We flagpoled but in Oroville which I would imagine is much smaller than the crossings in the LM.
The American officer was excellent- funny, polite and obviously knew his job as our "administrative refusal" has never given us any issues since ( his Canadian counterpart was a disaster!!). It took over 2 hours-10 mins for the USA- 2 hours for Canada although we were the only people waiting!!!!

We have been to the USA several times, never had a problem- in fact it's never been mentioned. I declare it when applying for ESTA's- they are approved after about a day.
We are also waiting for a Nexus card- and have conditional approval with interviews later this month.

BexB

Thanks.

I guess it's just the term "administrative refusal" which is unsettling. After going through such a long process, you don't want to fall at the final fence!

Siouxie

You could also make an appointment to do an 'inland' landing, if that would be easier.

Operational Bulletins 076 – September 17, 2008

BexB

Thanks Siouxie. I believe there is likely to be a long waiting list, but can do no harm to call them.

JonboyE

You cannot just pull up to Canadian immigration. You have to leave Canadian soil if you want to flagpole at the border.

If you do not want an administrative refusal then just go to Bellingham to do a bit of shopping. The big mall is called Bellis Fair. Though I would rather stick red hot pins under my fingernails than spend any more time than absolutely necessary in a shopping mall hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Canadian residents shop there on a weekend. The US border people will not bat an eyelid at the idea.

Allow a bit of time because you will be sent to secondary for the I-94 visa. Have USD6 per person for this. Also, you will likely be fingerprinted and photographed.

If you do not like lineups the best thing is to cross south in the afternoon, stay overnight in the US and come back to Canada late the next morning. It can easily be done in a day but I would avoid trying to do it in one day at the weekend. The border is busy with people going to, and coming back from, a day's shopping in Bellingham.

BexB

Thanks Jonboy. I feel the same as you about shopping, but I have a wife and daughter who think rather differently!

withabix

We were quoted 6-8 weeks. You don't get an appointment there and then - they write to you AND they tell you which office to go to and at what day and time - you don't get any choice.

We Flagpoled at Peace Arch on a Saturday morning.

Just do the Administrative Refusal method (didn't seem to annoy the Americans - they must do LOADS at Peace Arch) - we did it on a Saturday morning at 0830am and it was less than 45 minutes 'round trip' from joining the back of the queue to go through US Passport Control to being 'back in Canada' as Permanent Residents (although it was September). We did it again in mid-December for my youngest daughter - still don't have her PR card yet!!!

Don't go on a Holiday weekend or at busy times of the day during the week.

US Customs have about 12 desks open. You will find only one open at CBSA and it will be busier later in the day.

You don't need an ESTA to Flagpole unless you continue in to America and come back again.

Engineer_abroad

The town of Blaine, just across the border at the Peace Arch, is a really pretty little seafront town. Stayed their for a few nights once.

Stinkypup

Really don't worry about an administrative refusal, as Snoop and others have said it is a non issue, you are so near the border, it is a quick mornings work after a long leisurely weekend breakfast

JonboyE

I agree that you should not have to worry about an administrative refusal. In 99% (statistic made up on the spot) of cases there are no issues. Occasionally, if we are to believe anecdotes on here, it does go wrong. The CBP officer enters it as a refusal of entry instead of an administrative refusal which results in the victim being sent to secondary every time they cross the border.

The other thing to consider is more of a tin-foil hat issue. Can you imagine a political situation in the US where a populist President appealing to their anti-immigration base would declare that anyone who has very been refused entry to the US for whatever reason will be banned for life?

Or are the septics too smart to vote for a President who would contemplate this?

foreigngirl

We're doing exactly this this weekend, but spending two nights in Bellingham. We'll be near Bellis Fair, but as I hate shopping, that's not in our plans. We want to go to the waterfalls, some lake, birch bay, Fairhaven, etc. We have two small kids, so all very laid back.
I can update upon our return.

foreigngirl

Is ESTA needed for land travel?

Vulcanoid

No. ESTA is for air travel, an ESTA won't get you across the land border. For tat, you get an I-94W. Drive up to the border, get told you need paperwork & sent inside, have a quick chat with the officer (this may be longer if they don't like your answers), hand over $6 in US cash or credit card, if you already have an ESTA they haul your details off that, if not you need to supply the same info, get your paperwork stapled into passport that's good for 3 months. At the end of the 3 months, make sure the Canadians take it out to return it (can involve near-begging if you know you're going home, not looking at the land border for another year, and the Canadians don't understand why you're trying to surrender a form that has over 2 months left on it).

plasticcanuck

Your training skills are obviously deficient.