Can/Am Training Crossing Experience
Aug 7th 2001, 2:32 am
#1
Concierge
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,387
Can/Am Train Crossing Experience
(Man 10 hours on a train doe make your eyes blurry. Sorry about that)
Jim and I were in Canada for Jim's niece's wedding this weekend in Manawaki. Beautiful Algonquin wedding ceremony in full native dress, sacred fire, spiritual leader, etc.
Jim had to stay in Canada to finish business in Ottawa and had to return for my last week of work at my old law firm on Tuesday. So I took the Amtrak from Montreal to NYC. BTW my first and last Amtrak trip for it was the trip from hell.
Interesting part was going through Customs/Immigration at Candia <sp> at the border. The train stopped and on came the custom's agents (one for each car) and two immigration officials that set up office in the dining car. Questions were standard upon giving him my passport and custom's form, what do you have to declare, are you a USC, how long were you in Canada, where to do you live. The young man (in his early 20's) with a red passport with a white cross in the seat in front of me was asked to go to the dining car to talk with immigration officials. So were a family of four (husband, wife and two children) with burgundy passports. Then out of the blue three more immigration officials came on board and a fourth with a dog. Within a few minutes they were escorting two young men off the train from a car behind us into the Custom's house. They did not reboard the train. Several times during the 40 minute stop the dog was lead back and forth through the cars and what looked like a senior official came through twice, looking each passenger squarely in the eye. Both the young man and the family returned to their seats about 20 minutes after going into talk with immigration officials. Apparently no problems there.
I was given the schedule when I got my ticket at the train station in Montreal and was surprised to see the disclaimer that US and Canadian citizens can cross with only a driver's license but it is not sufficient proof. That you should have your birth certificate with you as well.
BTW had no problems entering Canada this time. Quick and easy with nary a glance at the passports. Hopefully Jim won't run into a problem coming back at the end of the week when driving through.
Rita
Jim and I were in Canada for Jim's niece's wedding this weekend in Manawaki. Beautiful Algonquin wedding ceremony in full native dress, sacred fire, spiritual leader, etc.
Jim had to stay in Canada to finish business in Ottawa and had to return for my last week of work at my old law firm on Tuesday. So I took the Amtrak from Montreal to NYC. BTW my first and last Amtrak trip for it was the trip from hell.
Interesting part was going through Customs/Immigration at Candia <sp> at the border. The train stopped and on came the custom's agents (one for each car) and two immigration officials that set up office in the dining car. Questions were standard upon giving him my passport and custom's form, what do you have to declare, are you a USC, how long were you in Canada, where to do you live. The young man (in his early 20's) with a red passport with a white cross in the seat in front of me was asked to go to the dining car to talk with immigration officials. So were a family of four (husband, wife and two children) with burgundy passports. Then out of the blue three more immigration officials came on board and a fourth with a dog. Within a few minutes they were escorting two young men off the train from a car behind us into the Custom's house. They did not reboard the train. Several times during the 40 minute stop the dog was lead back and forth through the cars and what looked like a senior official came through twice, looking each passenger squarely in the eye. Both the young man and the family returned to their seats about 20 minutes after going into talk with immigration officials. Apparently no problems there.
I was given the schedule when I got my ticket at the train station in Montreal and was surprised to see the disclaimer that US and Canadian citizens can cross with only a driver's license but it is not sufficient proof. That you should have your birth certificate with you as well.
BTW had no problems entering Canada this time. Quick and easy with nary a glance at the passports. Hopefully Jim won't run into a problem coming back at the end of the week when driving through.
Rita
Aug 8th 2001, 2:03 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi Rita,
Interesting story! Would you believe that last year when I entered Canada at Dorval
airport in Montreal with my husband (USC), the agent barely looked at my passport.
And to top it all off, he never even looked at my husband or asked him for any ID! My
husband could've been invisible for all this agent cared LOL!!! Pretty scary!
Well, on Friday I'm driving up to Vancouver (alone). I'll let you all know
how it goes!
Julie
Rete <[email protected]>
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Interesting story! Would you believe that last year when I entered Canada at Dorval
airport in Montreal with my husband (USC), the agent barely looked at my passport.
And to top it all off, he never even looked at my husband or asked him for any ID! My
husband could've been invisible for all this agent cared LOL!!! Pretty scary!
Well, on Friday I'm driving up to Vancouver (alone). I'll let you all know
how it goes!
Julie
Rete <[email protected]>
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Aug 8th 2001, 5:18 am
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi Rita and All, I also had a Border Crossing Experience (by Bus) that I was going to
share but I haven't has much free time until now to post it. I crossed by bus a few
weeks ago between Alberta and Montana and it was a very different border crossing
experience than compared to my usual, by taking the plane. I will try and do my best
to recap the story. The border crossing was fairly busy so we were stuck in the bus
waiting for quite a while. When we finally got to the "window" the immigration guy
asked the bus driver how many people he had (I think he said 32). He then just told
the bus driver to go through and park across the entrance next to some building and
he would get someone to meet him over there. Since we were already across the border
then everyone got out and started running (just kidding!!). The immigration guy came
aboard the bus and just walked up the aisle and talked to people individually. I
overheard a few of the questions and answers before he came to me. Some that I
overheard were: Proof of Citizenship? Where are you coming from? Where are you going
to? Do you have a return ticket? What do you do for a living? Where do you live? Do
you own or rent there? What is the purpose of you trip? Do you have any fruits or
vegetables? Any gifts? Some people were asked more than others. eg. The guy in front
of me was hassled a little more and the immigration guy really looked over his ticket
itinerary. He was quizzed quite a bit to his purpose of travel and then just the
fruits, vegetables etc. He said he had banannas and apples, the guy said he didn't
care about the banannas but he needed to look at the apples. The apples were
California apples so he said that was fine.
The girl behind me only had an Alberta drivers license that must have gone through
the wash a few times and when she pulled it out it just kind of bounced and the guy
started laughing. She was under age but travelling with her mom.
I was travelling alone and I was asked little. I handed him my Canadian passport and
he asked me if I had a return ticket. I handed it to him (by the way it was
open-ended for one year)He barely looked at it and said okay. He asked if I had any
fruits or vegetables and if I was bringing in any gifts for anyone. That was it. He
didn't ask me the purpose of my visit and how long I was staying. (by the way I have
an I-130 pending)
When he finally got to the back of the bus he said "Those that I invited in please
come with me and those that I didn't can transfer". You could tell that most people
were confused by this and didn't know what they should be doing. He meant that those
that he invited to come into their office to get further quizzed to follow him and
anyone that wasn't specifically asked to follow him was allowed to get transfer to
the next bus to continue on. By the way everyone had to get their bags and transfer
them themselves. Those that were being further quizzed had to take their bags into
the immigration office with them.
The people on our bus that had to follow him in were: Anyone that was not a Canadian
Citizen (there were a few British people on the bus and another family that I didn't
see where they were from) The guy who was travelling with his son, another minor who
said he thought he was a dual citizen (Can/Am) and going to visit his dad, and a few
other minor's travelling alone. Okay this is funny, there were also these 2 girls
(one 17 and one 18) that said they were going to Fort Lauderdale for the summer and
backpacking. The 17 year old didn't have a letter from her parents and the 18 year
old said she didn't have any photo ID so she brought her yearbook with her picture in
it. I talked to girls when they got back on the bus (I couldn't believe they actually
were allowed in) and asked them what happened. They said that the immigration guy
just went through their backpacks and that was it. They didn't have to sign anything
or nothing. So if you are Canadian and have no photo ID I guess you can use your
yearbook picture??? Everyone that was detained was let in.
Cheers Gina
[email protected] (Julie)
[usenetquote2]> > Jim and I were in Canada for Jim's niece's wedding this weekend in Manawaki.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Beautiful Algonquin wedding ceremony in full native dress, sacred fire, spiritual[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > leader, etc.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Jim had to stay in Canada to finish business in Ottawa and had to return for my[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > last week of work at my old law firm on Tuesday. So I took the Amtrak from[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Montreal to NYC. BTW my first and last Amtrak trip for it was the trip from hell.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Interesting part was going through Customs/Immigration at Candia <sp> at the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > border. The train stopped and on came the custom's agents (one for each car) and[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > two immigration officials that set up office in the dining car. Questions were[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > standard upon giving him my passport and custom's form, what do you have to[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > declare, are you a USC, how long were you in Canada, where to do you live. The[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > young man (in his early 20's) with a red passport with a white cross in the seat[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > in front of me was asked to go to the dining car to talk with immigration[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > officials. So were a family of four (husband, wife and two children) with[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > burgundy passports. Then out of the blue three more immigration officials came on[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > board and a fourth with a dog. Within a few minutes they were escorting two young[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > men off the train from a car behind us into the Custom's house. They did not[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > reboard the train. Several times during the 40 minute stop the dog was lead back[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > and forth through the cars and what looked like a senior official came through[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > twice, looking each passenger squarely in the eye. Both the young man and the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > family returned to their seats about 20 minutes after going into talk with[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > immigration officials. Apparently no problems there.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I was given the schedule when I got my ticket at the train station in Montreal[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > and was surprised to see the disclaimer that US and Canadian citizens can cross[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > with only a driver's license but it is not sufficient proof. That you should have[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > your birth certificate with you as well.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > BTW had no problems entering Canada this time. Quick and easy with nary a glance[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > at the passports. Hopefully Jim won't run into a problem coming back at the end[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > of the week when driving through.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Rita[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Rete and Jim (Can/Am Alumni '98)[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > The K1 FAQ http://www.k1faq.com The Mysterious Sealed Brown Envelope[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.k1faq.com/faq_index.htm Update AOS Experiences at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html Update POE Experiences at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.k1poelist.com/ Update AOS filing: http://www.kamya.com/aos/[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I-130/I-485 Helpsite at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.mindspring.com/~docsteen/...o/visainfo.htm[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/2806/ AOS filing; Interview and K-1[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Interview Experiences: http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html[/usenetquote2]
share but I haven't has much free time until now to post it. I crossed by bus a few
weeks ago between Alberta and Montana and it was a very different border crossing
experience than compared to my usual, by taking the plane. I will try and do my best
to recap the story. The border crossing was fairly busy so we were stuck in the bus
waiting for quite a while. When we finally got to the "window" the immigration guy
asked the bus driver how many people he had (I think he said 32). He then just told
the bus driver to go through and park across the entrance next to some building and
he would get someone to meet him over there. Since we were already across the border
then everyone got out and started running (just kidding!!). The immigration guy came
aboard the bus and just walked up the aisle and talked to people individually. I
overheard a few of the questions and answers before he came to me. Some that I
overheard were: Proof of Citizenship? Where are you coming from? Where are you going
to? Do you have a return ticket? What do you do for a living? Where do you live? Do
you own or rent there? What is the purpose of you trip? Do you have any fruits or
vegetables? Any gifts? Some people were asked more than others. eg. The guy in front
of me was hassled a little more and the immigration guy really looked over his ticket
itinerary. He was quizzed quite a bit to his purpose of travel and then just the
fruits, vegetables etc. He said he had banannas and apples, the guy said he didn't
care about the banannas but he needed to look at the apples. The apples were
California apples so he said that was fine.
The girl behind me only had an Alberta drivers license that must have gone through
the wash a few times and when she pulled it out it just kind of bounced and the guy
started laughing. She was under age but travelling with her mom.
I was travelling alone and I was asked little. I handed him my Canadian passport and
he asked me if I had a return ticket. I handed it to him (by the way it was
open-ended for one year)He barely looked at it and said okay. He asked if I had any
fruits or vegetables and if I was bringing in any gifts for anyone. That was it. He
didn't ask me the purpose of my visit and how long I was staying. (by the way I have
an I-130 pending)
When he finally got to the back of the bus he said "Those that I invited in please
come with me and those that I didn't can transfer". You could tell that most people
were confused by this and didn't know what they should be doing. He meant that those
that he invited to come into their office to get further quizzed to follow him and
anyone that wasn't specifically asked to follow him was allowed to get transfer to
the next bus to continue on. By the way everyone had to get their bags and transfer
them themselves. Those that were being further quizzed had to take their bags into
the immigration office with them.
The people on our bus that had to follow him in were: Anyone that was not a Canadian
Citizen (there were a few British people on the bus and another family that I didn't
see where they were from) The guy who was travelling with his son, another minor who
said he thought he was a dual citizen (Can/Am) and going to visit his dad, and a few
other minor's travelling alone. Okay this is funny, there were also these 2 girls
(one 17 and one 18) that said they were going to Fort Lauderdale for the summer and
backpacking. The 17 year old didn't have a letter from her parents and the 18 year
old said she didn't have any photo ID so she brought her yearbook with her picture in
it. I talked to girls when they got back on the bus (I couldn't believe they actually
were allowed in) and asked them what happened. They said that the immigration guy
just went through their backpacks and that was it. They didn't have to sign anything
or nothing. So if you are Canadian and have no photo ID I guess you can use your
yearbook picture??? Everyone that was detained was let in.
Cheers Gina
[email protected] (Julie)
[usenetquote2]> > Jim and I were in Canada for Jim's niece's wedding this weekend in Manawaki.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Beautiful Algonquin wedding ceremony in full native dress, sacred fire, spiritual[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > leader, etc.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Jim had to stay in Canada to finish business in Ottawa and had to return for my[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > last week of work at my old law firm on Tuesday. So I took the Amtrak from[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Montreal to NYC. BTW my first and last Amtrak trip for it was the trip from hell.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Interesting part was going through Customs/Immigration at Candia <sp> at the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > border. The train stopped and on came the custom's agents (one for each car) and[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > two immigration officials that set up office in the dining car. Questions were[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > standard upon giving him my passport and custom's form, what do you have to[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > declare, are you a USC, how long were you in Canada, where to do you live. The[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > young man (in his early 20's) with a red passport with a white cross in the seat[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > in front of me was asked to go to the dining car to talk with immigration[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > officials. So were a family of four (husband, wife and two children) with[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > burgundy passports. Then out of the blue three more immigration officials came on[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > board and a fourth with a dog. Within a few minutes they were escorting two young[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > men off the train from a car behind us into the Custom's house. They did not[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > reboard the train. Several times during the 40 minute stop the dog was lead back[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > and forth through the cars and what looked like a senior official came through[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > twice, looking each passenger squarely in the eye. Both the young man and the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > family returned to their seats about 20 minutes after going into talk with[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > immigration officials. Apparently no problems there.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I was given the schedule when I got my ticket at the train station in Montreal[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > and was surprised to see the disclaimer that US and Canadian citizens can cross[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > with only a driver's license but it is not sufficient proof. That you should have[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > your birth certificate with you as well.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > BTW had no problems entering Canada this time. Quick and easy with nary a glance[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > at the passports. Hopefully Jim won't run into a problem coming back at the end[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > of the week when driving through.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Rita[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Rete and Jim (Can/Am Alumni '98)[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > The K1 FAQ http://www.k1faq.com The Mysterious Sealed Brown Envelope[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.k1faq.com/faq_index.htm Update AOS Experiences at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html Update POE Experiences at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.k1poelist.com/ Update AOS filing: http://www.kamya.com/aos/[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I-130/I-485 Helpsite at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.mindspring.com/~docsteen/...o/visainfo.htm[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/2806/ AOS filing; Interview and K-1[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Interview Experiences: http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html[/usenetquote2]
Aug 8th 2001, 8:34 pm
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
My one visit to Ottawa last year was marred by a 2-hour wait in the Canadian
Immigration Office. I had called the Canadian consulate before I went on the trip,
and they said all I needed to enter the country was a driver's license.
Unfortunately, I believed them. The immigration people wanted a passport or a birth
certificate. I had neither. I spent about an hour answering questions and saying
stuff like, "but I don't want to live in Canada" and "I'm not immigrating, I'm on
business." Finally they let me go with the warning to "bring proper proof of
citizenship next time."
I was pretty mad. I felt that the Canadian consulate should have told me to bring the
proper ID. When I went back to the US, I passed through US immigration and met the
most bored INS officer I had ever seen. He asked me where I was born, looked me up in
a computer, and waved me through.
May I add, when my entire family (sans myself) went to Canada in 1999 they were waved
through without even looking at any IDs at all.
"Julie" <[email protected]>
[usenetquote2]> > Jim and I were in Canada for Jim's niece's wedding this weekend in Manawaki.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Beautiful Algonquin wedding ceremony in full native dress, sacred fire, spiritual[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > leader, etc.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Jim had to stay in Canada to finish business in Ottawa and had to return for my[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > last week of work at my old law firm on Tuesday. So I took the Amtrak from[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Montreal to NYC. BTW my first and last Amtrak trip for it was the trip from hell.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Interesting part was going through Customs/Immigration at Candia <sp> at the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > border. The train stopped and on came the custom's agents (one for each car) and[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > two immigration officials that set up office in the dining car. Questions were[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > standard upon giving him my passport and custom's form, what do you have to[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > declare, are you a USC, how long were you in Canada, where to do you live. The[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > young man (in his early 20's) with a red passport with a white cross in the seat[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > in front of me was asked to go to the dining car to talk with immigration[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > officials. So were a family of four (husband, wife and two children) with[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > burgundy passports. Then out of the blue three more immigration officials came on[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > board and a fourth with a dog. Within a few minutes they were escorting two young[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > men off the train from a car behind us into the Custom's house. They did not[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > reboard the train. Several times during the 40 minute stop the dog was lead back[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > and forth through the cars and what looked like a senior official came through[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > twice, looking each passenger squarely in the eye. Both the young man and the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > family returned to their seats about 20 minutes after going into talk with[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > immigration officials. Apparently no problems there.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I was given the schedule when I got my ticket at the train station in Montreal[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > and was surprised to see the disclaimer that US and Canadian citizens can cross[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > with only a driver's license but it is not sufficient proof. That you should have[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > your birth certificate with you as well.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > BTW had no problems entering Canada this time. Quick and easy with nary a glance[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > at the passports. Hopefully Jim won't run into a problem coming back at the end[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > of the week when driving through.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Rita[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Rete and Jim (Can/Am Alumni '98)[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > The K1 FAQ http://www.k1faq.com The Mysterious Sealed Brown Envelope[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.k1faq.com/faq_index.htm Update AOS Experiences at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html Update POE Experiences at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.k1poelist.com/ Update AOS filing: http://www.kamya.com/aos/[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I-130/I-485 Helpsite at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.mindspring.com/~docsteen/...o/visainfo.htm[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/2806/ AOS filing; Interview and K-1[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Interview Experiences: http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html[/usenetquote2]
Immigration Office. I had called the Canadian consulate before I went on the trip,
and they said all I needed to enter the country was a driver's license.
Unfortunately, I believed them. The immigration people wanted a passport or a birth
certificate. I had neither. I spent about an hour answering questions and saying
stuff like, "but I don't want to live in Canada" and "I'm not immigrating, I'm on
business." Finally they let me go with the warning to "bring proper proof of
citizenship next time."
I was pretty mad. I felt that the Canadian consulate should have told me to bring the
proper ID. When I went back to the US, I passed through US immigration and met the
most bored INS officer I had ever seen. He asked me where I was born, looked me up in
a computer, and waved me through.
May I add, when my entire family (sans myself) went to Canada in 1999 they were waved
through without even looking at any IDs at all.
"Julie" <[email protected]>
[usenetquote2]> > Jim and I were in Canada for Jim's niece's wedding this weekend in Manawaki.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Beautiful Algonquin wedding ceremony in full native dress, sacred fire, spiritual[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > leader, etc.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Jim had to stay in Canada to finish business in Ottawa and had to return for my[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > last week of work at my old law firm on Tuesday. So I took the Amtrak from[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Montreal to NYC. BTW my first and last Amtrak trip for it was the trip from hell.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Interesting part was going through Customs/Immigration at Candia <sp> at the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > border. The train stopped and on came the custom's agents (one for each car) and[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > two immigration officials that set up office in the dining car. Questions were[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > standard upon giving him my passport and custom's form, what do you have to[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > declare, are you a USC, how long were you in Canada, where to do you live. The[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > young man (in his early 20's) with a red passport with a white cross in the seat[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > in front of me was asked to go to the dining car to talk with immigration[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > officials. So were a family of four (husband, wife and two children) with[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > burgundy passports. Then out of the blue three more immigration officials came on[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > board and a fourth with a dog. Within a few minutes they were escorting two young[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > men off the train from a car behind us into the Custom's house. They did not[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > reboard the train. Several times during the 40 minute stop the dog was lead back[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > and forth through the cars and what looked like a senior official came through[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > twice, looking each passenger squarely in the eye. Both the young man and the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > family returned to their seats about 20 minutes after going into talk with[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > immigration officials. Apparently no problems there.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I was given the schedule when I got my ticket at the train station in Montreal[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > and was surprised to see the disclaimer that US and Canadian citizens can cross[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > with only a driver's license but it is not sufficient proof. That you should have[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > your birth certificate with you as well.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > BTW had no problems entering Canada this time. Quick and easy with nary a glance[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > at the passports. Hopefully Jim won't run into a problem coming back at the end[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > of the week when driving through.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Rita[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Rete and Jim (Can/Am Alumni '98)[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > The K1 FAQ http://www.k1faq.com The Mysterious Sealed Brown Envelope[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.k1faq.com/faq_index.htm Update AOS Experiences at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html Update POE Experiences at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.k1poelist.com/ Update AOS filing: http://www.kamya.com/aos/[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I-130/I-485 Helpsite at:[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.mindspring.com/~docsteen/...o/visainfo.htm[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/2806/ AOS filing; Interview and K-1[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Interview Experiences: http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html[/usenetquote2]
Aug 12th 2001, 10:31 am
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
We cross the Can/USborder almost every weekend for shopping, mail [I have a box in
Lynden] etc.. I am the US Cit., hubby is Canadian.
Everytime we cross into US, I drive.. the usual verbage: where do we live, we tell
them city, province...they ask citizenships.. for them everyone in the car is US
except hubby who's canadian. They ask where we're going [shopping, mail] and that's
it. We have *never* been asked for passport/driver's license, nor have we been
searched. [knock on wood]
When we went home [my family] for two months for XMAS...they asked where we
were going [to visit my family] ...never asked if we were immigrating to the
States...etc... questions were pretty consistent with those we get when
driving across.
This past weekend, it could have been so easy to come over and just stay. They
said what are your citizenships..and that was it...no purpose for trip or
anything. [sheesh]
I think it depends upon your POE. Our POE is pretty low-key [we don't use a large
one] and I've been in and out of the US border office, for misc. business, etc..many
times they must recognize us...some officers see us and when we get to the window,
they are less formal, saying 'hey, you again' and such....
anyway, it's interesting to see what others have experienced...
Lynden] etc.. I am the US Cit., hubby is Canadian.
Everytime we cross into US, I drive.. the usual verbage: where do we live, we tell
them city, province...they ask citizenships.. for them everyone in the car is US
except hubby who's canadian. They ask where we're going [shopping, mail] and that's
it. We have *never* been asked for passport/driver's license, nor have we been
searched. [knock on wood]
When we went home [my family] for two months for XMAS...they asked where we
were going [to visit my family] ...never asked if we were immigrating to the
States...etc... questions were pretty consistent with those we get when
driving across.
This past weekend, it could have been so easy to come over and just stay. They
said what are your citizenships..and that was it...no purpose for trip or
anything. [sheesh]
I think it depends upon your POE. Our POE is pretty low-key [we don't use a large
one] and I've been in and out of the US border office, for misc. business, etc..many
times they must recognize us...some officers see us and when we get to the window,
they are less formal, saying 'hey, you again' and such....
anyway, it's interesting to see what others have experienced...
