My Experience in Clearing Customs in Canada and the US
May 23rd 2008, 1:37 pm
#1
Concierge
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,383
My Experience in Clearing Customs in Canada and the US
I left for my Alaskan adventure on May 10th. First stop was Toronto where I had to clear Canadian customs. I actually was quizzed and my passport stamped. From Toronto I flew to Vancouver and had to then clear US Customs before boarding the ship. I know it sounds strange but because the first port of call was Alaska, you needed to clear US Customs. The process through Canadian Customs was quick but the wait to clear US Customs in Vancouver was over 2 hours on line. For US Citizens, there was no separate line to go through. It was one line for all.
Had to clear Canadian Customs again when entering the Yukon by bus a few days later and this was a matter of holding your passport open to the photo page next to your face while the agent walked down the aisle. Same when coming back from the Yukon to Alaska although this time it was by rail.
On arrival at the airport in Fairbanks my passport was physically checked for authenticity before I cleared security. They ran the passport bar code through and also checked the seal with a magnifying glass.
Things has tightened up for clearing the border between our countries. So be sure that if you are flying to have all your documentation ready for inspection and enough time to clear customs and security for your flight.
Had to clear Canadian Customs again when entering the Yukon by bus a few days later and this was a matter of holding your passport open to the photo page next to your face while the agent walked down the aisle. Same when coming back from the Yukon to Alaska although this time it was by rail.
On arrival at the airport in Fairbanks my passport was physically checked for authenticity before I cleared security. They ran the passport bar code through and also checked the seal with a magnifying glass.
Things has tightened up for clearing the border between our countries. So be sure that if you are flying to have all your documentation ready for inspection and enough time to clear customs and security for your flight.
May 23rd 2008, 1:42 pm
#2
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,017
Re: My Experience in Clearing Customs in Canada and the US
I left for my Alaskan adventure on May 10th. First stop was Toronto where I had to clear Canadian customs. I actually was quizzed and my passport stamped. From Toronto I flew to Vancouver and had to then clear US Customs before boarding the ship. I know it sounds strange but because the first port of call was Alaska, you needed to clear US Customs. The process through Canadian Customs was quick but the wait to clear US Customs in Vancouver was over 2 hours on line. For US Citizens, there was no separate line to go through. It was one line for all.
Had to clear Canadian Customs again when entering the Yukon by bus a few days later and this was a matter of holding your passport open to the photo page next to your face while the agent walked down the aisle. Same when coming back from the Yukon to Alaska although this time it was by rail.
On arrival at the airport in Fairbanks my passport was physically checked for authenticity before I cleared security. They ran the passport bar code through and also checked the seal with a magnifying glass.
Things has tightened up for clearing the border between our countries. So be sure that if you are flying to have all your documentation ready for inspection and enough time to clear customs and security for your flight.
Had to clear Canadian Customs again when entering the Yukon by bus a few days later and this was a matter of holding your passport open to the photo page next to your face while the agent walked down the aisle. Same when coming back from the Yukon to Alaska although this time it was by rail.
On arrival at the airport in Fairbanks my passport was physically checked for authenticity before I cleared security. They ran the passport bar code through and also checked the seal with a magnifying glass.
Things has tightened up for clearing the border between our countries. So be sure that if you are flying to have all your documentation ready for inspection and enough time to clear customs and security for your flight.
May 23rd 2008, 4:41 pm
#5
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Arizona
Posts: 961
Re: My Experience in Clearing Customs in Canada and the US
I left for my Alaskan adventure on May 10th. First stop was Toronto where I had to clear Canadian customs. I actually was quizzed and my passport stamped. From Toronto I flew to Vancouver and had to then clear US Customs before boarding the ship. I know it sounds strange but because the first port of call was Alaska, you needed to clear US Customs. The process through Canadian Customs was quick but the wait to clear US Customs in Vancouver was over 2 hours on line. For US Citizens, there was no separate line to go through. It was one line for all.
Had to clear Canadian Customs again when entering the Yukon by bus a few days later and this was a matter of holding your passport open to the photo page next to your face while the agent walked down the aisle. Same when coming back from the Yukon to Alaska although this time it was by rail.
On arrival at the airport in Fairbanks my passport was physically checked for authenticity before I cleared security. They ran the passport bar code through and also checked the seal with a magnifying glass.
Things has tightened up for clearing the border between our countries. So be sure that if you are flying to have all your documentation ready for inspection and enough time to clear customs and security for your flight.
Had to clear Canadian Customs again when entering the Yukon by bus a few days later and this was a matter of holding your passport open to the photo page next to your face while the agent walked down the aisle. Same when coming back from the Yukon to Alaska although this time it was by rail.
On arrival at the airport in Fairbanks my passport was physically checked for authenticity before I cleared security. They ran the passport bar code through and also checked the seal with a magnifying glass.
Things has tightened up for clearing the border between our countries. So be sure that if you are flying to have all your documentation ready for inspection and enough time to clear customs and security for your flight.
Not half as bad as taking the train to Berlin 20 some years ago. The train was called the Berliner and it had to travel 365 days a year between the west and east into Berlin to keep the line open. At Marionborne which was the first station in the East, where the drivers changed from West German to East German, our passports were taken away by goosestepping East German guards to be scrutinized. Meanwhile the train doors were locked from the outside and armed guards were placed alongside the train until the all clear was given.
Interesting journey thru the grey depressed countryside of East Germany. There were guard dogs on chain runs in the woods at the side of the track and at intervals, guard towers with armed guards. As soon as the train hit West Berlin it was like going into Disneyland.
May 23rd 2008, 8:32 pm
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 44
Re: My Experience in Clearing Customs in Canada and the US
I went to Toronto last week, flying in from the US. I was on business and the girl who interviewed me asked me the usual questions.
It's quite amazing how difficult it is to tell people that you are their to review a product that is in development with a company that the company you work for is producing i.e. you are a client of a Canadian company. She didn't ask many questions to clarify things and it's even more amazing how complex your story can sound when they ask more specific questions.
I thought I was through, but then I was pulled aside. I had to wait in line a further two hours in an immigration queue only to be told the first interviewer had mistakenly thought I needed a work permit.
I've decided that from now on I am going to just tell these people I am on a business trip and attending a meeting. In my experience this seems to cause a little less scrutiny and is more straightforward.
Canadian customs is still much better than US though. US customs folk often seem grumpy, inconsistent and ask very personal questions sometimes. My Wife and I were on seperate flights once and tried to go through C&I together, which resulted in us getting an embarassing bollocking in front of everyone. The next time we did this we went through seperately and the guy asked me if my Wife and didn't like each other because we didn't come through together - explaining that you were told otherwise before just causes them to mutter things under their breath and get even more grumpy. Another time on my own, the officer told me he thought I was gay and asked me if I was 'that type of person' - wholly inappropriate stuff but they get away with it.
It's quite amazing how difficult it is to tell people that you are their to review a product that is in development with a company that the company you work for is producing i.e. you are a client of a Canadian company. She didn't ask many questions to clarify things and it's even more amazing how complex your story can sound when they ask more specific questions.
I thought I was through, but then I was pulled aside. I had to wait in line a further two hours in an immigration queue only to be told the first interviewer had mistakenly thought I needed a work permit.
I've decided that from now on I am going to just tell these people I am on a business trip and attending a meeting. In my experience this seems to cause a little less scrutiny and is more straightforward.
Canadian customs is still much better than US though. US customs folk often seem grumpy, inconsistent and ask very personal questions sometimes. My Wife and I were on seperate flights once and tried to go through C&I together, which resulted in us getting an embarassing bollocking in front of everyone. The next time we did this we went through seperately and the guy asked me if my Wife and didn't like each other because we didn't come through together - explaining that you were told otherwise before just causes them to mutter things under their breath and get even more grumpy. Another time on my own, the officer told me he thought I was gay and asked me if I was 'that type of person' - wholly inappropriate stuff but they get away with it.
May 23rd 2008, 8:40 pm
#7
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,017
Re: My Experience in Clearing Customs in Canada and the US
I went to Toronto last week, flying in from the US. I was on business and the girl who interviewed me asked me the usual questions.
It's quite amazing how difficult it is to tell people that you are their to review a product that is in development with a company that the company you work for is producing i.e. you are a client of a Canadian company. She didn't ask many questions to clarify things and it's even more amazing how complex your story can sound when they ask more specific questions.
I thought I was through, but then I was pulled aside. I had to wait in line a further two hours in an immigration queue only to be told the first interviewer had mistakenly thought I needed a work permit.
I've decided that from now on I am going to just tell these people I am on a business trip and attending a meeting. In my experience this seems to cause a little less scrutiny and is more straightforward.
Canadian customs is still much better than US though. US customs folk often seem grumpy, inconsistent and ask very personal questions sometimes. My Wife and I were on seperate flights once and tried to go through C&I together, which resulted in us getting an embarassing bollocking in front of everyone. The next time we did this we went through seperately and the guy asked me if my Wife and didn't like each other because we didn't come through together - explaining that you were told otherwise before just causes them to mutter things under their breath and get even more grumpy. Another time on my own, the officer told me he thought I was gay and asked me if I was 'that type of person' - wholly inappropriate stuff but they get away with it.
It's quite amazing how difficult it is to tell people that you are their to review a product that is in development with a company that the company you work for is producing i.e. you are a client of a Canadian company. She didn't ask many questions to clarify things and it's even more amazing how complex your story can sound when they ask more specific questions.
I thought I was through, but then I was pulled aside. I had to wait in line a further two hours in an immigration queue only to be told the first interviewer had mistakenly thought I needed a work permit.
I've decided that from now on I am going to just tell these people I am on a business trip and attending a meeting. In my experience this seems to cause a little less scrutiny and is more straightforward.
Canadian customs is still much better than US though. US customs folk often seem grumpy, inconsistent and ask very personal questions sometimes. My Wife and I were on seperate flights once and tried to go through C&I together, which resulted in us getting an embarassing bollocking in front of everyone. The next time we did this we went through seperately and the guy asked me if my Wife and didn't like each other because we didn't come through together - explaining that you were told otherwise before just causes them to mutter things under their breath and get even more grumpy. Another time on my own, the officer told me he thought I was gay and asked me if I was 'that type of person' - wholly inappropriate stuff but they get away with it.
May 25th 2008, 12:53 am
#8
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Maine
Posts: 2,043
Re: My Experience in Clearing Customs in Canada and the US
Not half as bad as taking the train to Berlin 20 some years ago. The train was called the Berliner and it had to travel 365 days a year between the west and east into Berlin to keep the line open. At Marionborne which was the first station in the East, where the drivers changed from West German to East German, our passports were taken away by goosestepping East German guards to be scrutinized. Meanwhile the train doors were locked from the outside and armed guards were placed alongside the train until the all clear was given.
Interesting journey thru the grey depressed countryside of East Germany. There were guard dogs on chain runs in the woods at the side of the track and at intervals, guard towers with armed guards. As soon as the train hit West Berlin it was like going into Disneyland.
Interesting journey thru the grey depressed countryside of East Germany. There were guard dogs on chain runs in the woods at the side of the track and at intervals, guard towers with armed guards. As soon as the train hit West Berlin it was like going into Disneyland.
But then another time I did a British Forces trip from West Berlin to East Berlin and we were told by our guide in no uncertain terms that the East Berliners had not right to look beyond page 4 of our passport nor to actually take it out of our hands. It was like another world over there...
