kgdykes@watbun.UUCP (03/25/85)
I say its the "other country's" customs that are run by petty fascists!!
Seriously folkes, how many CANADIANS have had real trouble with CANADIAN
customs?
How many AMERICANS with AMERICAN customs...???
Get the point?
I (Canadian) have been to Europe and many times to the USA, the only problems
with ANY customs was not actually customs, but US Immigration officers,
they see my long hair and start assuming I am a bum trying to lurk into
the USA and seek crime or employment or something. In my travels I have
carried "commercial goods", musical instruments, a camera bag full of
Canon gizmos, more than my allowances for alcohol (i have been treated MORE
than fairly for alcohol returning to Canada) etc.
My biggest complaint is against Lichtenstein, I couldn't for the life of
me find someone who would stamp my passport with some official looking
stamp (the border "guards" are more like auto-club tourist reps) so I would
have "proof" of visiting the postage-stamp country.
Oh yes, I should say that I take intelligent precautions against customs
problems with commercial goods, items-of-value, etc by arranging needed
paper-work (ID's) etc before leaving Canada.
And dont ANYONE try to imply that a situation where a "rule" was been
applied exactly to the letter of the "rule" is to be considered
a "horror story".
- Ken Dykes
Software Development Group, U. of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. N2L 3G1
{clyde,utzoo}!watnot!watmath!water!watbun!kgdykesmupmalis@watarts.UUCP (mike upmalis) (03/25/85)
In article <330@oliveb.UUCP> gnome@oliveb.UUCP (Gary Traveis) writes: > ><<FLAME ON!>> >Actually, it is a case of the Canadian customs people being in the >stone age. A three-year old camera and VCR is not "high tech". >Not only is it available in Canada, newer models tend to be released >up there for test marketing (from Sony, in particular). > >It is simply a good example of a tax intensive customs/trade policy. >And when it comes to the taxes and French language laws, you'll find >no one more pissed-off than the people of Vancouver! > >Gee, flying the same stuff in & out of England (two weeks ago) >was no hassle at all! (Maybe their customs people actually have >heard about TV!) > ><< FLAME OFF >> (in centigrade, of course) Gary; I have dealt extensively with getting stuff back and forth across the border, I worked for a Canadian department store, that used an American system to capture sales information. A prom board is my favourite example of high tech. It was always documented and paper work done to get it across the border. The main point of my posting is that if you were thinking ahead of time you would check. The customs officials took the time to make sure that you got a fair break under the rules. I prefer the time to an off the top of the head ruling. One time though some of the people from california came up and thought they would try to sneak some boards through to do a fix in the early days of implementation of the sytem, of course they got stopped, as everyone who is smuggling :-) They told the official that they were hobbysists visiting a friend. They let them through. Another time some data comm specialists from the American office of the department store were going to come through with a Data anaylyzer worth ~15,000, without paperwork!!! Take nothing for granted, they didn't get through. I am not sure what the bit about language law has to do with customs, maybe you could follow up and explain, of course we Canucks haven't got around to writin' yet :-) Newsgroups: net.travel Summary: More on Customs Expires: References: <853@decwrl.UUCP> <1508@ihuxl.UUCP> <316@oliveb.UUCP> <8336@watarts.UUCP> <330@oliveb.UUCP> Sender: Reply-To: mupmalis@watarts.UUCP (mike upmalis) Followup-To: Distribution: Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Keywords: In article <330@oliveb.UUCP> gnome@oliveb.UUCP (Gary Traveis) writes: > ><<FLAME ON!>> >Actually, it is a case of the Canadian customs people being in the >stone age. A three-year old camera and VCR is not "high tech". >Not only is it available in Canada, newer models tend to be released >up there for test marketing (from Sony, in particular). > >It is simply a good example of a tax intensive customs/trade policy. >And when it comes to the taxes and French language laws, you'll find >no one more pissed-off than the people of Vancouver! > >Gee, flying the same stuff in & out of England (two weeks ago) >was no hassle at all! (Maybe their customs people actually have >heard about TV!) > ><< FLAME OFF >> (in centigrade, of course) Gary, I have dealt extensively with getting stuff back and forth across the border, I worked for a Canadian department store, that used an American system to capture sales information. A prom board is my favourite example of high tech. It was always documented and paper work done to get it across the border. The main point of my posting is that if you were thinking ahead of time you would check. The customs officials took the time to make sure that you got a fair break under the rules. I prefer the time to an off the top of the head ruling. One time though some of the people from california came up and thought they would try to sneak some boards through to do a fix in the early days of implementation of the sytem, of course they got stopped, as everyone who is smuggling :-) They told the official that they were hobbysists visiting a friend. They let them through. Another time some data comm specialists from the American office of the department store were going to come through with a Data anaylyzer worth ~15,000, without paperwork!!! Take nothing for granted, they didn't get through. I am not sure what the bit about language law has to do with customs, maybe you could follow up and explain, of course we Canucks haven't got around to writin' yet :-) -- ~~ Mike Upmalis (mupmalis@watarts)<University of Waterloo>
jcjeff@ihlpg.UUCP (jeffreys) (03/25/85)
> > My biggest complaint is against Lichtenstein, I couldn't for the life of > me find someone who would stamp my passport with some official looking > stamp (the border "guards" are more like auto-club tourist reps) so I would > have "proof" of visiting the postage-stamp country. > > - Ken Dykes > Software Development Group, U. of Waterloo My parents had exactly the same problem last time they were there. They went to the nearest Post Office, where the staff have a similar stamp to the ones used by the custums people. They managed to get their passport stamped (without charge), and the stamp was put into the pasport with a great deal of care so that it came out clearly and in the right orentation, unlike most stamps you get at any border post. Moral. If the Customs people do not stamp your passport. Get it done at the nearest Post Office. -- [ You called all the way from America - Joan Armatrading ] [ You're never alone with a rubber duck - Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ || From the keys of Richard Jeffreys ( British Citizen Overseas ) || || employed by North American Philips Corporation || || @ AT&T Bell Laboratories, Naperville, Illinois || ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ || General disclaimer about anything and everything that I may have typed || ------------------------------------------------------------------------------