dbrown@watarts.UUCP (Dave Brown) (03/06/85)
I was a little bit perturbed at the person who said customs between the States and Canada asks for I.D.. AtNiagara, the closest border point to here, they look at what kind of vehicle you have. Obviously, if you have a van or truck, they will take a look for illegal immigrants; but, if you are only a car, they'll just ask if you are a Canadian citizen or American, and what you plan to do. Then, they'll let you go, unless you are doing something really unusual. Very rarely are people stopped with any amount of nuisance. In fact, to us up here, the Canadian border guards are nicer than the American(maybe it's our accents). All in all, customs is very good between the border; their are always horror stories, but it's kinda like the postal system. Everybody has a story of some kind. Sincerely yours, DAVE BROWN
mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) (03/08/85)
> I was a little bit perturbed at the person who said customs between >the States and Canada asks for I.D.. AtNiagara, the closest border point >to here, they look at what kind of vehicle you have. Obviously, if you >have a van or truck, they will take a look for illegal immigrants; >but, if you are only a car, they'll just ask if you are a Canadian >citizen or American, and what you plan to do. Then, they'll let you go, >unless you are doing something really unusual. Very rarely are people >stopped with any amount of nuisance. In fact, to us up here, the Canadian >border guards are nicer than the American(maybe it's our accents). >All in all, customs is very good between the border; their are always >horror stories, but it's kinda like the postal system. Everybody >has a story of some kind. > >Sincerely yours, > > DAVE BROWN Whether the Canada/US border is easy or difficult to cross depends on a lot of things, including luck. If you have an accent easily identified as US or Canadian, things are likely to be easy, unless you look like you might have long hair or be otherwise suspect. With a somewhat English accent (modified by 35 years living in Toronto), I find I get asked for proof of citizenship coming into Canada about half the time. Half the time going into the States I get some kind of hassle. For people accustomed to European borders, the Canada/US one is very tough. For people accustomed to East European borders, it is probably very easy. Immigration is usually worse than Customs (for me). I've only had my things looked at about 5-10% of the time, going either way. Nowadays, I always carry my passport. It has saved lots of time at the border, even though it isn't strictly required. -- Martin Taylor {allegra,linus,ihnp4,floyd,ubc-vision}!utzoo!dciem!mmt {uw-beaver,qucis,watmath}!utcsri!dciem!mmt
phyllis@utcsri.UUCP (Phyllis Eve Bregman) (03/09/85)
> Whether the Canada/US border is easy or difficult to cross depends on > a lot of things, including luck. I am a US citizen who lived in Toronto for 15 years. My two children were born there. We moved to NJ during the summer, and three weeks ago my 9 year old daughter went back to Toronto to visit. When she was brought back to Pearson Airport to leave, the US Immigration officials would not let her go because she had no proof that she had the "right" to live in the US. All she had with her as ID was her Canadian birth certificate. It was late in the day on Sunday, and there was nothing anybody could do except insist that she needed my birth certificate as well. Gee. I was in NJ. Anyway, we solved the problem by going around it, and she arrived the next day, but I was very ticked off. I have now applied for passports for both kids. -- Phyllis Eve Bregman CSRI, Univ. of Toronto {decvax,linus,ihnp4,uw-beaver,allegra,utzoo}!utcsri!phyllis CSNET: phyllis@toronto
rdz@ccice5.UUCP (Robert D. Zarcone) (03/14/85)
> > I am a US citizen who lived in Toronto for 15 years. My two > children were born there. We moved to NJ during the summer, and > three weeks ago my 9 year old daughter went back to Toronto to > visit. When she was brought back to Pearson Airport to leave, > the US Immigration officials would not let her go because she > had no proof that she had the "right" to live in the US. All > -- > Phyllis Eve Bregman I can identify with this one! On a return trip here from the Bahamas a couple of years ago, I learned just how weird U.S Customs is. We had routed our trip through Toronto and had no trouble entering Canada or the Bahamas. U.S. Customs agents at Toronto didn't even inspect our bags for the return flight. But the "persons" at the boarding gate weren't going to let me on because I only had a photostatic copy of my birth certificate. Explanation that my original no longer existed was not helping. Becoming very vocal and DEMANDING to see the agent in charge did the trick. BTW, I also found out once that the best way to get inspected by U.S. Customs at a border crossing that has one booth and guard, is to arrive in a car with out of state plates. The New Brunswick and Maine natives were using the road that went AROUND the crossing station. *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
ning@ur-univax.UUCP (03/24/85)
As a student at the University of Rochester who comes from Michigan, I
pass through Ontario about four times a year. Usually, I travel via Port
Huron/Sarnia and Queenston/Lewiston (about 10 k from Niagra Falls). To
further complicate matters, I am Chinese and and was born in Hong Kong.
I sympathize with those of you who have had problems with customs, but
even with everything racked up against me, I usually travel without
papers, and without hassles. Only once was I stopped; and that time I
was travelling with my father, who has a very strong accent. The last
time I went through I had an Apple Mac in its original carton in my back
seat. The only trouble I encountered was two extra questions than usual:
"What's in the box?" and "Do you plan to sell it in Canada?".
What seems to be the trick? Look at the customs official straight in the
eye, and answer the questions directly in a somewhat authoritative tone, as
if you have nothing to hide. (Do you?) It's always worked for me.
John Lam_________________________________________________
..!{allegra,seismo,dexvax,inhp4}!rochester!ur-univax!ning