From the article: Tips for Driving Across the Border into Canada
Crossing the Canada/US border can be a stressful experience and changes to the passport requirements in 2009 added to the anxiety for many. Do you have a story about crossing the border? Forget your passport? Make a stupid joke? Maybe your story could help someone else, or maybe you just want to get it off your chest. Share Your Story
Uhuh
- @Mike, the guy saying "Oh, the border crossing people are just doing their job". Yes, TO A POINT. But at the same time there's ways of doing such a job that doesn't involve being being on a power trip either. I used to cross the border a lot pre 9/11, like another poster I had a girlfriend and then fiancee up there. The pre 9/11 enviroment was a lot different, there wasn't a "guilty until proven innocent' attitude with either the Canadian or the USA border guards. One guy on the USA side did like to search every time I crossed if he was on duty, but even then he was very civil and I never felt like he was being intentionally evasive or like he was on a power trip. As for "Oh, well I'm safe"...no, you have this illusion of being safe due to overly zealous TSA agents and border guards. Believe me, you're not any more safe then you were pre 9/11 Mike.
- —Guest LOLatMike
denied entry
- I was denied a tourist entry into Canada at the peace arch(BC) again. I am a contract musician and also do fine finishes on yachts. I have proof I can support myself while in Canada, have contacts and places to stay. I have a girlfriend in Canada and because of this last bit, the border person(s) denied my entry. The reason being I don't have enough ties to prove I would not remain in Canada beyond the time I was given to visit. This is profoundly distressing. What's worse is I am not the only one. Those of us Americans who love a Canadian are being singled out and not only denied access to canada but to the individuals they love. There is no crueler form of torture. We only have a small amount of time on this planet. Today I am crushed.
- —Guest dean hedges
Mike
- All the complaints in the world about border crossings and such are stupid. The US and Canadian and Mexican border patrols are doing their job. So far I am still able to shop, eat fast food, ride any bus or plane I want to and not get blown up! Great Job Guys! Keep it up and also...kudos to hassling any and all who have bad attitudes! They suck and have no clue to what keeps their asses safe as they party and entertain themselves in this great land. Thank You to all you TSA and Border guards! It sucks to be one...but I just wanted to let you all know Thank You
- —Guest Mike
Stupid US border guard bitches
- I was in Detroit on business from CA and had weekend stayover. Thought I would go into Windsor, stay over for a night, go to Casino and see around. I am alone - male 30s. Going into Canada was easy. No issues except standard questions. Coming back to US is a different story. Bitch, I am carrying the US passport and entering my country. Why do you treat us like cons ? I hand her my US passport and she again asks what country citizenship...hello ? do u know what passport means ? Then she asks what I am doing in Michigan, I explain her. She then asks for car rental contract. I hand her the one from Detroit airport. She then asks how long I was in Canada, what I did etc. I am a US citizen entering my own country. (What) do u care what I did when I was outside ? She still doesn't believe me I am on business. Asks for my business card. I say it's in my bag in trunk. She says hand me car keys. She goes back into trunk and searches bags. Finally convinced and lets me go.
- —Guest Ram
Weekend trip 2012
- Decided to go alone on a trip to Alberta and have a good time while keeping costs to a minimum. This was my first time visiting Canada and it was a pleasant experience while in the country but the border crossing either way was difficult for me. Me being a lone young male crossing the border for sightseeing, I can see where they become suspicious. I had a feeling they would be. The Canadian border patrol initially refused me into the country because I did not have enough cash on my person, I had $200 and the officer told me that wasn't enough to support myself for 2 days in Canada. I told him I had credit cards, but he said there was no way I could prove they weren't maxed out. I had to go back to the US and take cash advances on my credit cards to attain entry into Canada. On my return to the US, the US officials weren't happy with the extra cash I was carrying around... long story short, I had to wait an hour for them to search my car. Bring lots of money if you visit Canada!!!
- —Guest Matt
Sumas Border crossing lady
- The border patrol lady is not good. Two seperate trips in a row, months apart, i get the same lady and she always comes out of her booth, looks at my Oregon license plate and says "is that a real license plate?" Are you serious lady? do your research. For that she sent me in to get searched, on both trips. The first trip they dug around in my car, made a mess, and left our clothes in a messed up pile not shutting the trunk and leaving my doors wide open. On the second trip i asked why she always sends me in for searching, and she says "cuz i can." She needs to find a different job, one that doesn't involve working with ppl, cuz she's like an animal.
- —Guest Alex
2012 :Very nice experience
- My wife and I just returned from Syracuse NY after some shopping. We crossed the border in Ogdensburg. I am so used to the questions asked by customs officers after travelling the world. Over here we were asked where I work and what profession my wife who was seated next to me was. We answered. He asked if the goods being picked up from the UPS store was for personal use or for sale. Pretty straight forward questions and we were on our way in less than a minute after paying$ 2.75 toll. On the return I declared the clothes we picked up from Macy's and were charged $26. The lady at the customs dept. desk politely answered my question as I wanted to know what the limits of dutiable purchases are ( minimum 48 hours allowance of $400/person)
- —Guest Srini
Canada Border Service Agency
- I crossed the Border Many times I was always treated good on the American side. on the other hand the CBSA should change its name ti the Canadian Border Harrabment agency, I was delayed an hour and a half Questioning for no aparent reason, The lady on the alder grove crossing needs some TLC at home , she had the Ugliest manners that no human being should ever be treated. I can honestly say I hate Canada after that day encounter with her at the border, if she ever reads this I just want to ask her what is your problem? If no one loves you its obvious why. get a grip you don't own Canada, you are not a native Canadian you or your parents immigrated there just like the rest of us. the CBSA should be ashamed of someone like you represintin Canada at the point of entery. USA rocks you guys are professionals.
- —Guest Brad
Females attitudes towards men
- We were coming back to Canada after a trip to NYC, when we were stopped at the border and search at 1 a.m. it was 0 degrees out and they made us wait outside without our coats. we were treated poorly and given no chance to explain given that my parents understood no english, she just kept blasting us with questions and treated us badly. Of course it was only natural to give us time to translate the situation to our parents but no, that was no allowed. We were violated of our dignity and human rights. Doesn't Canada do a screening test to see whether the officers performing the job are elligible? and not some controlling female that probably spent her childhood unloved and is taking it out on non-white people. Jim Flaherty's plan to boost buying over the border had ulterior motive, over 5 other people were searched while we were detained and in total, paid more than $2k all together.
- —Guest Jay
Fed up
- Crossing the borders have always been smooth for us. Until we got caught lying about how much we spent. Usually we got nice CDN guards at the border. But we were sent to the 2ndary site, and told to leave the car. The guards then searched our car completly. Going through wallets and trying to get on my phone. They found the reciepts we forgot to throw out and made us pay duty. I now have a warning on my profile so Im more at risk of being searched. We were treated like animals. Really, these guards love their power-trips. The US guards are by far much nicer. I wont be travelling to the US anymore by car. Thanks to the ridiculus searching and how they treated us, the CDN guards ruined it for us. Why dont they actually look for guns and stuff instead of hunting people down to pay more money to the government. Once again the government ruins everything
- —Guest lk
Harrasment
- I am a canadian born and I was asked what religion I was ! and whether I was muslim or christian canadian kaldian or palestinian.? Once I answered those question with being muslim and my dad being Arabic he smerked saying we going to seize your car and refused it from entering Canada. I am going to file a complaint against this Windsor border.
- —Guest ABE
and they let them through
- My husband (then boyfriend) and I after a week of camping in eastern Canada, decided to take the ferry from Nova Scotia to Maine and travel back home to Ontario through the states and Quebec. After leaving the ferry, we were detained at the border, our car was searched and taken apart, we had recent paystubs, our bank account info, and let them know we were just travelling through. After hours of drilling by different officers, we were told that they deny us access to the US and they were going to put us back on the ferry back to Nova Scotia. However, one nice officer decided to let us through. Now, the clincher is this, we had all this hassle, and one week later (we found out later), that this same border let the 2 of the 911 terrorists through without a problem. Were is the justice in that!
- —Guest guest dija
canadian man-hater boder freaks
- I was returning home to Canada, and subjected to a search of my vehicle. The female (border officer) found a can of pepper spray in my glove box. Its a legal item to own in Canada and the US, and I bough it in Vancouver at 3 Vets. She seized my truck when I asked for a lawyer and threatened to call real police. I had to pay $500.00 for "importing prohibited weapons" into Canada - and was the free to go!!! What a brutal and blatant violation of the charter of rights and judicial code of both countries!! I wrote letters and was stonewalled all the way. I was never criminally charged in any way, but was EXTORTED out of $500.00 by the man-hating (border officer). Its an example of what joke that border is. Its a full on power trip for an army of wannabe law enforcement rejects and security flunkies. Security has nothing to to with it. They can kiss my ass.
- —Guest lemon top
just want to help the US economy
- I have crossed the border into the USA 100's of times in the past 20 years , we have a post office box in the US and travel across to shop and always spend our limit. last week went to pick up a parcel at the US post office and there is a new guy at the local crossing, checked his computer and found I have a record from 30years ago for a DUI I told him I have a pardon in canada he told me to bring it down. The next day I dug out the paperwork from 1994 when the pardon was isued and took it to the border..now the power tripping little squirt wants court records from 1981 , I will try to get them but I live 1000 miles from where the court was . I think this guy wanted to be a cop but nobody would take him or maybe a through back from the military..
- —Guest Ed
Disgraceful US Border Guards
- The United States border guards are a complete disgrace to all reasonable humans around the world. I needed to ship my university books at a UPS store in Niagara Falls, NY, a 15 minute trip at the most, and these border guards acted like a bunch of barbarians. The guard told me to park outside the office for extra questioning, I start driving and this guy pounds my car 5 times with his forearm, yelling, WHY ARE YOU MAKING THAT FACE? I'm so shocked, surprised and confused at what he's talking about, that I just stare at him with awe. He then continues to shout, GET OFF THE CAR RIGHT NOW. I get out of the car. He then tells me to, PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR BACK. I do what he tells me to. I'm taken inside with handcuffs on and they check me like I'm some kind of hostile subject. They ask me why I was put in handcuffs, and I tell them, because the guy said I made a face at him. One of the guard sarcastically responds, while laughing, never heard that one before. DISGRACE.
- —Guest Canada2504
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