Entering Canada

[IzurFlyOpen]

Just wondering if any hobbyist have any problems or get hassled at the airport customs stations. Or should I ask how to minimize the amount of hassling you receive when passing through customs. Note: I don't do drugs, so that's not an issue. Any suggests????

 

[RedSox]

Originally posted by IzurFlyOpen
Just wondering if any hobbyist have any problems or get hassled at the airport customs stations. Or should I ask how to minimize the amount of hassling you receive when passing through customs. Note: I don't do drugs, so that's not an issue. Any suggests????

hassled how?

 

[IzurFlyOpen]

Basically, after going through the 1st stop I was sent to immigration desk and asked the same 20 questions as the 1st station. Then after getting my bags to pass through the final check point I was asked to go to area where they search your bags. Again, asked the same 20 questions and bags searched. I've been to Montreal several times over the last 2 years, maybe they are looking at the frequency. Only go to Montreal 2 or 3 times a year.

Maybe it's not being hassled, but feels very uncomfortable......

 

[E B Samaritano]

You must be doing something wrong..

Do you enter using a passport and if you do is it a US passport. Do you ever declare anything on your customs forms? If you do, you shouldn't quite frankly, particularly going into Canada from the US.

I have crossed the US/Canada Border easily 200 times since the early 90's. I have had my bags searched once, and that was entering the US from Dorval. I have been hassled only momentarily on several occassions while leaving the baggage area in Vancouver by individuals who seemed to have a problem with my "profile". This was quite annoying and I finally got confrontational about it. It hasn't happened since then. I have never been questioned extensively by the Canadian authorities. There is something that is triggerring this reaction. I also don't know of any two level questioning scheme. You go through immigration where a lot of questions may be asked, but seldom more than why are you here?, how long will you be staying?, where will you be staying?, do you have any family or friends in Canada, what do you do for a living? Pretty standard stuff. The rest is just turn in the customs declaration card to the attendant at the exit of the baggage area and you're on your way. There has to be something about your profile that is causing concern.

EBS

 

[IzurFlyOpen]

I always travel with my passport, even when I'm traveling in the US. Not counting my trips to Montreal, I too travel quite frequently between the US & Ont., Canada. Also, I do not declare anything when entering Canada.

The only thing I can think of is, last year my bags were searched after the dogs apparently sniffed drugs or some other illegal substance. My bags and I were searched and the customs agents found nothing, because I had nothing to find. The agent told me it may have been the money I was carrying. Apparently the dog must have picked up small traces of an illegal substance on the money. My money and I finally passed through customs and had a great time. I have been back to Montreal a couple times since that happen, with no issues. Maybe it was a one time occurence???

Thanks for the insight...I'll see what happens next month.

 

[traveler0099]

Sometimes these random full searches do happen.

I got one once traveling back to the States from Montreal. The agent said politely, "Sorry sir, but you have been randomly chosen for a full search. Please step over there."

Fortunately the full search meant a search of my bags and not my body cavities.

Funny thing was that I had bought a dozen or so Cuban cigars and, damn, I was sure that I was going to lose those. I had put them in a brown paper bag in a shoe.

The agent said, "Before I start, is there anything you might want to telll me about?"

I said, "Well you might find a bunch of my cigars in my shoes to your disliking."

"Anything else?" "Nope."

He searched my bags, found the brown paper bag, felt it from the outside to verify the contents, never opened the bag, smiled, and then told me to pack up and I was free to go.

Those cigars tasted pretty sweet.