Trip to Canada

[songkrai]

Has anyone been to Canada since the new requirements?

Do they actually stamp your passport going in and coming back or just look at it?

Driving a car - not flying in.

Thanks.

[tis]

My better half has been a couple of times since the new law and they have not stamped his. When they go into Canada, they just ask what you are doing, if you have liquor, tobacco, how much etc. and that's it. When you come back it is a much bigger deal, they have to get out of the car and they ask all kind of questions, search your car etc. But no stamps on the passport.

[Belmont Resident]

If you have any type of criminal record or DWI you may not get in, DWI you will not get in. They go back years and years.
Hit or miss weather the Canadians will pull you in and do a complete background check or not so do not mislead them because if they do you will never get in.
USA side is usually really good as long as you have your passport.
We used to cross all the time before snowmobiling in Canada got so expensive, now we just go in once or twice to the clubhouse for eats or take our motorcycles across for a ride.
I'm talking the big crossing on 201 in Maine, all in all it is almost always a pleasant experience in both directions.

[Pineedles]

Just curious, how does the Canadian Govt. acccess USA databases, much less individual State's databases? Anyone know?

[songkrai]

Originally Posted by Pineedles

Just curious, how does the Canadian Govt. acccess USA databases, much less individual State's databases? Anyone know?

Interpol.

Just kidding. But I would guess that there is much data shared.

Years ago going into Canada on 91 the Canadians asked me to pull over. I was alone in my little economy car. Waited my turn and they searched entire car. No ripping apart anything. Just looking. I asked why me and I was told that they just do random checks. I had nothing of interest to them. And on I went to Magog.

But while waiting in waiting room a fellow walks in to show his UK passport. They asked him where he was coming from. He had been working in Ghana, stayed awhile in South Africa, and came to USA from Brazil. They just looked at his passport and told him to go on. No background check or anything. Just a quick look at passport. This was years ago before all of the RFID chips were placed in passports. My wait was about 30 minutes and his wait was about 30 seconds.

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by songkrai

Interpol.

Just kidding. But I would guess that there is much data shared.

Years ago going into Canada on 91 the Canadians asked me to pull over. I was alone in my little economy car. Waited my turn and they searched entire car. No ripping apart anything. Just looking. I asked why me and I was told that they just do random checks. I had nothing of interest to them. And on I went to Magog.

But while waiting in waiting room a fellow walks in to show his UK passport. They asked him where he was coming from. He had been working in Ghana, stayed awhile in South Africa, and came to USA from Brazil. They just looked at his passport and told him to go on. No background check or anything. Just a quick look at passport. This was years ago before all of the RFID chips were placed in passports. My wait was about 30 minutes and his wait was about 30 seconds.

From my understanding the US and Canada do not get along when it comes to border crossing and sharing information.
Now maybe this has changed but from my understanding they actually do not really want us in their country and this is evident by just how much they charge for a yearly snowmobile registration, +/- #300.00 for a mere what 3 months.
The reason for this is many times in years past US citizens have ridden in Canada, gotten into an accident then once across the border refused to pay up. That is why they raised the rates so high for all of us. It is a real bummer because we really enjoyed riding in Canada. They do the absolute best job of maintaining trails of anywhere I've ridden.

[ScubaBrian]

Originally Posted by songkrai

Has anyone been to Canada since the new requirements?

Do they actually stamp your passport going in and coming back or just look at it?

My son is currently residing on Toronto, and I have made several trips to and from Ontario in the past year alone. They haven't stamped my passport in either direction...just looked at it.

I have had NO issues with the border crossings. There is the usual, "where are you headed...for how long" sort of thing. That's all.

I want to say that there is no animosity between Canada and the US...whether regarding our gvts or citizens. The Canadians are much more lenient with who comes into their country than we are. Your more likely to get "checked" returning to the US than entering Canada.

Cheers...

[ITD]

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

......
The reason for this is many times in years past US citizens have ridden in Canada, gotten into an accident then once across the border refused to pay up. That is why they raised the rates so high for all of us. It is a real bummer because we really enjoyed riding in Canada. They do the absolute best job of maintaining trails of anywhere I've ridden.

Crooks, scofflaws and people not doing the right thing ruin it for everyone else, there really are no victimless crimes.....

[SteveA]

I crossed this past Thursday. What a debacle! AND.. I don't blame them.

A new job I'm on is for a company that is based in Canada (Toronto) and has an office in Buffalo. I went across the border with a co-worker who is an English citizen with a 40 year old green card, that has a Texas drivers license. Turns out that because he is an English citizen he didn't have to have a passport to get into Canada, just the green card.

I was driving a car with Ohio license plates that is registered to a Pakistani living in Buffalo. (He's the warehouse manager in Buffalo. )

Needless to say, the fine folks at the border were a little suspicious.
It took a while to explain the whole thing to them, and they spent alot of time on the computer and a few phone calls. They inspected the entire van, but eventually let us in.

Coming back later in the day was more of the same, but it appears that they must share enough information, because the agent on the return spent a lot of time reading the computer screen. He advised the guy from England/Texas
to get his passport updated so he would have a more current photo.

No they didn't stamp anything on my passport.

[SIKSUKR]

Do NOT share past DUI convictions with the Canadian officials. They have no database of info to check you out. I had a revoked license about 10 years ago and was headed skiing in British Columbia with 9 other skiers. I had non driver license and was asked more than a few times if it was revoked for DUI and said it was not, but for reckless operation. I was let through. Another friend with us told them the truth about his and was denied entry...until...after 2 hours of b-siii he was allowed entry after posting a non-refundable $300 fee. Even though you have your license reinstated for years, you can still be denied entry. The last 4 times I went through the border I just used my passport and no questions asked. Don't open up that Pandoras Box.