Business Trip to Toronto on GC

[JavedG]

I will be driving to Toronto, Canada for a couple of days this week for a job assignment. I am a permanent U.S resident.

1- Since it’s a business trip and not a leisure one, do I need to obtain any special permit to go there just for 2 days?

2- What do I need to carry with me other than my GC and the passport?

[JavedG]

Let me through another question in there.

Is there a different lane for PRs at border crossings while coming back into the U.S? Is it same as the one for U.S Citizens?

[sadiq]

1. Don’t know if a visa is required since it’s a business trip. Check with the Canadian embassy.
2. Your PR card and passport are all you need.
3. I only crossed from Vancouver, BC to Seattle. One line only. It was a lot more egalitarian than the airport.

Rgds,
sadiq

[JavedG]

Anyone else has answer to the first question? Time is really running thin. I need to leave early tomorrow. I posted the same question few weeks ago and got vague answers.

[JavedG]

Went to Toronto and came back in fine. Neither officers cared to even look at my GC. While going to toronto, the following is how the conversation went:

Officer: Where you going?
Me: I am going to Toronto on a business trip
Officer: Have a good trip

Coming back...

Officer: Where u going?
Me: Returning back home from a business trip in Toronto
Officer: What kind of business?
Me: I work for a software development company.
Officer: Thank you

Neither of the officer asked for my legal status nor asked me to show GC or passport or any other paper. I could have literally gone and come back in with no canadian or U.S visa or GC. Go figure.

[Anajoti]

What border crossing?

[leroythelion]

Originally Posted by JavedG

Went to Toronto and came back in fine. Neither officers cared to even look at my GC. While going to toronto, the following is how the conversation went:

Officer: Where you going?
Me: I am going to Toronto on a business trip
Officer: Have a good trip

Coming back...

Officer: Where u going?
Me: Returning back home from a business trip in Toronto
Officer: What kind of business?
Me: I work for a software development company.
Officer: Thank you

Neither of the officer asked for my legal status nor asked me to show GC or passport or any other paper. I could have literally gone and come back in with no canadian or U.S visa or GC. Go figure.

This was a little lax for these times, but quite frankly this was the way the border was for a long time, hence all the security criticism. While I was living in Canada, I would cross by car 20 times a year and rarely get asked my name. Like I said, times have changed and your experience is a little unusual. I frequently cross at Champlain, NY, and usually get a full barage of questions. About an hour after that, I will get stopped at a Border Patrol roadblock in the middle of nowhere where I get asked to show my card (yes, the actual card, not a laminated photocopy or other facsimile).

Brian

Brian

[JavedG]

Originally Posted by Anajoti

What border crossing?

Detroit, MI-Windsor, ON

[sadiq]

The experience described was very unusual. On my trip to Vancouver, BC the Canadian immigration officer asked for passports. My friend showed his passport (US Citizen) and I showed my card. Only questions were if we had goods to sell and how long we were staying. Took 1 minute. The same thing on the way back. The actual process was quick, but they did want to check Ids. It’s interesting that someone was let through without any checks at all.

If you are white and returning to the US, about 50% of the time you can get away with just showing your American drivers license. Sometimes they may ask for additional proof (i.e. passport, birth certificate, military ID, PR card). If you’re Black/Asian/Latino etc. expect them to go by the book.

Rgds,
sadiq

[JavedG]

Originally Posted by sadiq

The experience described was very unusual. On my trip to Vancouver, BC the Canadian immigration officer asked for passports. My friend showed his passport (US Citizen) and I showed my card. Only questions were if we had goods to sell and how long we were staying. Took 1 minute. The same thing on the way back. The actual process was quick, but they did want to check Ids. It’s interesting that someone was let through without any checks at all.

If you are white and returning to the US, about 50% of the time you can get away with just showing your American drivers license. Sometimes they may ask for additional proof (i.e. passport, birth certificate, military ID, PR card). If you’re Black/Asian/Latino etc. expect them to go by the book.

Rgds,
sadiq

yeah, I was surprised myself. I don't look white from any angle

[Avalon]

Here I am assuming that GC holder is carrying the PR card. The question then comes to me is, "Is a GC holder required to carry his passport while crossing border through land? And if it is required then is it stamped?"

[sadiq]

No. In fact you don’t need your passport at all whether by land, sea, air. **** mentioned that they asked for his at the airport. However, if you didn’t have one for some reason, they would be obligated under the law to let you in. That’s not to say you wouldn’t be singled out for additional crossing.

Back to your question: when traveling by land (Canada only for me), I never even show my passport. Both Canadian and US immigration officials are satisfied by the PR card. I do carry my passport as a matter of habit.

Rgds,
sadiq

[Avalon]

To Brian, Javed and Sadiq,

While travelling to Canada, when you cross border through land you only need to carry PR card.

Question 1. - Apart from asking questions, does the officer swipe the card into computer system to check the details on screen?

Question 2. - The magnetic strip has information that pops on computer screen which officer reads to verify. Do they do it at POE through land crossing?

Thanks.

[sadiq]

Let's see if I can answer this correcly:

Neither the US nor Canadian Immigration officers scanned my card. The Canadian looked at it in the same manner a bouncer checks your ID at the nightclub - cursory exam only. The US Immigration officer looked at the other side and held up the card (to see the holographic signature and photograph no doubt). Secondly, I don't think anyone recorded any type of information.

If you do cross the border during an elevated threat level (i.e. orange or whatever color of the day DOHS is using) maybe they will scan the card or ask additional questions. Also, my understanding is that they do have card scanners, so they can check your card if they want to.

The Canadian's are bit more relaxed in letting visitors in from the US. Maybe it's because there are fewer people who go there illegally from America.

rgds,
sadiq

[Pungiwalla]

If your name is Javed or Sadiq be ready for more questioning at the border. You know why ?

[Avalon]

Thanks Sadiq for a prompt response.

Question 1. - Obviously, as you stated, there are less people who would enter Canada illegally from US than other way round. So can we safely say that while crossing border from US to Canada, the Canadian Immigration officers are more relaxed, ask fewer questions and demand less proof (ID, passport etc.); while entering US expect more checking?

Question 2. - While going from US to Canada, apart from Canadian officers checking your ID, is there something called "port of exit" where US officers examine you and let you go before Canadian examine?

I apologize for asking trivial questions.