My Experince by car in Canada
People,
I am from Pakistan, my wife Japanese and my child American. I took my personal car, bank statemnet $35,000, travelers checks $8000 and cash $7000 with me.
I drove from North Carolina, USA to Peace Bridge in New York with my wife and my 2 year old child.
At US border, they stamped my passport and we enter Canada.
NOW, at the border, the guy asked me these questions but didnot check any documents.
What is your nationality?
How many people in the car?
Once he learnd that I am here for "Landing", he told me to go park my car on the side and enter the immigration building. I did that.
Inside the building on right, there were 3 ladies in immigration windows and on the left of building, there were about 10 people in the custom windows. There was no one other travelers at that time, we were the only ones.
I gave our 3 passports and 3 landing papers only to the lady. She asked for doucments of proof of funds. I gave her bank statment and then she asked how much you have with you? I told her $15000, (7000 + 8000) she did not even ask to see the cash or the travelers checks. she stamped every thing and asked for address for PR card and I gave her the address. She said you will get your card in about 3 weeks and then she said Congratulations!! and told us to go to customs.
At custom counter, I told guy that I am NOT importing my car or any thing this time, but next time I will import it. This time I am here only for landing and going back to USA in the same car. He looked at my two sheets "list to follow" items and mentioned said that you have many guns. I said yes they are all my hunting guns. He adviced me to get proper paper work for guns and then he "entered" the exact description of my guns from my list into his computer along the info on my two cars. Later he printed that list and stamped that printed one and my copy of list to follow and gave it back to me. I noticed that he didn't care of any stuff I am bringing with me except for the guns and the ONLY things in the list he printed, were my guns with serial numbers and cars with VIN #. and that was it.......
No one even came out to see what car I was driving or to check/custom my car at all. Every thing went very smoothly and then. There only concern was my many guns and my two cars.
Next morning I went to SIN office and applied for the SIN #, they require passport, landing papers and address in Canada. Took less then 10 minutes
then I went to bank, open an checking accout, applied for credit card, got my two ATM cards and this whole process took 2 hours. Here in USA, bank account opens in less then 10 minutes but things are different in Canada, Too much time in just opening a bank accunt.
After bank I went to Health office for health card but they refuse me saying that i have to be here for 3 months before i apply for card. Also, they need some kind of proof that i am living here like rental lease, bank statment, cell phone bill etc.
I came back to USA in less then 24 hours. On my way to home, I was very happy and I treat myself with a new gun worth over $2100 and to bribe my wife, I bought her shoes for $150....Fair trade!!!!
let me know if I can be of any help....and may Allah Help all of you....