As I promised earlier here is my report from my visit to Niagara Falls/Toronto over the Labor Day weekend.
To Canada:
Drove through Buffalo - Peace Bridge border crossing. Late afternoon, Saturday, September 4. A few cars before me but, of course, my line is the slowest. Spent 15 minutes in line. If I picked any other line I would have waited 5 minutes ;-)
Nice looking Canadian lady started the series of questions without even a hello
What is your nationality, how long you are going to stay, what is the purpose of the visit, ever been to Canada before, when was your last visit, are you bringing alcohol/tobacco. There were about 15 questions asked and answered with rapid-fire speech. After that she asked us for the documents. We gave her our green cards and our daughter's US passport. We did not volunteer our passports (I did not have one with me, as it is being renewed). She briefly glanced over the cards, did not even open the US passport and gave the documents back to us. The cards were not scanned anywhere. Then she waved us on.
To the US:
Coming from QEW to the Peace Bridge. Monday, September 6, Labor Day, about 9:30 PM. No line at all. First question: what is your nationality - 1 US and two foreign. At this moment we handed in the US passport and the green cards. He browsed the US passport and glanced over the cards then handed the documents back asking 'what did you buy in Canada' - after we answered 'a bottle of wine' he waved us through. Again, we did not volunteer our passports and they were not asked for. I had the printouts of relevant law with me, just in case, but never had to use them.
Both crossings were very easy compared to what we had to endure while using advance parole...
To Canada:
Drove through Buffalo - Peace Bridge border crossing. Late afternoon, Saturday, September 4. A few cars before me but, of course, my line is the slowest. Spent 15 minutes in line. If I picked any other line I would have waited 5 minutes ;-)
Nice looking Canadian lady started the series of questions without even a hello
What is your nationality, how long you are going to stay, what is the purpose of the visit, ever been to Canada before, when was your last visit, are you bringing alcohol/tobacco. There were about 15 questions asked and answered with rapid-fire speech. After that she asked us for the documents. We gave her our green cards and our daughter's US passport. We did not volunteer our passports (I did not have one with me, as it is being renewed). She briefly glanced over the cards, did not even open the US passport and gave the documents back to us. The cards were not scanned anywhere. Then she waved us on.To the US:
Coming from QEW to the Peace Bridge. Monday, September 6, Labor Day, about 9:30 PM. No line at all. First question: what is your nationality - 1 US and two foreign. At this moment we handed in the US passport and the green cards. He browsed the US passport and glanced over the cards then handed the documents back asking 'what did you buy in Canada' - after we answered 'a bottle of wine' he waved us through. Again, we did not volunteer our passports and they were not asked for. I had the printouts of relevant law with me, just in case, but never had to use them.
Both crossings were very easy compared to what we had to endure while using advance parole...