Trip to Canada

S

shadow26

Registered Users (C)
Hi guys,

I wanna share with you of my experience traveling to Canada.
Ive entered Canada thru the Niagara Falls POE, Canadian IO was friendly, but anyway custom has searched my car. It took like 3-4 minutes, then I heard friendly Welcome to Canada. Spend some time in St. Cathrines I drove to Montreal, it was kinda of long trip. After Montreal I took highway 15 to US border when 15 became I-87. When I reached the Border it was kinda late - exactly 12.00 AM. IO asked my propose of visit, how long Ive been there and do I have some drugs, firearms and etc. I told him that I visited my friends and we kinda celebrate my birthday, He asked me about do I have presents or gifts for declaration, I said no gifts no purchasing were made except a maps and food.
He put my documents into the plastic folder and he has put it on windshield and told me to drive slowly to Garage no 1 for Inspection.

Here I am in a garage, There was a nightmare, I spend 1 hour 20 minutes there, answering the same questions a lot of times, they asked me about POE about 25 times, I clearly answered Niagara Falls, then they asked me where I have been after I went to Canada, Then they start asking me Where I have been before entering Canada, and they did this at least 10 times. And only ones they asked me Did you visited your COP. After that they searched my car upside-down.


Finally they gave me back my keys and documents and told me you're good to go.

They're treated me like I was an animal, I mean they gave me a real hard time. They search nobody at that time frame Ive been there, I was only one.

And I don't know why on the back of my GC on that black area they made few lines. they wrote something there by the laser or another device, I mean it's easy to see. Is anybody gets the same lines after visiting US POE?

Or they make like instruction for my next stoping by POE?
 
wow, seems they are getting seriuos on this matter eh??? Seems we all are marked , and all COP visitors are the target this 2007.

Shadow26, did you just travel with GC right?? no other docuemnt such as RP or RTD that would alert them about your previuos asylee status?

Keep us posted.

Regards.
 
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Sorry to hear about your experience. At times ICE officials can be harsh. I have crossed the US/Canadian border about 50 times, since I have lived in both countries and have family on both sides. Only once was my car searched by ICE. They took their time, about 30 minutes, but were polite in their questioning. Sorry to hear they "treated you like an animal". Not to defend them, but immigration and naturalisation benefits are "privileges". So at times a price has to be paid by you, me or any other immigrant for these privileges.

The last part is truly surpising to me. I have no idea what they did by making a few lines on your GC. Is something there legible? I gave up my GC last November, but from memory, the black part was legible if held under a light at a certain angle. It basically contained the same information that was present on the front on the card, including the holder's picture.
 
fasaavedra said:
wow, seems they are getting seriuos on this matter eh??? Seems we all are marked , and all COP visitors are the target this 2007.

Shadow26, did you just travel with GC right?? no other docuemnt such as RP or RTD that would alert them about your previuos asylee status?

Keep us posted.

Regards.
Click to expand...


I was traveling with RTD just in case and I took my NP as well. But I wasn't travel in COP My RTD has status as Asylee. But they returned it along with GC. Probably they found NP in my car, but I took it for insurance if i need additional ID. What's those alerts means?

I mean might I be wrong, but i thinking they made those lines on that black area.

Is any body has a vertical lines on black area of GC?
What does they means?
 
Lazerthegreat said:
which country are you from originally?
what do you exactly mean by making line on back of your GC?
Click to expand...

On the back of your GC there is an area looks like black mirror.
On the top if you held your card on the angle you'll se the bold line.
In this line your laser picture signature name and etc.
I have one more line (i noticed after trip).
It's vertical from the top to the bottom and it looks like you know if you have CD burner and sometimes writing something on CD or DVD. after that if you put your CD/DVD on the angle you'll see the area where you wrote data(songs, movies etc). It looks alike the CD-Disks after burning.
I mean If I could show you you will know whatI am talking about.)
But you can't scan back side of your GC) :(
 
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Triple Citizen said:
Sorry to hear about your experience. At times ICE officials can be harsh. I have crossed the US/Canadian border about 50 times, since I have lived in both countries and have family on both sides. Only once was my car searched by ICE. They took their time, about 30 minutes, but were polite in their questioning. Sorry to hear they "treated you like an animal". Not to defend them, but immigration and naturalisation benefits are "privileges". So at times a price has to be paid by you, me or any other immigrant for these privileges.

The last part is truly surpising to me. I have no idea what they did by making a few lines on your GC. Is something there legible? I gave up my GC last November, but from memory, the black part was legible if held under a light at a certain angle. It basically contained the same information that was present on the front on the card, including the holder's picture.
Click to expand...


Yeah Residency and Citizenship are privileges, but we are the people, not animals.

I'll try to visit Canada right next time I will be around border. I mean Just to make sure that last time was just my bad day! :)
 
shadow26 said:
Yeah Residency and Citizenship are privileges, but we are the people, not animals.

I'll try to visit Canada right next time I will be around border. I mean Just to make sure that last time was just my bad day! :)
Click to expand...

Hi Shadow26,

When did you make this trip to Canada? Exactly day please.
 
shadow26 said:
Yeah Residency and Citizenship are privileges, but we are the people, not animals.

I'll try to visit Canada right next time I will be around border. I mean Just to make sure that last time was just my bad day! :)
Click to expand...

Shadow- I had the same experience (they serched my car, asked me thousands of questions) but i was an asylee back then holding RTD. Haven't been to Canada since i got my GC.
 
Hi Shadow,

Sorry to hear about your experience. I guess, once in a while, they like to remind us that we are still second class citizens. Anyway, the main thing is your back safely. I hope this was just one bad day and your next visit will go smoothly!
 
I don't understand why people keep using RTD when they have their NP available ?
Don't bother RTD if you have other choice
 
Cl_Asylee said:
I just asked you because according to your timeline you just got your GC last Saturday.
Click to expand...

Very good point CI_Asylee. I think this had something to do with the extra search. Perhaps they wanted to see if you actually lived in the USA or if someone mailed your GC to you to come back.

I've been to Canada about 15 times in the last 2 years - always by land - and my car was only searched once. And that search was a random search initiated by the CBP computer and lasted about 10 minutes. So I am a bit surprised about this story. You should try to get your A-File to see what was put in your records - just for the heck of it.

Where you driving a rental car by chance?
 
LolaLi said:
Very good point CI_Asylee. I think this had something to do with the extra search. Perhaps they wanted to see if you actually lived in the USA or if someone mailed your GC to you to come back.

I've been to Canada about 15 times in the last 2 years - always by land - and my car was only searched once. And that search was a random search initiated by the CBP computer and lasted about 10 minutes. So I am a bit surprised about this story. You should try to get your A-File to see what was put in your records - just for the heck of it.

Where you driving a rental car by chance?
Click to expand...

Make sense.
 
Double_V, I totally agree with you, I do not understand why people with GC and NP still using RTD, that very clearly will advised IO's that we are scared about traveling and start giving us hard times.
Please GC holders, when visiting any other country other than COP , use the GC and NP PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Do not give IO's reasons to stop us at POE and star asking bullshit to us.

Thanks..
 
fasaavedra said:
Double_V, I totally agree with you, I do not understand why people with GC and NP still using RTD, that very clearly will advised IO's that we are scared about traveling and start giving us hard times.
Please GC holders, when visiting any other country other than COP , use the GC and NP PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Do not give IO's reasons to stop us at POE and star asking bullshit to us.

Thanks..
Click to expand...

But most of us asylees can't use our passport because it has expired and can't renew it from our COP's embassy.
 
MGTGirl........i know.
What im saying is, those who already have a GC on hand, please use GC with NP to travel, but do not use RTD + NP + GC...... that will freak out any IO .
I lost when you said " But most of us asylees can't use our passport because it has expired and can't renew it from our COP's embassy. "
Not even with GC on hand your embassy will issue you a new NP?
 
MGTgrl said:
Hi Shadow,

Sorry to hear about your experience. I guess, once in a while, they like to remind us that we are still second class citizens. Anyway, the main thing is your back safely. I hope this was just one bad day and your next visit will go smoothly!
Click to expand...


I'll try my luck next month))) I'll be around Detroit area, not too far from the border. Anyway I still got some Canadian dollars I have to spend them))):) :) :)
 
Cl_Asylee said:
I just asked you because according to your timeline you just got your GC last Saturday.
Click to expand...

Yeap last Saturday, I was waiting GC, so when I got it, I packed my stuff and here I am on the road again)
Those officers on US POE was wondering about my short trip and asked me like Did you drive so far to stay in Canada for 1 day. A day before trip I was in Albany, NY then moved back to Ohio to celebrate my birthday, next day I was driving from Columbus OH, entered Canada through Niagara Falls, just to see both side of Falls and and I went to St. Catharine, picked up my buddies and gone for good to Montreal, had a good time there, you know, and phone call made me come back to Albany, so they were wondering about "too much driving" at short period of time, and why Ive entered through NY instead of Niagara Falls or closer to my home POE. They few times were asked me about my trip and POE and even trip before Canada. They were trying to catch me on something and made me a little bit nervous. Next time I'll wrote down exact time of crossing the border on the paper, and everything I've eat that day and the weather condition on the road. Lets say officer asking the question:

When and where you entered Canada?

Answer will be like

11.34 am on March 30th of 2007 thru the boot #4 of Niagara Falls POE, the Canadian officer name was John Doe. etc.

instead of
yesterday morning via Niagara Falls.


I really don't mention time when Ive entered, and they asked me exactly the time.
After they asked me about when I get my GC, and get the answer like last Saturday I found it at mailbox. They asked me really stupid question -
Have you ever visit your COP after I get my GC.
(Wake up guys, I am driving and I am not a batman it's like 10,000 miles away.)

I'll never go through that POE anymore. I'll better spend one more hour of driving toward Vermont's POE
 
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