Trip to Vancouver as a GC holder

[cgiz]

My friend, being a GC holder, is planning a trip to visit Vancouver for a few days for sightseeing. She's planning to drive across and the border and then come back to the US in a few days with her citizen mother.

How is it like when getting back to the US?
When passing the check point, does everybody get off his/her private cars to pass the electronic check point to have GC scanned and passport stamped, like at the airport? Or you just stay in the car and show your GC over the window? Is passport required as well?

Any difference in treatment for US citizen vs. GC holder?

Does anybody have any similar trip recently getting back from Vancouver?

 

[onaroll2010]

Carry your GC and passport. And since the trip is via road, you would carry the driver's license and proof of insurance and possibly the proof of car ownership.

I drove to Vancouver from Seattle with a friend. I was GC holder then, and my friend is US citizen by birth. On the way back, we stopped at the checkpoint, the officer checked our papers. He asked a few questions like, "Where do you live?", etc. He opened the trunk of the car and spent less than a minute looking inside. With that, he waved us to drive forward. The whole experience took less than 5 minutes, and we never had to get out of the car. It was quick and the officer was polite. There should be no reason to believe that the treatment would be different between GC holder and US citizen. After all, the officer is there to prevent the bad guys from getting in, or bring in bad things. As long as you have nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear about the border crossing. After all, you are coming back to the country of your permanent residence.

 

[sadiq]

Similar experience. I am GC holder, friend is citizen. Only questions: How long were you gone and do you have anything to declare. Took less than 2 minutes. The guy did look carefully at this passport and my GC. Same thing at the airports (a couple of additional questions). What a difference GCs make!

Rgds,
sadiq

 

[cgiz]

Thank you all for your sharings. I have two more questions here:

-First, how long ago were the trips taken? Not sure if things have changed recently, just curious.
-Second, was the precedure similar to getting through an airport? e.g. you filled out the cust. declaration form, then they had your green card swiped?

Thanks again.

 

[sadiq]

I went a few months ago – March’04.

The border patrol officer didn’t even swipe my card. He did look at for about 1 minute and spent the same amount of time on my friends passport. No customs declaration form. He just asked if we had anything to declare. Whole thing took a couple of minutes. Much faster than the airport.

 

[cgiz]

Does anyone have more recent trips to Canda and back to the US? Not sure if things have changed most recently or not. Appreciated.

What is it like getting into Canada? Any US customs? Any forms to fill out for the Canadian side?

 

[eltoro]

I will be going to Canada Setptember 2, and will be back September 7. I will post my experience here.

 

[cgiz]

Thanks. Which POE will you get by then?

Congratulations on your GC! It takes just 2 years for the entire process, which is fast, isn't it?

 

[funatthattime]

Thanks. Which POE will you get by then?

Congratulations on your GC! It takes just 2 years for the entire process, which is fast, isn't it?

ND:04/2002
FP:04/2003
RFE SENT (EVL): 06/03/2004
RFE RESPONDED: 06/21/2004
RFE RECEIVED: 06/25/2004
AD: 06/29/2004

That's my comments.

 

[eltoro]

Thanks. Which POE will you get by then?

Niagara Falls, probably Rainbow Bridge (on foot to see the falls), then some other bridge, probably Peace Bridge. Will return the same way, as I have return flight to Buffalo.

Congratulations on your GC! It takes just 2 years for the entire process, which is fast, isn't it?

Thanks! Unfortunately, my sig refers only to I-485 stage, as I participate in Texas I-485 forum. I filed Labor Cert in May 2000, so it is more than four years for the whole process... I guess I should update my sig.

 

[dsfgh100]

It really is a spectacular sight.
There has been an incident at the Rainbow Bridge fairly recently, with a Chinese woman:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-08/12/content_364771.htm

JoeF, scaring people again? Is this your coming out party to announce your affiliation to Communist Chinese?

People cross US borders every day. They are treated well and professionally. At the same time, there are some who fake beatings and get scars on their face in order to better their chances to settle in US. Don't be a misinformer, be a informed person instead.

 

[dsfgh100]

certified nonsense deleted

JoeF, I am not sure if you understand the purpose of this thread. Some one was trying to find out about his travel to Vancouver. You posted some Communist Chinese publicity material. Disgusting material, to correctly qualify it. You should keep focus on immigration matters, and not be a mouth piece to some sad public stunt.

I emphasize my point: The US border agents are very polite and professional in dealing with visitors. JoeF's scary portrail of US border agents being this mean group is incorrect and does no justice to the thousands of honorable men and women who wear the uniform. JoeF, you owe an apology to everything.

 

[hadron]

Maybe it is not all chinese propaganda.

It looks like the Border Patrol officer was indicted by a grand jury for the incident. He might be going to prison for this.

 

[dsfgh100]

blah blah blah

JoeF, Where is the apology for characterizing hard-working US border agents in bad light using your Communist Chinese newspaper snippet? The Border agents wear uniforms and work hard to protect our borders every day and night. Shame on you for throwing your venom on them. Where is the apology?

 

[dsfgh100]

Maybe it is not all chinese propaganda.

It looks like the Border Patrol officer was indicted by a grand jury for the incident. He might be going to prison for this.

hadron, Please read the news on that Communist Chinese link and also in Toronto Sun. Both links were provided by JoeF. After I pointed his bluff in supporting Communist Chinese publicity, he provided the Toronto Sun link.

Chinese publicity link says the officer was indicted.
Toronto Sun says, "US Security Inspector charged"

There is major difference between indicted and charged. I am sure JoeF can dig up some shady western news link that repeats the news printed in Communist Chinese link, but to folks like JoeF, I say this... Use your brains when reporting links to boards such as this. Firstly, the link has no use in this discussion thread. Secondly, it is propaganda of the worse kind.

I salute the hard-working US Security officers. And I apologize to them on behalf of JoeF for his mean-spirited slander.

 

[sadiq]

Why is anyone questioning the news story that a Chinese woman was beaten? Did anyone think that the Abu Ghraib prison scandal would emerge? Guantanamo? Nothing is impossible these days. And bringing abuse to light does not make one a communist. Dissent is the hallmark of a free society and is patriotic.

Rgds,
sadiq

 

[dsfgh100]

And another link, this time from a US nespaper:
http://www.syracuse.com/newsflash/topstories/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1092250151305550.xml&storylist=
Starts with:
The Associated Press
8/11/2004, 2:43 p.m. ET

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- A Homeland Security officer accused of violating a Chinese tourist's civil rights was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury."

So, this comes from the Associated Press news agency.
I guess this person who can only twist words and run ad hominem attacks now has to apologize to me...

What nonsense, JoeF. Did you even read the Syracuse link before posting it? It reads, "Officer accused of beating Chinese tourist indicted"

Don't you understand the difference between ACCUSED and INDICTED? You have posted one link from Communist Chinese paper saying "INDICTED", one from Toronto Sun saying "CHARGED", and a latest from Syracuse saying "CHARGED". You prefer to believe Communist Chinese words over words in free press such as Toronto Sun? Shame on you for hanging on to your mistakes. Is it so difficult to apologize to the US Border Security persons for your slander?

 

[magajmari]

Thanks Joe!

I'm with JoeF on this one - all he did was point out an article we would otherwise have not known about. He was not passing any judgement on the behavior of the officers at the border.

I've had a similar experience in unstate NY when we were stopped by border police because they were looking for some illegal immigrants that had flown in from Canada in small private glider planes that "land" on lakes.

They were pretty rough with us, not physically, but in words. That's their job - they look at the way we react to their questions. If you give them the feeling that you are hiding something, they will get aggresive. It took about two minutes for them to check our drivers license and passports before their tone changed to being helpful.

Apparently this Chinese woman could not speak English and she ran when asked a question. While getting beaten up like that is a far cry, these people need to learn how to talk/behave with officers.

Remember, these guys are under immense pressure. One slip on their part can cost the US hundreds or thousands of lives. There will be one bad apple in the pile, that will lose his cool. We should do our best to help them do their job.

Reading an article like this should teach us to be courteous and tolerant when faced with a situation.

So, thanks Joe. Whatever others might say, your posts are helpful and I hope you keep up the good work!

 

[eltoro]

It really is a spectacular sight.

So I hear.

There has been an incident at the Rainbow Bridge

I am aware of it, but I am sure that in light of indictment of this guy the officers there should be extra careful now. And, I can speak some English and have enough common sense not to run from approaching uniformed officer

Anyway, as I promised, I will post my experience when I get back.

 

[hadron]

Interesting. Someone asks an innocent question on border procedures, next thing there we have a full-fledged flame war.
Lot's of suppressed aggression around here.

(and no you dimwit, I neither get my news from the chinese goverment, nor do I read canadian papers.
The guy was indicted for a number of federal felonies and arraigned on the 14th. I am not sure what happened on the night in question, but apparently it was enough to convince a grand jury. )