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Old 05-29-2016, 03:58 PM   #41
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Smile Canadian customs & american customs

Sorry that our customs were so difficult; it is always unpleasant & we also have experienced this maybe not quite so bad at the american side. They go thru our trailer & with guns ready asked my husband to open the bathroom door; in case we have someone hidden in there i guess. Some years ago they brought out the dogs & went through the truck. Last time, they circled our trailer & truck with some kind of electronic gizzmo, probably detects drug, not sure. My point being, we still visit the usa every year, more than once sometimes & just hold our breath that everything goes well at the usa border in our case. We are leaving for jackson centre monday-tomorrow. We do not take any fruit, veggies, or meat & hope for the best.

We do need to be able to visit each others country & not feel like criminals. We have a beautiful country as you do.
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Old 05-29-2016, 04:12 PM   #42
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OK - do not take plants, produce, meat, unpackaged dog food, guns, fireworks, more than two liters of wine per person, mace, or illegal drugs.

Have a permanent address.

Documents are assumed to be passports. Any other documents required? Car and trailer registration? Insurance card?

There have been comments on declaring items. Do you make a list of everything. Do you make a list of anything?

What about prescription drugs? Is it sufficient to carry them in the original bottle/package?

Dogs need a rabies letter/document from vet. Anything else?

How about computers and smart phones? Are they declared, listed, or ignored?

Really want to make a visit to Canada. When we do, it would be nice to be prepared for a simple crossing.

Thank you for your help.

Travel safe. Pat
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Old 05-29-2016, 04:21 PM   #43
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Avionstream, in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, at the cruise ship port, U.S. Customs pulled me over for being "on United States Government property which encompassed so many feet BEYOND their outer fences. Sorta like being too close to Area 51. I was parallel to "their" fence - not inside it, yet they came to inquire my intentions. In Detroit, I was returning FROM Canada. We had a Great time for a week. We went to have CanAm RV do hitch work on our PanAm for the trip. Andy fine tuned all the components and off we went. Coming back to Detroit - through Windsor - WOW! Four U.S custom agents, a drug dog, check our papers, etc. We sat, and sat some more! Oh, and we our residents of both MI and TX.
Thanks for the clarification.
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Old 05-29-2016, 04:25 PM   #44
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I guess the way the world is, it is hard to distinguish the bad guys.
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Old 05-29-2016, 04:42 PM   #45
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I guess the way the world is, it is hard to distinguish the bad guys.
HOWEVER, Too many people with hammers think MOST people are nails.
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Old 05-29-2016, 05:05 PM   #46
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We have visited Canada a few times. As US citizens we experienced surly treatment by a US agent coming from Fort Erie into Buffalo. We weren't detained overly long, but the attitude was completely uncalled for.
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Old 05-29-2016, 05:11 PM   #47
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We live in northern Vermont and have traveled into Canada many times - both out west in Montana and Washington, going into BC and Alberta - east - going to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, and Quebec. We have had no "real" issues, except for one Canadian border officer who must have had a bad morning. It only lasted a couple minutes and then we got the wave in. We love the Canadians and their beautiful country. I wouldn't let someone else's bad experience deter me from making great memories in a wonderful country.
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Old 05-29-2016, 05:13 PM   #48
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When I was bringing the Eddie Bauer back from Colonial Airstream, I used the Cape May Ferry. Every single guard "searched" my new Airstream - as did about half of the passengers lined up to get on the ferry. I felt like serving coffee and rolls - but didn't have any.

They'd never seen one with a hatch.

Sometimes it might just be curiosity. Not in your case, from the sound of it.

Paula
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Old 05-29-2016, 06:07 PM   #49
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Originally Posted by PKI View Post
OK - do not take plants, produce, meat, unpackaged dog food, guns, fireworks, more than two liters of wine per person, mace, or illegal drugs.

Have a permanent address.

Documents are assumed to be passports. Any other documents required? Car and trailer registration? Insurance card?

There have been comments on declaring items. Do you make a list of everything. Do you make a list of anything?

What about prescription drugs? Is it sufficient to carry them in the original bottle/package?

Dogs need a rabies letter/document from vet. Anything else?

How about computers and smart phones? Are they declared, listed, or ignored?

Really want to make a visit to Canada. When we do, it would be nice to be prepared for a simple crossing.

Thank you for your help.

Travel safe. Pat
Don't overthink it. It's really not all that difficult, but you may as well get the most up to date information here:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html
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Old 05-29-2016, 06:43 PM   #50
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Don't overthink it. It's really not all that difficult, but you may as well get the most up to date information here:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html
Thank you! The link helped more than what I found on the entry site. Evidently some meat is acceptable in small quantity. I've added feather boas, sausages, wood carvings, seeds and sea shells to my do not take list.

Appreciate the help. Facts help reduce the over think factor and define the difference between rules for import export and a tourist visit. Pat
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Old 05-29-2016, 07:31 PM   #51
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Sorry about your experience, being Canadian I hate to hear such things. Unfortunately it's pretty random and happens for Canadians entering the States even more then you coming this way.
Hopefully you please come back and don't let a bad boarder crossing experience black list us.
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Old 05-29-2016, 08:46 PM   #52
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We just spent a week in Southwestern Ontario, spending a few days at The Pinery and at Pointe Farms Provincial Parks (tip- go just as the Victoria Day Holiday is ending, and you'll have the campground to yourself, and you'll avoid the alcohol ban in the parks during the Holiday). Crossed at Port Huron both ways, towing the Bambi. We had our passports, and my aunt, who went with us, had her Michigan Enhanced Driver License. In both directions, they asked if we had any of the usual restricted items, and spent more time on where we were from and going. Very quick and easy. They never even asked about the little dog my aunt was holding. I suspect the lack of a permanent address was a red flag triggered by the OP, and that could be an issue for any fulltimer. Crossing into Canada at Sault St Marie a few years was even more casual, although crossing back into the US our trailer was searched just to make sure that we were transporting anyone in there. We had a great time and look forward to going back.
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Old 05-29-2016, 09:03 PM   #53
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Originally Posted by robert claus View Post
We just spent a week in Southwestern Ontario, spending a few days at The Pinery and at Pointe Farms Provincial Parks (tip- go just as the Victoria Day Holiday is ending, and you'll have the campground to yourself, and you'll avoid the alcohol ban in the parks during the Holiday). Crossed at Port Huron both ways, towing the Bambi. We had our passports, and my aunt, who went with us, had her Michigan Enhanced Driver License. In both directions, they asked if we had any of the usual restricted items, and spent more time on where we were from and going. Very quick and easy. They never even asked about the little dog my aunt was holding. I suspect the lack of a permanent address was a red flag triggered by the OP, and that could be an issue for any fulltimer. Crossing into Canada at Sault St Marie a few years was even more casual, although crossing back into the US our trailer was searched just to make sure that we were transporting anyone in there. We had a great time and look forward to going back.
And we'd love to have you back! Thanks for coming!

Cheers
Tony
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Old 05-30-2016, 11:27 AM   #54
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Canada for me has been a wonderfully friendly place to visit. I think I have been in every province at some time, from the Yukon to NFL. Never met a rude person in the whole country. Not even sure I would call the border patrol people rude. Just sometimes officious and very dedicated to making sure we were aware of the regulations. To the point of repetition and explaining their unlimited powers of search in a fairly dramatic way.

On one business trip after a 2 hour wait on the highway in front of the border crossing I was asked to park and come inside. Where after a short wait I was questioned by another agent. After I seemed to be repeating myself I finally asked, what part of what I said do you not understand? Her answer was, "I understood it all, I just do not believe it". But she was fairly polite about it. Eventually we came to an understanding and I made it in, but the lady made it clear she never did believe what I said. I can live with that. It is not personal to them.

On the other had, Canadians are often denied work permits in the US or sit at the border for months waiting for them. So I do not know how much of what goes on is just politics as usual and tit for tat. I thought NAFTA would have eased some of the problems but for me it either made no difference or made it a little harder to do factory service work in Canada.
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Old 05-30-2016, 11:49 AM   #55
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Hopefully these instances, at EACH of our border crossings, are not the norm and just folks having a bad day or power trip. Canada was / is so beautiful and we'd like to see more.

The inability to record this behaviour does seem to exacerbate those employees with bad behaviour to think they can get away with it.

The border agents, police, TSA, social workers, medical professionals, loan underwriters etc. usually have a reason for a particular line of questioning but a LITTLE bit of explanation goes a long way. Even no explanation works if there is no rudeness.

I think I would be hard pressed to give up my cell phone's security code to a border crossing agent however I would not want to be considered non compliant or evasive.

I do want safe borders, I do expect questions and rules. I even understand fluid crossing requirements as our nation's experience various threat alerts. We understand you are in work mode, search mode, thwart the suspects mode. You are not in chit chat make friends with the tourist mode.

Let's all (client and worker) save rude, condescending, contentious, instigative, inflammatory behavior for non border crossing days.🇺🇸🇨🇦
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Old 05-30-2016, 11:52 AM   #56
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Oh C-eh-n-eh-d-eh......




As kids we used to hitch-hike to Niagara Falls, walk cross the Rainbow Bridge, buy some Fireworks, hide 'em in our underwear and walk back with a limp.....are we better off today?

Bob
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Old 05-30-2016, 12:19 PM   #57
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Geez. Y'all ought to try crossing back into the US from Mexico some time!

They sell better Coca Cola in Mexico, made with real sugar instead of HFCS. The US border guard asked what we had bought in Mexico and I said, "Oh, and we've got a case of Coke back there."

That was a very tense few seconds!
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Old 05-30-2016, 12:53 PM   #58
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A few years before 9/11, my wife, three young daughters, and I were crossing into Canada at Niagra towing a pop up with a Burb. The Canadian Immigrations lady in the booth asked me if i had any identication cards for the children. I said no. She launched into a ten minute lecture on how my wife and I could be kidnappers, etc and seemed to be getting really worked up as I listened quietly. By now the girls were frightened and crying. Finally the lecture stopped and I very politely said "Maybe it would be the best thing if we just turned around and spent our vacation money in New York." She immediately said "Welcome to Canada!". We only stayed one night cuz my wife was worried Immigrations would impound our children.

I had lived in Europe and traveled in Canada, and I had plenty of experience in border crossings. In fact I was doing contract work for USINS at the time. I can only conclude that this person was clearly having a bad day, because I like Canadians.
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Old 05-30-2016, 06:46 PM   #59
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We have crossed many national borders and have always found the immigration officers to be professional and maybe not "friendly" but not un-friendly either. It's a job for them. I do, however, wonder just what personal information they have on us during the few minutes we are in their presence at the border. Only one time have we ever been inspected ( our Airstream) and it was on the US side of a Maine crossing. 2 lemons were confiscated. We are once again going to make a crossing from Montana into Alberta in a few weeks. So we'll see how things go there.
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Old 05-30-2016, 06:53 PM   #60
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Silly question....maybe? Feather boas are not allowed in an effort to keep pests out....most fly fishing flys are feather or fur of some type. Folks do make them from synthetics now, but most do not. Anyone had a problem with the foul content of their flys?

Appears that byproducts of meat are not allowed. Would canned chicken broth be considered a meet product hazard or just the dry bullion type of soup started?

Tool boxes have come up as a "red flag" possibly to identify folks that want to work. Never knew anyone who did not travel with some sort of tool box. Any ideas on this? Would Hand tools not be a concern and power tools represent an issue or any tools at all are a problem?

My apology for asking a bunch of questions. There is a phone number to call with questions. Anyone done that with good results?

From what we read, the landscape will be fantastic. We look forward to making a trip.

Travel safe and thank you for the help. Pat
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