Questions they ask when I crossed the Canada US border (page 3)

aSphereisnotaCircle

A few years ago we were in northern Washington and we decided to go to canada for the day.

My partner likes to carry a handgun, and he decided to bring it.

We were stopped at the border and told to exit the car, we were asked if we had any weapons and my partner said no.

They asked us to lift our shirts and our pant legs. Strangely enough, they did not see the 38 tucked into my partners waistband, (it was tucked in the back of the waistband and they only looked at the front.

They took our ID and made us sit and wait while they searched our car and tried to verify our ID.

They didn't find anything in the car, and after about 45 minutes they let us go.

Jehoover must have been with us that day and blinded their eyes form seeing the 38, praise Jehoover !

btw it kinda shook us up so the first chance we got, we pulled out the pot that they didn't find and had a smoke.

Jim_TX

Border guards... airport security... folks with no 'sense of humor'.
I used to take day-trips to Mexico - by bus. It was very enjoyable, and relaxing - to go to Laredo, and cross the border into Mexico - to do a days' worth of shopping.
On the way back, the co-ordinator and host of the trip would stand up and tell us - in advance - that a Customs agent would board the bus, and ask all of us our 'nationality' - by asking the question, "Are you all U.S. citizens?'
We were to told to answer 'Yes' - no matter if we weren't. (There was one lady who was British - or Canadian - a long-time resident of the states, and one time she said 'no', and delayed the whole trip while they sorted things out.)
One lady on the bus (anglo) started joking around and saying 'why not? what are they going to do?' I sternly told her - 'just answer - yes - like they said.'
Sheesh! Some folks don't understand.
Regards,

Jim TX

aniron

My son flew to the USA a couple of years ago. On the plane they were given a form to fill in for security and customs etc. You had to answer EVERY question no matter how irelevant to your trip it was. The one question that sticks in his mind was:

"Is the purpose of your vist to overthrow the government of the United States of America."

katiekitten

A few years ago we were in northern Washington and we decided to go to canada for the day.
My partner likes to carry a handgun, and he decided to bring it.

WHY?

Why would you just take a gun across a border to another country? You cant even take a nail file though an airport, but you can carry a gun around?? Im baffled.

I was flying to US once and had a connection flight via somewhere in Canada. I didnt realise you had to go thorugh Canadian customs just to change planes, but it wouldnt have made any difference.

I still wouldnt have known what the customs officer meant when he asked 'do you have authorisation to be travelling with this child?' (my daughter). Errrr... authorisation? Who from?

'Oh COME ON MAAM, its obvious'

No, im really sorry. You mean like a letter?

Yes Maam. Written authorisation.

'who from? The government? (genuinely totally perplexed).

Maam when you travel to Canada you should find out about the laws before you come here.

But I was only changing planes, I wasnt really stopping in Canada, just going from one airport gate to another'

Maam, do you have authorisation to travel with this child. Heres a leaflet about it (hands me a leaflet in French).

'WHO FROM? I DONT UNDERSTAND who im supposed to get authorisation from. Shes MY daughter.

From the father.

OHHHHH. No I dont have written authorisation. (breifly considers whether to say hes dead (hes not))

They eventually let me through after a long lecture.

sammielee24

Katie - I think that came into play to stop children disappearing as a result of custody disputes. Apparently, it was too easy for mom or dad (and if the child were young enough - any person) to leave with the child which resulted in kidnapping charges. I wouldn't take a kid anywhere without a passport, birth certificate, medical information and notarized authorization if a spouse was involved.

As to the guns - not my cup of tea either.

Hope you had a good time regardless.

sammieswife.

katiekitten

Yes, I understood the reasoning. I just didnt understand that they expected me to know about it. I had travelled to so many countries with her already (including direct to the US) with no questions asked.

It was the way he said 'OH come on ITS OBVIOUS maam', and it really wasnt obvious at all. I was thinking 'how was I supposed to know that I had to get a letter from the government allowing me to travel!!' And he wasnt giving me any clues. I was a bog gormless gawp until he told me in straight sentences.

aSphereisnotaCircle

A few years ago we were in northern Washington and we decided to go to canada for the day.
My partner likes to carry a handgun, and he decided to bring it.

WHY?
Why would you just take a gun across a border to another country? You cant even take a nail file though an airport, but you can carry a gun around?? Im baffled.

Katie, this was pre 9/11 so I'm sure things are different now. however at that time I was amazed that they didn't see the gun.

As to why, well, we had been camping for a week, and a firearm is always a good idea when out in the woods. When we left for the day trip to canada, of course we brought all our valuables with us, (didn't want to leave them at the campsite) which included the gun.

It wasn't like we planned to smuggle guns into another country, we didn't even think about it until we were in line at the border.

Was it a smart thing to do? no,

will I ever do it again, no way!

DannyBloem

that reminds me of the visa application form for the u.s.a.

there are yes/no questions that you have to check. I do not know the exact wording but they are very similar to:

- are you going to the u.s.a. for terroristic activities -> yes no
- are you going to the u.s.a. for selling drugs -> yes no
etc

then under this it says:

if checked yes to one of those questions above it does not mean that persmission to the u.s.a. will not be granted.

ha ha ha, sure

Questions they ask when I crossed the Canada US border

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