Canada cracking down on letting people in?

[Deleted]

Maybe anticipating a large influx in November? 


My ex got denied access last week on their annual fishing trip.  He's never had an issue before.  I'm torn between being amused and feeling bad.  They had paid pretty good money to rent a cabin on a private island and never got to go.  I think his brothers/Dad should have just left him at a Super 8 in MN and continued on. 


Anyhow, is this new or just chance that they caught him?  I'm thinking I should move to Canada.

[obelisk]

Canada can deny you entry based on US criminal record.  They have access to our database.

[Chocolate Lover]

Is this the 2nd ex you're talking about? If so, I can see why he didn't get in.

[Deleted]

But they go up there every year and this is the first time they've ever denied access.  Last year he was even on probation.

[Deleted]

Jun 24, 2016 11:02:01 GMT -5 @sroo4 said:

Why was he denied?  I'm guessing a checkered past?

He hasn't told me anything.  I'm guessing he's embarrassed/ashamed.  His brother (also on the trip) works next to my counterpart and he told her about getting turned away.  He says "there were some misdemeanors on his record they didn't like".

Not sure which.  There was a lot to choose from. 

[obelisk]

There is a show series called Border Security Canada on utube.  Yep Canada at the border ask you to declare past criminal convictions and if you lie, they will turn you back or if you are truthful will also turn you back for certain convictions.  They don't mess around like we do.  Then there are the idiots with weapons.

[HoneyBBQ]

Jun 24, 2016 11:27:43 GMT -5 @wxyz said:

They are extremely tough. 

The hotels along the border are full of people that could not get across.  It does not matter if you are a business man or whatever.  When I was touring (musician) we routinely saw bands that had to leave one or two people on the US side of the border.  For a while we had one or two people that could not get across.  They were even tougher on us because we were on a work permit.  We always figured to allow 2-6 hours to get across.  We were routinely searched with dogs, had to completely empty the van and trailer, take off belts and clothing, etc, etc.  We could not take merchandise across, etc, etc.

This is so bizarre sounding to me. I think I've been up to Canada 3 times this year so far (2x for pleasure, 1x for business) and never had a problem at all. 

[giramomma]

Jun 24, 2016 11:27:43 GMT -5 @wxyz said:

They are extremely tough. 

The hotels along the border are full of people that could not get across.  It does not matter if you are a business man or whatever.  When I was touring (musician) we routinely saw bands that had to leave one or two people on the US side of the border.  For a while we had one or two people that could not get across.  They were even tougher on us because we were on a work permit.  We always figured to allow 2-6 hours to get across.  We were routinely searched with dogs, had to completely empty the van and trailer, take off belts and clothing, etc, etc.  We could not take merchandise across, etc, etc.

We crossed the border a few times last summer.

The second time happened on our second to the last day of vacation. The back of our van looked like an advanced level of Tetris..

The border patrol  asked us to lift up the van, took one look, and shut it immediately. We went on our merry way. 

[Deleted]

Jun 24, 2016 12:15:45 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Jun 24, 2016 11:27:43 GMT -5 @wxyz said:

They are extremely tough. 

The hotels along the border are full of people that could not get across.  It does not matter if you are a business man or whatever.  When I was touring (musician) we routinely saw bands that had to leave one or two people on the US side of the border.  For a while we had one or two people that could not get across.  They were even tougher on us because we were on a work permit.  We always figured to allow 2-6 hours to get across.  We were routinely searched with dogs, had to completely empty the van and trailer, take off belts and clothing, etc, etc.  We could not take merchandise across, etc, etc.

We crossed the border a few times last summer.

The second time happened on our second to the last day of vacation. The back of our van looked like an advanced level of Tetris..

The border patrol  asked us to lift up the van, took one look, and shut it immediately. We went on our merry way. 

That's always been my experience too, but it's been a long time since I crossed, like since before they required passports.   I was just wondering if they run everyone's names now since they have the passport or if they just randomly picked their car?

Did they check to make sure the kids were yours?  They say you can't go across without a letter from the non-custodial parent, but I'm wondering if I just had another guy in the car if they'd even ask.  (This is all just for discussion of course! )

[giramomma]

Jun 24, 2016 12:29:53 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jun 24, 2016 12:15:45 GMT -5 giramomma said:

We crossed the border a few times last summer.

The second time happened on our second to the last day of vacation. The back of our van looked like an advanced level of Tetris..

The border patrol  asked us to lift up the van, took one look, and shut it immediately. We went on our merry way. 

That's always been my experience too, but it's been a long time since I crossed, like since before they required passports.   I was just wondering if they run everyone's names now since they have the passport or if they just randomly picked their car?

Did they check to make sure the kids were yours?  They say you can't go across without a letter from the non-custodial parent, but I'm wondering if I just had another guy in the car if they'd even ask.  (This is all just for discussion of course! )

Yes. We got the cards for the kids rather than the full passports. It was cheaper. They looked at the cards, grilled us, and asked the kids who they were.

On the way back, they asked where we worked.

Other cars were being searched. Just not ours. I think they realized if we took everything out there's no way we'd be able to get everything in.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jun 24, 2016 12:06:20 GMT -5 HoneyBBQ said:

Jun 24, 2016 11:27:43 GMT -5 @wxyz said:

They are extremely tough. 

The hotels along the border are full of people that could not get across.  It does not matter if you are a business man or whatever.  When I was touring (musician) we routinely saw bands that had to leave one or two people on the US side of the border.  For a while we had one or two people that could not get across.  They were even tougher on us because we were on a work permit.  We always figured to allow 2-6 hours to get across.  We were routinely searched with dogs, had to completely empty the van and trailer, take off belts and clothing, etc, etc.  We could not take merchandise across, etc, etc.

This is so bizarre sounding to me. I think I've been up to Canada 3 times this year so far (2x for pleasure, 1x for business) and never had a problem at all. 

I doubt you have a criminal record.  We go across the border almost weekly and have never had a problem.  But if you DO have a record, they have the right to deny you.  Not bizarre.

If you are foreign and in the US and want to cross into Canada, it depends upon what your visa status is from your passport, NOT that you are entering from the US.  I have had foreign national friends turned away at the border too, as they did not have a visa.

We have NEXUS cards and we get searched occasionally.  Probably about 5% of our border crossings.  The dog in the back seat does seem to gets out of a lot though....

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jun 24, 2016 12:29:53 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jun 24, 2016 12:15:45 GMT -5 giramomma said:

We crossed the border a few times last summer.

The second time happened on our second to the last day of vacation. The back of our van looked like an advanced level of Tetris..

The border patrol  asked us to lift up the van, took one look, and shut it immediately. We went on our merry way. 

That's always been my experience too, but it's been a long time since I crossed, like since before they required passports.   I was just wondering if they run everyone's names now since they have the passport or if they just randomly picked their car?

Did they check to make sure the kids were yours?  They say you can't go across without a letter from the non-custodial parent, but I'm wondering if I just had another guy in the car if they'd even ask.  (This is all just for discussion of course! )

Everyone's name gets run.  About getting searched, there are 2 ways.  Either the BP sees something they don't like (for instance, when we approach the window the back seat window is always rolled down and they always look) or random, where a signal comes up on the computer. 

Everything is computerized, and if the computer glitches, you sit.  This happened to us recently.  They don't just look at your passport and wave you through if they can't check you out.

And they DO look.  After TD became a US citizen, they took their sweet time upgrading the computer files.  For awhile, he was asked for his green card along with his NEXUS card every single time we crossed the border.  He had to explain each time that he was a US citizen, he no longer had a green card.  He would offer to show his US passport and about 50% of the time, they'd check.

[Deleted]

Jun 24, 2016 13:22:47 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Everyone's name gets run.

So, is that recent?  I just can't figure out how he got through last year when on probation.    It just expired in February of this year.  Maybe a lazy BP guy last year? 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jun 24, 2016 13:26:00 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jun 24, 2016 13:22:47 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Everyone's name gets run.

So, is that recent?  I just can't figure out how he got through last year when on probation.    It just expired in February of this year.  Maybe a lazy BP guy last year? 

Entirely possible.  Screening across the border varies considerably, more so going into Canada than the US.  Since I have been with TD, we have been searched about 6 times coming into the US, once going into Canada.

There are some agents going into Canada that just wave us through and we barely stop.  Others give us the third degree.  Usually, we are just going up for dinner and occasionally will ask where we went.

ETA:  No, this is not recent.  I think that the point is that you never know how thorough they are going to be.  So I can see how someone would slip through once or twice.

[finnime]

Maybe last year his status wasn't in the federal database. Canada has been tough for a while - I remember W. (Bush) couldn't get in with his decades-old DUI without special clearance, and he was the President at the time.

[tskeeter]

Jun 24, 2016 10:49:59 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Maybe anticipating a large influx in November? 


My ex got denied access last week on their annual fishing trip.  He's never had an issue before.  I'm torn between being amused and feeling bad.  They had paid pretty good money to rent a cabin on a private island and never got to go.  I think his brothers/Dad should have just left him at a Super 8 in MN and continued on. 


Anyhow, is this new or just chance that they caught him?  I'm thinking I should move to Canada.

Something new in his record they didn't like, most likely.  I suspect that less serious infractions may not have been recorded in government databases in a timely fashion due to staff reductions over the past several years.

[mroped]

After I came in US and got my citizenship, I went fishing once and then a 3-4 visits to Montreal to see friends. Not a problem, not a peep!
Then they shot Osama bin Laden and the week after I wanted to go to a funeral. They denied me entry on the account that I "left Canada without letting the authorities know".
I tried to explain, to no avail, that since I crossed illegaly in the US, telling them about leaving would've defied the purpose of the actions taken!
I'm still forbidden to enter unless I wanna end up in jail untill I apologize to the Canadian government/authorities/people.
Im still thinking!
But id realy wanna go hunting and fishing in Newfoundland!

[TheOtherMe]

Last year, the Ukranian wife of my nephew did not have a green card yet.  She was in the US on a one year work visa after graduation.  She could not accompany him to Toronto and get back in the US.  It was just Canada.  For her immigration status, if she left the US, she could not come back until her green card was processed.

When her job ended, she had to return to Ukraine.  That was in May.  Finally got green card and in US on nephew's birthday the following November.

[weltschmerz]

Plenty of celebrities, from actors to musicians, are denied entry into Canada.

Chris Brown was supposed to perform at a concert with Drake, and they wouldn't let him in.
Lil Wayne was told in no uncertain terms..."Don't even try!" and was forced to cancel concerts.

[weltschmerz]

viewthevibe.com/chris-brown-10-celebrities-banned-from-canada/#!0

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jun 24, 2016 21:37:26 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Last year, the Ukranian wife of my nephew did not have a green card yet.  She was in the US on a one year work visa after graduation.  She could not accompany him to Toronto and get back in the US.  It was just Canada.  For her immigration status, if she left the US, she could not come back until her green card was processed.

When her job ended, she had to return to Ukraine.  That was in May.  Finally got green card and in US on nephew's birthday the following November.

This has nothing to do with legal movement, but restrictions put on her by her visa.  Canada IS another country, not just Canada. There is a period of the green card process where you are not allowed to leave the US, or it is considered abandonment.  TD said it is about a 6 month period.  He is Canadian too and he couldn't see his folks during this time unless they came down here.

Every country has their rules.  

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Jun 24, 2016 22:06:59 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Plenty of celebrities, from actors to musicians, are denied entry into Canada.

Chris Brown was supposed to perform at a concert with Drake, and they wouldn't let him in.
Lil Wayne was told in no uncertain terms..."Don't even try!" and was forced to cancel concerts.

ROFL!! I love Lil Wayne's optimism to schedule concerts in Canada in the first place, LOL!!!

[Value Buy]

Are they confiscating American cigarettes and booze if you are over the limit at the border too?

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jun 25, 2016 9:29:36 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Are they confiscating American cigarettes and booze if you are over the limit at the border too?

We don't smoke, but don't bring booze across.  We have NEXUS cards to expedite our crossings and don't bring anything into Canada that can be questionable.  The cards are too important and don't want to risk their loss.

Both Canada and the US have some really strange requirements of what you can bring across.  For instance, you cannot bring dog food across the border in either direction. When we went to the cabin, we had to pick up dog food on that side of the border rather than bring our own.  You can take cured meats, cheeses and dairy across, but no fruits or veggies.  Processed food is generally not a problem, but TD had his lamb stock concentrate confiscated (bullion like) coming back into the US.  We discovered how comprehensive the computer records are when he'd get questioned if he had the lamb stock concentrate a couple years after the incident.  Meats are questionable in either direction so we don't even attempt to figure out which way the wind blows this week.  

[tskeeter]

Jun 25, 2016 9:57:13 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Jun 25, 2016 9:29:36 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Are they confiscating American cigarettes and booze if you are over the limit at the border too?

We don't smoke, but don't bring booze across.  We have NEXUS cards to expedite our crossings and don't bring anything into Canada that can be questionable.  The cards are too important and don't want to risk their loss.

Both Canada and the US have some really strange requirements of what you can bring across.  For instance, you cannot bring dog food across the border in either direction. When we went to the cabin, we had to pick up dog food on that side of the border rather than bring our own.  You can take cured meats, cheeses and dairy across, but no fruits or veggies.  Processed food is generally not a problem, but TD had his lamb stock concentrate confiscated (bullion like) coming back into the US.  We discovered how comprehensive the computer records are when he'd get questioned if he had the lamb stock concentrate a couple years after the incident.  Meats are questionable in either direction so we don't even attempt to figure out which way the wind blows this week.  

The fruits and veggies make sense to me.  You may inadvertently transport an insect or other pest that is dangerous to Canadian agricultural products.  This us the same reason CA has ag inspection stations on every major highway into the state.  To protect the agriculture industry from pests and disease.  Cured meats and commercially processed food products don't harbor pests and are unlikely to pose a food safety risk, so they are usually not an issue.

[Deleted]

Jun 24, 2016 22:07:55 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

viewthevibe.com/chris-brown-10-celebrities-banned-from-canada/#!0

I find it amusing that Justin Beiber is on this list. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jun 25, 2016 10:12:35 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jun 24, 2016 22:07:55 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

viewthevibe.com/chris-brown-10-celebrities-banned-from-canada/#!0

I find it amusing that Justin Beiber is on this list. 

Hmmmm, can you deny someone entry who is a citizen?

[wvugurl26]

Jun 25, 2016 10:36:56 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Jun 25, 2016 10:12:35 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I find it amusing that Justin Beiber is on this list. 

Hmmmm, can you deny someone entry who is a citizen?

Maybe. I suppose they really like collecting taxes on his income though.

[TheOtherMe]

Jun 24, 2016 23:20:10 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Jun 24, 2016 21:37:26 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Last year, the Ukranian wife of my nephew did not have a green card yet.  She was in the US on a one year work visa after graduation.  She could not accompany him to Toronto and get back in the US.  It was just Canada.  For her immigration status, if she left the US, she could not come back until her green card was processed.

When her job ended, she had to return to Ukraine.  That was in May.  Finally got green card and in US on nephew's birthday the following November.

This has nothing to do with legal movement, but restrictions put on her by her visa.  Canada IS another country, not just Canada. There is a period of the green card process where you are not allowed to leave the US, or it is considered abandonment.  TD said it is about a 6 month period.  He is Canadian too and he couldn't see his folks during this time unless they came down here.

Every country has their rules.  

Like I said, she had to leave the US immediately when her visa expired and wait to get her green card to return to her husband.  They have been to Canada since she got her green card.  She has not had her green card long enough to get US citizenship.

She didn't want to be stranded for 6 months in Ukraine.  The immigration backlog in this country is ridiculous.  She was accused of sending in a copy of a document instead of the original.  All it took was a quick google search to find out the document in that state did not have a raised seal, which is why US immigration said it was a copy.  That put her at the back of the line again and cost her a job.

[TheHaitian]

Been going to Canada since before I could walk : family on both sides of parents live there.

Never had an issue and intensity of their search depend on the agent and how many people we are traveling with: big van full of people we most likely will all get out and they will inspect the car. Just me and 2-3 other they barely glance at us.

And I say it depends on agent because some years my mom will go with my minor siblings or minor cousins would travel with us and they would stop us at the border because they needed notarized letter from adult parents (in my mom case her husband) that we could travel with the kids / not kidnapping. We had to wait at the border till such notarized letter could be faxed.

Other times we would have it they would not even ask for it or care if the kids are ours or not, related or not.