Border Crossing To U.S.

We were in Banff on 9//11 and supposed to come back on 9/13 that year. I was very concerned about being turned back or delayed.

He asked our names, noted our license plates on truck and 5er, and sent us right on thru.

He was polite, we were polite. Worked just fine.

We have traveled across many times into and back from Canada; never has taken more than 5 minutes - once we got to our turn at the window.

down home wrote:
2005 crossing into Canada from the UP. Lady was nice and asked where we were going and how long we expected to stay or something. At one point she asked our names and read back to us our address here in the states. They had sophisticated data access then. Asked m for my Pick up plate number said I don't know, I;; get it. Got out and no way to get under the Fifth Wheel to read it.

DO NOT get out of your vehicle----unless told to.

2005 crossing into Canada from the UP. Lady was nice and asked where we were going and how long we expected to stay or something. At one point she asked our names and read back to us our address here in the states. They had sophisticated data access then. Asked m for my Pick up plate number said I don't know, I;; get it. Got out and no way to get under the Fifth Wheel to read it. She said something that let me know she had the number and said not to worry about i and have a nice trip. Obviously they had cameras reading the plate on the Fifth Wheel.
Going into Alberta from the Indian Nation was stopped because of NR Sticker and Govt Sticker. They pulled everything out of the pick up and extended cab dodge 2500, looking for guns. took us a half hour to put things back in suitcases etc.
Coming back from Canada with Duallie Ford with hitch still in the truck expecting no problems we were hassled to the point of I was going to throttle him. He had my wife in tears. there was no reason for it at all. He was jsut playing I'm a big and powerful smart alec and can legally do so.
Wife would not go back to Canada. First time since 05 was at Port Huron in 2011 attending a relative's funeral just in the Edge.
We studied the patters as we had to sit there for a while, of how they handled motor homes. Every other one was entered and bays opened.
hard to tell which lane to pull into also. We started to pull up stakes at Port Huron and go back into Canada to do some antiquing but she didn't want to face a possible hassle. That Us Border Guard really caused her to fear.

Passport and you are in. On the food front it is not as bad as a few have stated. Do check as sometimes if there is an outbreak they will not allow certain things.
Right now bird flu has been going around so chickens have been on a list last I looked.
Beef is generally ok just keep in the store packaging. Again could change if a few mad cows turn up.
Some fruits and veggies are ok and some not. In the west we have bugs and diseases they don't want crossing the border so many that are grown both sides are not allowed so for those things just to buy when you get there.
Dog food is ok as long as it is in the original store packaging and has no lamb in it. Most don't realize it is the lamb that they are really looking for not the dog food itself. We even have our dogs on the raw diest and take a week or 2 with us and no issues. You can also take any dog food if it originates from the U.S. Just make sure it is unopened original store packaging and clearly marked made in the USA.
Saying all that do check in case something breaks out and things change. Some items are cheaper stateside too so better to just buy there and not worry. I do enjoy my Alberta beef steak when we go to Montana or Washington. Yum.

Don't take pictures of the border crossing. The Mounties made me delete all of the pictures from my camera when we were driving into the Yukon from Alaska.

Fruit was mentioned as a no no. This may not always be the case. Returning from our Alaska trip last year, we had some sweet cherries that were purchased in Canada. I told the US officer about them and was allowed to keep them.

Something new that I noticed last year in my crossings, US and Canada are sharing information a lot more now than they have in the past. I'm flagged in the Canadian Customs database for a minor work-related incident and they always ask me about it when I cross into Canada. On one crossing back into the US I was asked if I'd ever had any issues with Canadian Customs. I'm betting both sides of the border now have complete access to driving records and driving citations.

BTW, my work related incident was not having proper paperwork. I had been advised by my Canadian contact to tell Canadian Customs a different story than what I'd documented in my US paperwork. Glad I didn't take that advice because it would have left me in real trouble back in the US given the type of work I was doing and the paperwork I'd filled out.

Moral of the story, be honest on both sides and make damn sure the story is the same on both sides of the border. Don't volunteer information, don't anticipate the questions, just answer truthfully any questions that are asked. Some questions seem simple but take on different meanings depending on which way you're crossing. For instance, the question "what is the purpose of your visit?" means "why do you want to cross into the country you're not a citizen of?", OR it means "why were you in a country you're not a citizen of?". When in doubt, ask.

Having crossed probably 50 times over the years....take the sunglasses off ahead of time, no sense squinting at them. Answer yes or no if possible or as concisely as possible. If they want any extra information they will ask, as above no fresh veggies or fruits, raw chicken is a no no right now, might be something else tomorrow. No firewood. No lie is worth the grief you will get. Humor is seldom appreciated.

One word of caution.. in a closed thread somewhere a poster with a criminal history (DUI) tried to enter Canada and was turned back.

Though the standards are a bit different here in the US.. A Criminal history may get you turned back coming this way as well.. and some times that includes DUI.

There is a whole lot more I could type.. but wish not to.. Rather I will point out that discussing this issue is pointless NOTHING we say or type here will change who is and who is not allowed to cross the border.

Check with the proper Government agency IF you have anything even 40 years ago, that might be an issue.... They can tell you if you are wasthing your time or not.. (I, on the other hand can not give that information)

One thing that could be added:US Customs, border patrol or Immigration, One of those (not sure which) is the right agency to ask.

Tyler has it right. Polite and professional. Yes sir/maam, no sir/maam. Just answer the questions directly. In all my years of cross border for camping and day shopping trips, never an issue.

They're not there to be your buddy (they gave my brother in law a lot of grief because he called one 'buddy'), pal, or any kind of nickname like that.