[1exotic]

When you enter the US they ask the usual questions at the border crossing, also I assume they enter info on what the purpose of your trip is... and the time you enter the US etc. Does that information get shared with the Canadian customs officers when you are driving back to Canada through the border crossings? (when they scan your passport).

Just wondering because when coming back they made such a huge deal out of a regular trip thinking for some reason I wasn't telling the truth (which I was)... Not complaing just curious if this has anything to do with both US & Canada border officers sharing info on the database.


can anyone chime in some info on this subject? I am just wondering that's all. I read around and didn't exactly get the answer I was looking for.

thanks

[Autorice]

they don't unless you're on both of their 'watch lists' at the land border. sea, train or air then yes they have the manifest.
USA has a lot of gadgets at their arsenal, Canada does not (according to a CBSA friend)

[1exotic]

I remember a story on Global that the Canadian customs didn't get info from the US side, so that just got me wondering on what exactly they know and don't. I could careless just wondering like I said.

and watch lists would consist of people like Scamthony? lols.

[Arash]

Please tell more, inquiring minds want to know.
http://i54.tinypic.com/ak8l1l.jpg

[fliptuner]

Went to Blaine today to pick up some parts. Took the Peace Arch there and Pac Hwy back.

At both crossings the US Border Patrol was stopping Canadians approaching the Canadian border. It totally fucked up the line and they were being real assholes about it too - asked me a million questions and tossed my car. Even when I crossed to go into the States the US Customs guy was just normal.

[1exotic]

So basically for the most part if you are not on some wanted list US & Canada do not share info? and they just take a guess if you are BS'ing them? pretty lame.

[Sp0r3]

Went to Blaine today to pick up some parts. Took the Peace Arch there and Pac Hwy back.

At both crossings the US Border Patrol was stopping Canadians approaching the Canadian border. It totally fucked up the line and they were being real assholes about it too - asked me a million questions and tossed my car. Even when I crossed to go into the States the US Customs guy was just normal.

I thought that's their routine method for seeing if anyone is hiding things they aren't suppose to bring across the border. Besides, until you cross the booth, you are still under US jurisdiction. And with US customs people, they can do almost anything they want when they relate it to border (or homeland) security.

[Autorice]

yup if on USA soil the CBP can do anything like rip through your car and every panel for 4 hours+

scamthony wouldn't warrant sharing info...

they don't take guesses, they will ask numerous questions and what you answer and how you answer determines if you're BSing...

they will ask the same question worded differently three or more times and then probe deeper and ask THOSE questions worded differently again.
where did you go? how much did you spend? what did you eat there? how often do you come here? why did you need ___ here instead of there? what do you do for work?

and of course they interview passengers separately and compare notes.

[TheNewGirl]

Just wondering because when coming back they made such a huge deal out of a regular trip thinking for some reason I wasn't telling the truth (which I was)... Not complaing just curious if this has anything to do with both US & Canada border officers sharing info on the database.

thanks


If you regularly go down to the the states, particularly for short trips alone you should invest in a Nexus pass (which will pre clear you though a lot of your security crap).

Regular short trips across the boarder is a behavior that warrants attention as far as the boarder service is concerned. You could be picking up all manners of things and smuggling them into the country after all as far as they're concerned. They do keep track of the frequency of your returns into the country and which crossing you usually use.

[Nvasion]

they dont share info unless your a gangster

[InvisibleSoul]

They must know at least some basic information, like when you crossed through the border... otherwise what's the point of even asking how long you've been away for, if they can't verify it?

[Glove]

Went to Blaine today to pick up some parts. Took the Peace Arch there and Pac Hwy back.

At both crossings the US Border Patrol was stopping Canadians approaching the Canadian border. It totally fucked up the line and they were being real assholes about it too - asked me a million questions and tossed my car. Even when I crossed to go into the States the US Customs guy was just normal.

I think there is some kind of alert or something going on,

I went to the states yesterday and there were ARMED military guards with M4's at the canadian crossings,

then I was asked repeatedly if anyone had asked me to drive them accross the border.

[fliptuner]

Yup, that's what I encountered.

All the redundant, pointless questions, trying to stumble me was kind of annoying. I'm very conscious about how I talk to the border guards (and those border patrol guys) - direct, clear, short answers.

[Expresso]

They must know at least some basic information, like when you crossed through the border... otherwise what's the point of even asking how long you've been away for, if they can't verify it?

They ask so they can figure out what your exemptions should be.

[jpoon]

As long as you look decent and normal and answer their questions in a good manner (and truthfully) you shouldn't have a problem. I have always wondered if they keep info when crossing the border too..

I have never been stopped and searched but I was on a bus tour once in the US and someone on the bus was caught with some vegetables..which caused everyone to go through the whole search and interview process.

I do know people that have gotten away by hiding things in their car, but that's a huge risk that they're taking. One that I'm not willing to take..simply because if I'm caught once, I'll probably be noted down and maybe blacklisted...causing alot more trouble than I want in the future when going through the border.

[InvisibleSoul]

They ask so they can figure out what your exemptions should be.
Sure... but what if you say a week, when you've been gone a day? Surely they must know.

[Ch28]

Sure... but what if you say a week, when you've been gone a day? Surely they must know.

they'll ask you where you stayed and if you can verify it

[bloodmack]

First time i went to the border since 2001 was to get four loko and they tore my car apart and didn't even give me the hardware back so I could attach my interior panels on properly. Truly a dick move.

[InvisibleSoul]

Funny, this exact question was asked like five years ago...

http://www.revscene.net/forums/do-canadian-us-t366774.html

Some other times on RFD:

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/canada-customs-do-they-know-how-long-youve-been-away-447993/

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/do-u-s-canada-customs-share-information-430316/

I would be quite surprised if they don't actually know.

I'm also surprised nobody knows for sure.

[death_blossom]

They must know at least some basic information, like when you crossed through the border... otherwise what's the point of even asking how long you've been away for, if they can't verify it?

they'll ask you where you stayed and if you can verify it
they do not have this information on hand right away. at the booth, they only scan your passport and check what they have in their own records. if they are suspicious of something, then the CBSA officer will send you to the inspection area. from there, they do a thorough inspection which may include them to contact US border and get information on when you passed, etc. that is where they can check. they still need to ask Americans for that info, it is not shared across their computer systems.


bloodmack, sorry to hear your car got ripped apart. who did this? CBSA or US border patrol? if it is CBSA, I heard you can get a form to fill out and have repairs done and charged to the CBSA, they will pay it.


I never fuck around at any of the borders. they have the right to do all sorts of nasty shit to you just because they feel like it. :(

[TheKingdom2000]

they do not have this information on hand right away. at the booth, they only scan your passport and check what they have in their own records. if they are suspicious of something, then the CBSA officer will send you to the inspection area. from there, they do a thorough inspection which may include them to contact US border and get information on when you passed, etc. that is where they can check. they still need to ask Americans for that info, it is not shared across their computer systems.


^Source?

[Ch28]

they do not have this information on hand right away. at the booth, they only scan your passport and check what they have in their own records. if they are suspicious of something, then the CBSA officer will send you to the inspection area. from there, they do a thorough inspection which may include them to contact US border and get information on when you passed, etc. that is where they can check. they still need to ask Americans for that info, it is not shared across their computer systems.


bloodmack, sorry to hear your car got ripped apart. who did this? CBSA or US border patrol? if it is CBSA, I heard you can get a form to fill out and have repairs done and charged to the CBSA, they will pay it.


I never fuck around at any of the borders. they have the right to do all sorts of nasty shit to you just because they feel like it. :(

I've been asked to provide a hotel reservation when crossing into the US and when we came back through Canadian Customs.

They never pulled us aside to call and verify but they do ask occasionally.

[mmmk]

Edited: Delete post

[falcon]

No matter what I am doing I always say I am picking up a package when I go south. When I come back to Canada, I say what I really did be it went shopping, day trip to Seattle, actually picked up a package etc.

I've just started doing this because US border guards are a giant pain in the ass and will give you grief for anything and everything. The money excuse to always get through without getting pulled aside is you're going to pick up some packages.

And I do this all the time, and never have had an issue coming back to Canada. So I assume, no... they do not share info.

[TheKingdom2000]

No matter what I am doing I always say I am picking up a package when I go south. When I come back to Canada, I say what I really did be it went shopping, day trip to Seattle, actually picked up a package etc.

I've just started doing this because US border guards are a giant pain in the ass and will give you grief for anything and everything. The money excuse to always get through without getting pulled aside is you're going to pick up some packages.

And I do this all the time, and never have had an issue coming back to Canada. So I assume, no... they do not share info.

I don't think that is a sufficient enough experiment to say US/CA do not share information.

Now if you were to say you're going to Portland for a couple days when in fact you were just going to premium outlets for the day and you come back to Canada and tell the CBSA that you just went to premium outlets and they don't ask you about Portland, that would probably be a better test.

[InvisibleSoul]

I don't think that is a sufficient enough experiment to say US/CA do not share information.

Now if you were to say you're going to Portland for a couple days when in fact you were just going to premium outlets for the day and you come back to Canada and tell the CBSA that you just went to premium outlets and they don't ask you about Portland, that would probably be a better test.
Not necessarily... even if they don't record and share the details of the reason you were down there, doesn't mean they don't record and share the details of when you went down there...

[Gumby]

It's not like they ask you a set of questions (ok, "where are you going" and "for how long" is a given) and enter this info into a computer, and I doubt the conversations are recorded.

The only consistent thing they do is scan your passports when crossing the border. So the one thing they know for sure is when you crossed. It wouldn't be hard for them to share that info...

If you've been busted for something, then I'm sure they'll share this info between US & Canada.

[CorneringArtist]

I've never been razzed by US border patrol any of the times I've been. I was questioned about a bag of rice I was bringing down to my family near Seattle (they prefer the rooster rice sold at Superstore), but even then the guy questioning me joked about it. I always tell them I'm visiting family, and they don't give me a hard time.

Coming back, the CBSA is a lot smoother. The basic who, where, and how long, and I'm out.

[baggdis300]

i have had the most issues with the CBSA than the CBP
i have only been asked to go in to secondary screening twice. Once was when it was "random" and i had been searched while in the line up to get to the booths and then it was "randomly selected" to be sent in where they did the secondary inspection.

and the last time i was shipping out a crash bar and had to pay 10$ "user fee" and i was informed i also had to create a manifest and fill out a form inorder for me to ship an item that i had sold...

now with the CBSA usually its really smooth, but on occasion i have been sent in for secondary screening.
They don't find anything other than trace amounts of marijuana on the center console(they asked i said yeah, my buddy rolled a joint in my car yesterday) and they did not care about it and just told me to vacuum out the car before i try to cross. The worst secondary was when i bought some wide body fiberglass fenders from some dude in seattle and i drove there 6pm on a wednesday and got back around 12 am. i think it was mostly due to the fact that my trunk had a 5 gallon air tank bolted to the rear support and in the spare tire well i had a shit load of wires, hoses, valves and a compressor. The werid part was that apparently my phone had "traces of heroin" and i had NO idea on how the hell heroin got on my phone. after asking me about it, it took about another 20-30 minutes and they let me go on my way.. the shitty part was that they had unbolted all my valves, compressor and hoses and kept all the freaking hardware... and it took them about 2 hours to finally "clear" me and let me go

[falcon]

That's funny because I regularly tell the USA border gaurds I am shipping some stuff I sold online and they NEVER make me go inside. If it's for personal use/profit they don't care. If it's for work, they do.

Hell, I went down today to ship an intercooler kit and had no issues. I was sitting in my passenger seat all boxed up and he didn't care.

[seakrait]

the one time i was sending an item TO the states, the CBP made me pay the $10 fee. :(

most of the time, the CBSA guys are pretty cool. only once when i brought back about $500-600 worth of stuff did they make me pay HST.

this is at the point roberts crossing. the other thing is that the CBP officer called me by my name before i had given her my passport. :o

[TheKingdom2000]

the one time i was sending an item TO the states, the CBP made me pay the $10 fee. :(

most of the time, the CBSA guys are pretty cool. only once when i brought back about $500-600 worth of stuff did they make me pay HST.

this is at the point roberts crossing. the other thing is that the CBP officer called me by my name before i had given her my passport. :o

but, with point roberts they know everyone ships or receives from there so they usually get you with tax. it's rare that they let you go through. as they have nothing better to do than fill out that paperwork. at blaine it's a different story. i've never had to pay tax coming back.

[Volvo-brickster]

ive been sent into Canadian customs multiple times

I guess going to Walmart at bellingham at 11pm and returning to Canada at 1:30am is a bit sketchy lol

[murmur]

usually if there's a sports event, guards from both sides wont be a bitch.

when i drove down to seattle to watch canada vs. brazil soccer game some years ago,
the us guard asked me about the time, the venue, and the place of the game.

when i came back,
the canadian guard just simply asked me what is the score, and let me go in 10 seconds.

[baggdis300]

the one time i was sending an item TO the states, the CBP made me pay the $10 fee. :(

most of the time, the CBSA guys are pretty cool. only once when i brought back about $500-600 worth of stuff did they make me pay HST.

this is at the point roberts crossing. the other thing is that the CBP officer called me by my name before i had given her my passport. :o

that was the first/only time i had to pay that fee...

i got off on bringing 3k worth of parts that came fresh off the boat from taiwan and they didn't send me to secondary just looked at receipt talked about it, he thought it was coilovers i corrected him, and he waved me on by haha

[Autorice]

if you're going to USA regularly to ship out parcels they may flag you as a commercial and make you pay $10.75 fee or you can pay the yearly $225 fee and cross as many times as you like.

AND CPB sometimes check that you paid for such fee on the way back by either showing said receipt or your commercial transponder... or else it's a $500 fine.

[mmmk]

CBSA knows when I come back to Canada since they scan my passport.
What if I show them my citizenship and don't show my passport when returning from the U.S.? (I'm not sure if just showing my citizenship card is valid anymore...I know it was in the past though)

[Greenstoner]

^require passport to enter

[illicitstylz]

if you have a Nexus pass, are they more inclined to search you? That's what I've heard from nexus owners...

[quasi]

but, with point roberts they know everyone ships or receives from there so they usually get you with tax. it's rare that they let you go through. as they have nothing better to do than fill out that paperwork. at blaine it's a different story. i've never had to pay tax coming back.

I believe that for sure. I've had to pay tax and have my vehicle searched every one of the dozen times I've picked stuff up in Point Roberts over the last 3 years. I've never been asked to pull over or pay anything at any of of the major crossings like Peace Arch or the truck crossing.

[danned]

what would you say if you return to canada a year later?
can you say you were looking for work? would they keep asking you about the $ you had outside canada? does that looking for employment excuse work in customs?

[baggdis300]

visiting family?

but i thought after 6 months you are considered a late stay?

[Greenstoner]

IMO looking for work is a big NO NO

[baggdis300]

lol, i remember the border guard asked me if i was bringing my boots/hardhat/vest/tools to look for work...
when i was just going to get gas after work lol...

[Westcoast67]

CBP are brutal. They use zero common sense, if you fit their parameters for being suspicious you will be harassed without cause every single time. I can only imagine how they treat real criminals if they interrogate people like me with not even as much as a DUI.

[baggdis300]

lol, i find its the opposite the canadians are the ones with a bone to pick with me at least..

but then again, young indo-canadian in a nice car is more than enough profiling for the canadians...

[danned]

visiting family does that work? why not saying you are looking for employment?
what do those people think of you?

[Sp0r3]

visiting family does that work? why not saying you are looking for employment?
what do those people think of you?

I think the 6 month period still applies though. And I'm not sure if they will scrutinize you even more if you are planning to work there (like asking for work visas although you haven't landed a job yet).

[Strzelec]

Ive used my nexus pass MANY times before, and Ive only been harassed once. They sent us in for a vegetable screening because i had a bag of food on the back seat. Id say over half the time, i dont even have to say anything to the border guards, and just drive right through. Mind you i usually dont go at peak times.

[baggdis300]

visiting family does that work? why not saying you are looking for employment?
what do those people think of you?

you NEED a visa in order to be employed in USA.

no VISA = illegal alien.

[danned]

let's say you work in Aus/china/japan/taiwan/korean, for a year or 3
how do those people talk to custom

[Oscar_Binswood]

Meh, I go down once a week to fill up as I work fairly close. U.S border is usually pretty cool, a few of the ones who recognize me always quickly converse about cars.

I've been held up at the Canadian side once cuz they thought I bought and mounted new tires down south due to the markings.

[baggdis300]

lol, thats why you get them installed in a town PAST bellingham, get those wear markers worn lol

[immorality]

if you have a Nexus pass, are they more inclined to search you? That's what I've heard from nexus owners...

I've never been hassled with my nexus card. Seriously if you go down more than 1-2 times per year then the Nexus pass is well worth the minimal effort and cost to get it.

[Greenstoner]

nexus card only worth it if you travelling alone...

if you go down south often with friends or family is not ideal coz everyone requires a card if wish to use the nexus lane

[baggdis300]

thats why the passengers get out of the car and "walk" across they will be processed ALOT faster, and the driver just waits if the line up is really that big

[ToneCapone]

Most of the answers already nailed it but from experience no they don't share info. I had an incident at the canadian border once and they flagged me on their computer. Now, going to the states they are sweethearts but comin back to Canada is a mandatory vehicle search. Last time I went I even asked the guard on the canada side and she read me the entire story from before. USA still no probs :) lucky it wasn't the other way around otherwise I'd still be in there until today
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)