Trip to Canada

[Pineedles]

Just curious, how does the Canadian Govt. acccess USA databases, much less individual State's databases? Anyone know?

[songkrai]

Originally Posted by Pineedles

Just curious, how does the Canadian Govt. acccess USA databases, much less individual State's databases? Anyone know?

Interpol.

Just kidding. But I would guess that there is much data shared.

Years ago going into Canada on 91 the Canadians asked me to pull over. I was alone in my little economy car. Waited my turn and they searched entire car. No ripping apart anything. Just looking. I asked why me and I was told that they just do random checks. I had nothing of interest to them. And on I went to Magog.

But while waiting in waiting room a fellow walks in to show his UK passport. They asked him where he was coming from. He had been working in Ghana, stayed awhile in South Africa, and came to USA from Brazil. They just looked at his passport and told him to go on. No background check or anything. Just a quick look at passport. This was years ago before all of the RFID chips were placed in passports. My wait was about 30 minutes and his wait was about 30 seconds.

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by songkrai

Interpol.

Just kidding. But I would guess that there is much data shared.

Years ago going into Canada on 91 the Canadians asked me to pull over. I was alone in my little economy car. Waited my turn and they searched entire car. No ripping apart anything. Just looking. I asked why me and I was told that they just do random checks. I had nothing of interest to them. And on I went to Magog.

But while waiting in waiting room a fellow walks in to show his UK passport. They asked him where he was coming from. He had been working in Ghana, stayed awhile in South Africa, and came to USA from Brazil. They just looked at his passport and told him to go on. No background check or anything. Just a quick look at passport. This was years ago before all of the RFID chips were placed in passports. My wait was about 30 minutes and his wait was about 30 seconds.

From my understanding the US and Canada do not get along when it comes to border crossing and sharing information.
Now maybe this has changed but from my understanding they actually do not really want us in their country and this is evident by just how much they charge for a yearly snowmobile registration, +/- #300.00 for a mere what 3 months.
The reason for this is many times in years past US citizens have ridden in Canada, gotten into an accident then once across the border refused to pay up. That is why they raised the rates so high for all of us. It is a real bummer because we really enjoyed riding in Canada. They do the absolute best job of maintaining trails of anywhere I've ridden.

[ITD]

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

......
The reason for this is many times in years past US citizens have ridden in Canada, gotten into an accident then once across the border refused to pay up. That is why they raised the rates so high for all of us. It is a real bummer because we really enjoyed riding in Canada. They do the absolute best job of maintaining trails of anywhere I've ridden.

Crooks, scofflaws and people not doing the right thing ruin it for everyone else, there really are no victimless crimes.....

[SteveA]

I crossed this past Thursday. What a debacle! AND.. I don't blame them.

A new job I'm on is for a company that is based in Canada (Toronto) and has an office in Buffalo. I went across the border with a co-worker who is an English citizen with a 40 year old green card, that has a Texas drivers license. Turns out that because he is an English citizen he didn't have to have a passport to get into Canada, just the green card.

I was driving a car with Ohio license plates that is registered to a Pakistani living in Buffalo. (He's the warehouse manager in Buffalo. )

Needless to say, the fine folks at the border were a little suspicious.
It took a while to explain the whole thing to them, and they spent alot of time on the computer and a few phone calls. They inspected the entire van, but eventually let us in.

Coming back later in the day was more of the same, but it appears that they must share enough information, because the agent on the return spent a lot of time reading the computer screen. He advised the guy from England/Texas
to get his passport updated so he would have a more current photo.

No they didn't stamp anything on my passport.

[SIKSUKR]

Do NOT share past DUI convictions with the Canadian officials. They have no database of info to check you out. I had a revoked license about 10 years ago and was headed skiing in British Columbia with 9 other skiers. I had non driver license and was asked more than a few times if it was revoked for DUI and said it was not, but for reckless operation. I was let through. Another friend with us told them the truth about his and was denied entry...until...after 2 hours of b-siii he was allowed entry after posting a non-refundable $300 fee. Even though you have your license reinstated for years, you can still be denied entry. The last 4 times I went through the border I just used my passport and no questions asked. Don't open up that Pandoras Box.