Entry to Canada by Air - CBSA

[cvisaquestions]

Hello Everyone!

I want to see if anyone is experiencing the same situation and if anyone has advice on how to move forward.

I become a Canadian citizen in 2019 and i was an in Canada Refugee prior to obtaining my permanent residence and i have been here for 10 years since i was 17.

Using the Refugee Travel Document, It was procedural to be taken to the secondary immigrations booths in both YYZ and YUL airports after arriving. I was told that this should cease to happen after becoming a citizen as that room is dedicated to new PR holders, students and foreigners in general.

After obtaining my Canadian passport, this continued to happen and the CBSA officers that i meet each time i come back, tell me that this should not happen and were surprised to see me in that room. In 2021, the CBSA officer attempted to fix the situation and sent an email for this virtual flagging to be removed (muted) and assured me that next time this will not happen. In 2022, it did happen again. The CBSA officer this time didn't seem to know what was going on and as she tried to rationalize as if it is normal, she said that because i received a Removal Order when i claimed refuge (part of the process), it will remain in my history forever and that it can't be fixed, so that is why i am brought to the room each time i return.

This didn't make sense to me because it is a Conditional Removal Order, which becomes void after obtaining PR according to the IRCC website. The officer didn't seem convinced with what she was sharing with me and was inconsistent with the many officers i talked to since 2019. She also wanted the help of her supervisor but they have already left since it was a night flight.

Now i want to know if any citizens that were previously refugees experienced something similar? Who can i contact to fix this? Could this be fought in court?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[wksj]

Anyone, including people born in Canada, can be sent to secondary inspection to make sure they are not bringing anything illegal into Canada. Contact the CBSA: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/com-eng.html Also make a request under the Privacy Act to see what they have on your file.

 

[cvisaquestions]

Anyone, including people born in Canada, can be sent to secondary inspection to make sure they are not bringing anything illegal into Canada. Contact the CBSA: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/com-eng.html Also make a request under the Privacy Act to see what they have on your file.

Thank you for the reply. I will submit a complaint using this link. I am fine with idea of secondary inspection but for it to seem like the rule, i need to know what is going on and why. I was only asked once about what i am brining in and every other time, they see my passport, be surprised, tell me that i shouldn't be there then allow me to go. It's the someone comes to escort me from the main arrival hall to the secondary room and then waiting for an hour or up to two in the line with students and new comers that make this difficult especially after coming from a 12 hour flight and all when not knowing why and to seem to be the only one.

 

[cvisaquestions]

**** Update
I recently came back from Cuba, which is my first trip since speaking with CBSA about the automatic secondary screening as a Canadian citizen, who was previously a refugee. I am glad to say that this is the first time since i got my first RTD that i pass through without being referred. So it seems like the problem has been fixed after many attempts to resolve it.

 

[kanopy]

Hi, could you please tell us how to remove this flag? who we should contact? I have the same situation, and I saw so many citizens(before refugees) have this issue.
I really appreciate it, Thank you.

 

[cvisaquestions]

Hi, could you please tell us how to remove this flag? who we should contact? I have the same situation, and I saw so many citizens(before refugees) have this issue.
I really appreciate it, Thank you.

CBSA and IRCC are responsible for this. Contacting them would be helpful. I sent emails to CBSA, IRCC and all officials i thought could help since the agents at the airport were unsuccessful in their attempts to fix the issue. Provide your contact information because that is how they reached out to me to discuss and solve the matter. At the airport, i often arrived at times when a supervisor was not available but perhaps try to escalate it from there; in addition to contacting them directly. I think the matter is few agents tried to convince me that this is normal but now you know that could be not the case. Unless you're flagged for other reasons, which could happen to anyone who crosses a border. Similarity of names or coming from countries that source drugs or some intel they might have. The agent explained that there are many virtual flags that can affect someone this could be a case by case matter but if you feel that indeed something is off, try to pursue it with them until you get answers.

 

[kanopy]

CBSA and IRCC are responsible for this. Contacting them would be helpful. I sent emails to CBSA, IRCC and all officials i thought could help since the agents at the airport were unsuccessful in their attempts to fix the issue. Provide your contact information because that is how they reached out to me to discuss and solve the matter. At the airport, i often arrived at times when a supervisor was not available but perhaps try to escalate it from there; in addition to contacting them directly. I think the matter is few agents tried to convince me that this is normal but now you know that could be not the case. Unless you're flagged for other reasons, which could happen to anyone who crosses a border. Similarity of names or coming from countries that source drugs or some intel they might have. The agent explained that there are many virtual flags that can affect someone this could be a case by case matter but if you feel that indeed something is off, try to pursue it with them until you get answers.

Thank you so much for your detailed reply, those are very useful and helpful to us.

 

[harith86]

CBSA and IRCC are responsible for this. Contacting them would be helpful. I sent emails to CBSA, IRCC and all officials i thought could help since the agents at the airport were unsuccessful in their attempts to fix the issue.

Can you please provide phone numbers/email addresses of those CBSA,IRCC and officials responsible that you contacted to help fix the issue? You can DM me if you prefer please?

I am going through the same situation, and it's bothering me for real.

 

[akbardxb]

Hi, could you please tell us how to remove this flag? who we should contact? I have the same situation, and I saw so many citizens(before refugees) have this issue.
I really appreciate it, Thank you.

There's an advocacy group on Twitter called @noflylist or something to that effect. It started with a 5 year old being on some kind of a no-fly-list. You may want to check them out or reach out to them for guidance.

@harith86

 

[cvisaquestions]

Can you please provide phone numbers/email addresses of those CBSA,IRCC and officials responsible that you contacted to help fix the issue? You can DM me if you prefer please?

I am going through the same situation, and it's bothering me for real.

Unfortunately, they called me from a blocked number so i have no idea what it is. I used the generic webform, IRCC general inquiry phone number, CBSA complaint and feedback links on their site multiple times over the years but i don't know which of these finally triggered someone from the inside to contact me by phone. Perhaps when you pass by the airport, ask if CBSA can provide some contact information from their side.