Flagpole/Landing at Queenston-Lewiston Bridge, Niagara-on-the-Lake May 2019

[ravidgohil@gmail.com]

Hey Folks,

After almost two years long journey (Seven since arrival in Canada) I finally got to hear CONGRATULATIONS – YOU ARE NOW PERMANENT RESIDENT OF CANADA from a CBSA officer. You will find most of the information here to successfully complete the very last stage of this journey.


First my timeline: CEC Inland Applicant

ITA: April 25 2018

e-AOR: May 4 2018

Added Spouse: Feb 19 2019

Re-medical: March 25 2019

PPR: April 15 2019

CoPR/VISA delivered on hand: May 13 2019

Landed at Queenston Bridge: May 15 2019

1. Do I need USA Visa to flagpole/land?

No You do not need any Visa, they never asks you that.

1. Can I flagpole if I am on implied status?

Yes, as long as you applied for status extension before expiry of your status in Canada, YOU CAN.

1. When can I flagpole at Queenston or any other Southern Ontario Bridges?

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 8AM to 12AM only

1. Do they have quota for each day?

Yes, they only allow about 20-25 flagpole (this includes applications not the number of people, one application can have 1 applicant or 5 applicants) so in total it can be 50-75 people.

1. How busy is the bridge to US side?

Not so busy crossing it at anytime of the day (max 10-15 minutes wait)

1. How long for Flagpole document?

Anywhere from one-minute to two hours.

1. How busy is the bridge on Canada side?

Not so busy crossing it at anytime of the day (max 10-15 minutes wait)

1. Do they start earlier than 8AM?

No they won’t allow you inside the office.

1. If my landing fails, am I allowed in Canada/re-enter using the ssame single entry visa?

Yes, they will allow you in Canada and yes you can re-use single entry visa until you become PR.

1. If flagpole is closed, do they give me appointment?

No they won’t.

1. Is it first come first serve?

Yes it is. However, once they take your documents, they will pick whatever file they like (doesn’t matter if you are waiting for 10 minutes or 10 hours)

1. When they open flagpole?

They open sharp at 8AM and close it by 8.15AM and try to re-open roughly between 3.30PM-4.30PM for another 5-7 applications.


Tips & Guidance:

• Try to go on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
• Try to be at the bridge by 6AM-6.30AM
• Once on USA side, listen to officer and answer their questions first and tell them you want to flagpole only when they ask you where you going or what are you doing here, they will make you wait in your car for roughly 15minutes to 1.5hours before handing out flagpole document.
• Drive back to Canadian side, tell the officer you want to land as PR (or want to apply for work permit) they will give you yellow slip and ask you to go in the glass building.
• Once inside, handover your passport(s), flagpole document, yellow slip and CoPR (or Study/Work permit)
• NOW THE SITTING GAME BEGINS, wait unitl they call your name. (No restrictions on phonw usage, food) They have cable TV with sports channel ON
• Once they call your name, go there, tell them why you’re there and answe the questions they ask and confirm the details on CoPR and sign it.
• Probably they will ask you to sit again, few mins later, calls your name again go back to collect your passport & documents. They will give you a booklet saying Welcome to Canada nad Congratulate your for becoming PR.

BE PREPARED TO SIT FOR LONG HOURS (AGAIN IT DEPENDS HOW BUSY IT IS) IT CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM 10 MINUTES TO 10 HOURS AND STILL COME BACK EMPTY HANDED.

Wish you all very good luck.

Thanks Folks.

Ravi

 

[mkareem]

Hi Ravi,
Thanks for sharing your experience. Can you please let us know how long it took in your case (for every step).

All the best,

 

[ravidgohil@gmail.com]

Hi Ravi,
Thanks for sharing your experience. Can you please let us know how long it took in your case (for every step).

All the best,

I tried 3 times on Tuesday but failed... on wednesday morning i was at the bridge by 6.30 and left border at 4.50pm so almost 10.5hours... however it only took less than five minutes after my name was called...

 

[mkareem]

I tried 3 times on Tuesday but failed... on wednesday morning i was at the bridge by 6.30 and left border at 4.50pm so almost 10.5hours... however it only took less than five minutes after my name was called...

OMG, this is so long time, it's not going to work for me as I have a 10 months old baby. Thanks for your quick response, could you please answer the following as well:
- what do you mean by failed? Did the office refuse to validate your document? Or what?
- how did you retry at the same day? Did you just enter Canada with that yellow paper and flagpole again with a us officer? Was it at same bridge?
- How do I know which bridge is better? Rainbow or Queenston? I live in Toronto

Thanks

 

[sergp]

Hey, thanks for everyone who shared their experiences.

I expect my passport to arrive on Tuesday, so I have 3 options:

1. I have an appointment in Etobicoke till 7PM on Tuesday, so it will take me roughly an hour to make to it the Queenston Lewiston bridge . Is it worth trying it around 8PM on Tuesday (as they technically accept people 8AM - 12AM)?

2. Go on Wednesday morning. No extra questions here as a lot of people did the same thing.

3. Is it even worth going south these days? Things seem to be getting worse for people who are flagpoling on these 3 bridges (even compared to the first post in this thread). Port Sarnia is 3 hours away from my house (Queenston Lewiston is 1.5 hours away). Have anyone heard of landing refusals there?

Thanks in advance.

 

[naten]

what kind of questions did the CBSA officers ask you?

 

[ravidgohil@gmail.com]

OMG, this is so long time, it's not going to work for me as I have a 10 months old baby. Thanks for your quick response, could you please answer the following as well:
- what do you mean by failed? Did the office refuse to validate your document? Or what?
- how did you retry at the same day? Did you just enter Canada with that yellow paper and flagpole again with a us officer? Was it at same bridge?
- How do I know which bridge is better? Rainbow or Queenston? I live in Toronto

Thanks

You can actually try there bcz people with baby gets priority...

Answer to ur questions...

Failed meaning they said they were closed for the flagpole and I tried at different bridges... each time I had to go to us side get new white & yellow slips bcz each time you come back the white & yellow paper is taken by cbsa...

You have to try by going to the bridge to see which one is better...

 

[mkareem]

You can actually try there bcz people with baby gets priority...

Answer to ur questions...

Failed meaning they said they were closed for the flagpole and I tried at different bridges... each time I had to go to us side get new white & yellow slips bcz each time you come back the white & yellow paper is taken by cbsa...

You have to try by going to the bridge to see which one is better...

Thanks for the detailed and clear answer. I will try my chance next week and will share my experience here.

Good luck to everyone

 

[ravidgohil@gmail.com]

Hey, thanks for everyone who shared their experiences.

I expect my passport to arrive on Tuesday, so I have 3 options:

1. I have an appointment in Etobicoke till 7PM on Tuesday, so it will take me roughly an hour to make to it the Queenston Lewiston bridge . Is it worth trying it around 8PM on Tuesday (as they technically accept people 8AM - 12AM)?
Most likely NO... they accept flagpole for first 15-25 applications when they open at 8am.. (fills very quick by 8.10am)
2. Go on Wednesday morning. No extra questions here as a lot of people did the same thing.

3. Is it even worth going south these days? Things seem to be getting worse for people who are flagpoling on these 3 bridges (even compared to the first post in this thread). Port Sarnia is 3 hours away from my house (Queenston Lewiston is 1.5 hours away). Have anyone heard of landing refusals there?

Thanks in advance.

what kind of questions did the CBSA officers ask you?

do you have any other dependents other than listed on copr?
Charged or convicted in any country?
Marital status still same?

Thats it...

 

[ravidgohil@gmail.com]

Hey, thanks for everyone who shared their experiences.

I expect my passport to arrive on Tuesday, so I have 3 options:

1. I have an appointment in Etobicoke till 7PM on Tuesday, so it will take me roughly an hour to make to it the Queenston Lewiston bridge . Is it worth trying it around 8PM on Tuesday (as they technically accept people 8AM - 12AM)?
NO... most likely you will be turned back n ask to come back next morning at 8... try to follow my initial post...
2. Go on Wednesday morning. No extra questions here as a lot of people did the same thing.

3. Is it even worth going south these days? Things seem to be getting worse for people who are flagpoling on these 3 bridges (even compared to the first post in this thread). Port Sarnia is 3 hours away from my house (Queenston Lewiston is 1.5 hours away). Have anyone heard of landing refusals there?

Thanks in advance.

 

[mahakarsha]

Help!
1. Is there a toll in the bridge if I flagpole?

2. Do I have to reach back to Canda gate exactly at 8:00? or I can even reach 7:00 AM and wait for the 8:00 AM window? Meaning do I have to estimate the processing time in US side and then go to Canada office?

 

[mkareem]

Hi,

Help!
1. Is there a toll in the bridge if I flagpole?

2. Do I have to reach back to Canda gate exactly at 8:00? or I can even reach 7:00 AM and wait for the 8:00 AM window? Meaning do I have to estimate the processing time in US side and then go to Canada office?

1- No, there is no toll

2- You need to reach back at the opening hours of the Canadian immigration office, which opens at 8:00 AM. So if you arrive before that, usually you can not wait (the officer at the border will guid you to book an appointment in the city).

It is really tricky to estimate the processing time in US side, and may need a bit of luck, but keep in mind that you can retry the process until you successfully land. In my case, at the 1st time the US processing time took too long, and when I arrived to the Canadian side, it was too late (9:00 AM), and 2nd time I retried at the noon (same day), which was too early (the Canadian side was not open yet for the second round, and the officer did not allow me to wait there and I had to enter to Canada), and only at the 3ed retry at 6:00 PM (same day), I was successful.

 

[mahakarsha]

Hi,



1- No, there is no toll

2- You need to reach back at the opening hours of the Canadian immigration office, which opens at 8:00 AM. So if you arrive before that, usually you can not wait (the officer at the border will guid you to book an appointment in the city).

It is really tricky to estimate the processing time in US side, and may need a bit of luck, but keep in mind that you can retry the process until you successfully land. In my case, at the 1st time the US processing time took too long, and when I arrived to the Canadian side, it was too late (9:00 AM), and 2nd time I retried at the noon (same day), which was too early (the Canadian side was not open yet for the second round, and the officer did not allow me to wait there and I had to enter to Canada), and only at the 3ed retry at 6:00 PM (same day), I was successful.

What time did you boarded the bridge on the 1st attempt?

 

[PradeepSattikar]

Hi Folks,
One question , I don't have Car in Canada . Can I do flagpoling by walking on the bridge and crossing USA border ? If not , is there any alternative for it ? Thanks in advance

 

[ralphr777]

Hi Folks,
One question , I don't have Car in Canada . Can I do flagpoling by walking on the bridge and crossing USA border ? If not , is there any alternative for it ? Thanks in advance

Same question. Anyone?