Hello all.
I attempted to go into canada yesterday to go visit my sister in vancouver. I bought a roundtrip greyhound ticket (Seattle/Vancouver). I was pulled aside and was eventually told that I couldn't enter the country because 10 years ago (dec. 21, 1999) my family was deported from Canada. At the time I was a minor (11 years old) So natually I didn't know that I wasnt allowed back in. They told me that because I came without proper authorization They could have deported me again yesterday, obiously I wasn't aware that I (U.S citizen with passport) wasn't allowed in. I had to sign a "voluntary leave" paper and asked me to return to the US. They told me the only way I could come back is If I get an "Authorization to Return to Canada" (http://geo.international.gc.ca/world/site/includes/print.asp?lang=en&print=1&url=/can-am/seattle/right_nav/authorization_to_return-en.asp) Which costs about 400$. I waited at the US side of the border for 3-4 hours for a bus back to the US.
I'm frustrated out of my mind because I was a minor when this happened I never signed anything I wasnt the one applying for refugee status or anything I was just a kid when this all happened. I explained this to the Canadian Embassy in Seattle and I got the same response. "I understand that you were 11 when your family was deported but the law states that you cannot return even if you are a US citizen without the "ARC". I'm Sorry"..
Why must I who was a minor when this all happened have to pay for what my parents did. I didn't have the free will at the time nor the ability to understand something this complicated. I don't have a criminal record here in the states, I'm not a felon, I pose no threat to Canada. ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS TO GO FINALLY SEE MY SISTER. (visit)
Since when do children get punished for things their parents did? and why? What else can I do? I haven't been to Canada in about 10 years. I miss it everyday.
Thanks for reading.
I attempted to go into canada yesterday to go visit my sister in vancouver. I bought a roundtrip greyhound ticket (Seattle/Vancouver). I was pulled aside and was eventually told that I couldn't enter the country because 10 years ago (dec. 21, 1999) my family was deported from Canada. At the time I was a minor (11 years old) So natually I didn't know that I wasnt allowed back in. They told me that because I came without proper authorization They could have deported me again yesterday, obiously I wasn't aware that I (U.S citizen with passport) wasn't allowed in. I had to sign a "voluntary leave" paper and asked me to return to the US. They told me the only way I could come back is If I get an "Authorization to Return to Canada" (http://geo.international.gc.ca/world/site/includes/print.asp?lang=en&print=1&url=/can-am/seattle/right_nav/authorization_to_return-en.asp) Which costs about 400$. I waited at the US side of the border for 3-4 hours for a bus back to the US.
I'm frustrated out of my mind because I was a minor when this happened I never signed anything I wasnt the one applying for refugee status or anything I was just a kid when this all happened. I explained this to the Canadian Embassy in Seattle and I got the same response. "I understand that you were 11 when your family was deported but the law states that you cannot return even if you are a US citizen without the "ARC". I'm Sorry"..
Why must I who was a minor when this all happened have to pay for what my parents did. I didn't have the free will at the time nor the ability to understand something this complicated. I don't have a criminal record here in the states, I'm not a felon, I pose no threat to Canada. ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS TO GO FINALLY SEE MY SISTER. (visit)
Since when do children get punished for things their parents did? and why? What else can I do? I haven't been to Canada in about 10 years. I miss it everyday.
Thanks for reading.