Border Security (TV show on Slice and BBC Canada)

[lleahdoll]

My wife expects to come to Canada within the next few weeks, and is planning to carry two to three 100-200 gram bags of roasted peanuts (with shells, in commercial packaging). And as far as I know, roasted nuts *are* allowed to be brought inside Canada.

1. Do they still have to be declared?

2. And once a customs officer sees the declaration on the card, would he/she open the luggage for inspection then? (what a hassle... >_<)

I'm sure there are instructions on the declaration card? And if not I bet you can Google and find out for sure.

I looove that show!

To be honest I found the Canadian one a bit boring, as it's mostly just people trying to sneak into Canada to stay permanently, or people with a police record or something. The Australian one is my favourite, since you see some craaazy drug busts on it!

Also, just for the record - I am a Canadian citizen with nothing to hide and I am scared of the immigration officers in Canada! They are very, very serious.

I agree! I like the Australian one way better!!

hahaha yeah I get nervous around authority figures even if I 100% know I have done nothing wrong. I feel like I could get in trouble for just looking at them the wrong way -_-

 

[scylla]

My wife expects to come to Canada within the next few weeks, and is planning to carry two to three 100-200 gram bags of roasted peanuts (with shells, in commercial packaging). And as far as I know, roasted nuts *are* allowed to be brought inside Canada.

1. Do they still have to be declared?

2. And once a customs officer sees the declaration on the card, would he/she open the luggage for inspection then? (what a hassle... >_<)

1. Yes - the absolutely must be declared. All food items must be declared.
2. They may or they may not open her bags.

 

[uskyoot]

I am in the U.S. and I can't seem to find a link to the TV show..any suggestions.

 

[taffy7]

If I remember correctly, that guy on Border Security wasn't told by officers that he couldn't even wash dishes; the girlfriend's mother said that. The officer told him he wasn't allowed to help them renovate/build/paint.

When it come to volunteering, if it's not normally a paid position and there are Canadians doing the same unpaid work, it's safe for a visitor to do.

Here's a link that explains it fairly well http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/institutions/work-volunteer.asp

You are right .Went to bed last night and i thought about it again and remembered the mother said it .Lol i was talking tongue and cheek .Just having a laugh .To be honest i was a bit down last night and then i saw this thread and i smiled, i felt i had found some good company on these lonely nights .

 

[danib]

I am in the U.S. and I can't seem to find a link to the TV show..any suggestions.

You can watch on Youtube!!

 

[kafka khaos]

My wife watches this show a lot, i can't stand it. Keep in mind it is produced with the help of the CBSA, so they will tend to be biased in their favour: Showing them in a generally positive light. The CBSA has also gotten into trouble for this show in Canada because they put a sign up in immigration at the airport, in a passage way that everyone who is arriving has to walk thru, and the sign said something about "by entering this area you are agreeing to be on tv". But its impossible to not walk thru that area!

Its interesting to watch the armchair psychology CBSA tries to employ agaisnt travelers, it's good for a laugh. It's also interesting how they have so much power to waive restrictions for people, and basically do whatever they want, let in whoever they feel like, and harrass whoever they feel like. I saw an episode where an American traveler was inadmissable due to a DUI, so they walked him over to a booth and had him sign a paper and immediately gave him a visa on the spot. Meanwhile honest non-criminals are denied visas constantly.

I believe from watching the show, and from my own experiences at the border that CBSA employ a tactic of harrassing people in an effort to provoke an emotional reaction.

 

[SenoritaBella]

She's good to go with that. When it comes to nuts and vegetables, they are usually more alarmed if you visited a farm overseas and plan to visit a farm in Canada or they are fresh. They don't want you planting all kinds of weird stuff and possibly introducing a new "bug" or "species" into the ecosystem. It is for this very reason, Australia is very strict about bringing in any type of food items because theirs is a very delicate ecosystem.

The questions on the declaration card usually ask if you have brought nuts, vegatables, meat products, etc. As long as she is bringing in any of the items listed there, she must tick the box. CBSA keeps all those declaration cards, so not a good idea to lie. What I do is tick the box, and list the items on a blank space on the card write the toal value in Canadian dollars; never have they searched my luggage.

My wife expects to come to Canada within the next few weeks, and is planning to carry two to three 100-200 gram bags of roasted peanuts (with shells, in commercial packaging). And as far as I know, roasted nuts *are* allowed to be brought inside Canada.

1. Do they still have to be declared?

2. And once a customs officer sees the declaration on the card, would he/she open the luggage for inspection then? (what a hassle... >_<)

 

[Outlandish]

I didn't know about the show until we got a free preview of Slice tv on Bell a month ago. I LOVE it! It's so addictive. PVR'd all the episodes Always amazes me the things people try to bring in through security...I guess most of the time they don't realize it's illegal.

 

[keesio]

Also, just for the record - I am a Canadian citizen with nothing to hide and I am scared of the immigration officers in Canada! They are very, very serious.

The key is to not get rattled and stay composed. I've traveled back and forth between the US and Canada hundreds of times and 99% of the time the officials (US and Canadian) are totally fine. Occasionally I'll encounter one that gives you a hard time. There is one US official at Pearson who is tough on everyone. When I first go him, he asked me about 30 rapid-fire questions with a blank expression. He asked what high school I went to. He asked me where I grew up. Why am I in Canada. Do I own a car. He was waiting for me to stumble and stutter and contradict myself. I calmly answered each question and then he gave my docs back and said have a nice day in a monotone voice. The second time I got him, I was prepared and it was actually quite amusing (though I didn't show any amusement). I didn't take it personally since he does it to everyone (and his line moves very slow).

 

[Matt the Aussie]

Also a big fan of the show.

Thing that kills me (on both Canada and Australia versions) is how many people smuggle/not declare food in their luggage. Australia in particular is VERY strict on this and I can tell you from experience there are signs and bins everywhere in Aus airports on this.

I have found watching the show the Canadian IOs are pretty lenient on most everything, except for DUIs. You've got a DUI, you can't come in no matter what.

 

[rhcohen2014]

Also a big fan of the show.

Thing that kills me (on both Canada and Australia versions) is how many people smuggle/not declare food in their luggage. Australia in particular is VERY strict on this and I can tell you from experience there are signs and bins everywhere in Aus airports on this.

i'm sure it has something to do with Australia having the highest variety of species of plants and wildlife in the world, and they want to avoid the killing of these species by foreign subtances.

 

[Matt the Aussie]

i'm sure it has something to do with Australia having the highest variety of species of plants and wildlife in the world, and they want to avoid the killing of these species by foreign subtances.

Believe me, I get it, I just don't know why everyone else doesn't?

 

[rhcohen2014]

Believe me, I get it, I just don't know why everyone else doesn't?

lol... probably because they don't know that fun fact about australia?

 

[lleahdoll]

I am in the U.S. and I can't seem to find a link to the TV show..any suggestions.

I posted a link a page or two back.

My wife watches this show a lot, i can't stand it. Keep in mind it is produced with the help of the CBSA, so they will tend to be biased in their favour: Showing them in a generally positive light. The CBSA has also gotten into trouble for this show in Canada because they put a sign up in immigration at the airport, in a passage way that everyone who is arriving has to walk thru, and the sign said something about "by entering this area you are agreeing to be on tv". But its impossible to not walk thru that area!

Its interesting to watch the armchair psychology CBSA tries to employ agaisnt travelers, it's good for a laugh. It's also interesting how they have so much power to waive restrictions for people, and basically do whatever they want, let in whoever they feel like, and harrass whoever they feel like. I saw an episode where an American traveler was inadmissable due to a DUI, so they walked him over to a booth and had him sign a paper and immediately gave him a visa on the spot. Meanwhile honest non-criminals are denied visas constantly.

I believe from watching the show, and from my own experiences at the border that CBSA employ a tactic of harrassing people in an effort to provoke an emotional reaction.

Yeah I am sure the show leans more in favor of CBSA. It's interesting to watch still.

The key is to not get rattled and stay composed. I've traveled back and forth between the US and Canada hundreds of times and 99% of the time the officials (US and Canadian) are totally fine. Occasionally I'll encounter one that gives you a hard time. There is one US official at Pearson who is tough on everyone. When I first go him, he asked me about 30 rapid-fire questions with a blank expression. He asked what high school I went to. He asked me where I grew up. Why am I in Canada. Do I own a car. He was waiting for me to stumble and stutter and contradict myself. I calmly answered each question and then he gave my docs back and said have a nice day in a monotone voice. The second time I got him, I was prepared and it was actually quite amusing (though I didn't show any amusement). I didn't take it personally since he does it to everyone (and his line moves very slow).

Wow... hope I never get him. Cause I'd be nervous regardless and probably stutter. :/

 

[jennfwa]

The UK has a show like this as well. Not sure if they make it anymore but I think it was based out of Heathrow.