Canadian immigration - was that even LEGAL?

[nkomp18]

Hi guys!!

Ok, I admit it, I am a bit of an unconventional traveler. Without getting in too much detail, I enjoy traveling, and particularly short trips. I go abroad every weekend and I don't really care about the distance. I go, from Europe, to weekend trips to Asia, Middle East, USA, and sometimes long weekend trips to Australia, New Zealand.. you get the picture. I travel almost every weekend.

I understand why that must seem odd to Canadian immigration but I've already done many weekends in various Canadian cities and even more in the US. I have never had immigration problems in any country except Canada and in particular last weekend in Vancouver the immigration officials went a bit mental even though it was my 3rd time in Vancouver. They saw that my passport are full of stamps from all countries including Canadian ones, they saw my itinerary but then they opened my laptop and asked me to log into my email and started reading my personal emails, then went through my folders in my laptop drive and started playing my MP3s out loud (so embarrassing), they asked me to log into my facebook (!!!) and started reading my personal messages and even saw all the albums from my trips which are about 200 albums of me and friends laughing and having fun and they still weren't convinced. They also took my phone and started looking at my photos on my phone and then reading my private SMS...

I have been traveling a lot but I have NEVER experienced such an invasive search and I am wondering whether it is even legal?
Who knows the law on this? Can officials do such things without asking permission?
At some point they found a diary entry I had written to myself and started reading my deepest thoughts which I thought was even more invasive than sticking a flashlight up my butt, which would have been a lot preferable at that point.

They did let me through, but they didn't apologize and I MUST say that it doesn't look good for Canada that a traveler who had no problems going anywhere else in the world would for the first time encounter problems in a country that is supposedly cool and western.
More importantly I am very curious about the extend of liberties Canadian immigration officials have, especially in regards to asking permission for invasive searches. At one point I was thinking that it would be preferable for me to ask them to stop the search so I could return to Europe than to continue with feeling so uncomfortable. In Europe generally they have to be extremely polite about such sensitive things.

 

[scylla]

Yes - it was legal. All of us open ourselves to the possibility of that kind of search when we enter a country and face immigration.

It sounds like they were suspicious about your intentions for visiting Canada. You do have an unusual travel pattern and this case raise concerns that you might be involved in something illegal or criminal. (I'm obviously not suggesting in any way that you are. But immigration officers are trained to look for the unusual and then look into it.) They were searching your computer for evidence of illegal activity. I suspect the reason they were looking through your photo albums is because they were searching for something along the lines of child pornography.

Obviously they found nothing which is why you were allowed in. Again, unusual travel patters attract attention. Don't assume this doesn't happen in European countries - it happens all of the time - it just hasn't happened to you. I have a large group of well traveled friends and we often swap immigration horror stories (fortunately mine are few and relatively minor). Several of my friends have gone through very similar experiences to yours when entering various countries in Europe (including the photo search, email search, etc.) and also the US. One of my friends had to sit there while they flipped through 3000 photos on his camera and missed an important connecting flight. Another of my friends even went through a full strip and cavity search on top of the laptop search (this was in Europe last year - forget the country). That's how I know they were likely looking for pornography when they searched your PC. The strip/cavity search friend was brave (stupid?) enough to ask immigration what they had been looking for. I've never heard of immigration officials apologizing after a search (I've personally never received an apology after a search). I think this is part of the training. Apologizing might send the message that they've done something wrong. However as much as it really sucks for us as the travelers - they are just doing their job.

 

[scylla]

Oh - and apparently the reason why my friend got the cavity search is that people sometimes hide camera memory cards in their special personal places. And for some reason he really really fit the profile of the horrible type of people who film or distribute this sort of stuff and his name was similar to the name of someone on some sort of watch list. His experience is a joke between all of us now. But at the time it was obviously VERY far from funny.

 

[SenoritaBella]

Oh my goodness! I will take a search of my computer, Facebook, etc over a strip search and cavity search. Does anyone watch the UK show titled "UK border patrol"? I heard a female officer conducting a cavity search say, "bend over. Part your bottoms"...let's just say it's not something I want to experience.

 

[nicholas30]

@nkomp18, There is always a first time ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

 

[nkomp18]

Wow!!

I guess it could have been a lot worse then! Good to know I am not the only one, but pity about the guy who missed his connection flight.

Since it was the first time, I wasn't sure how to handle it but I'll be more prepared for such possibilities from now on...
Thanks guys

 

[SenoritaBella]

I think you handled it well considering the circumstances and did not lose your cool which would have made things worse. Those agents can deny you entry or from boarding a plane. If you ask me, they have too much power without oversight.

 

[parker24]

Sadly, it happens a lot. My poor husband (then boyfriend) went though this. He did write down accidently that he has more than 1000 on him! He thought it said 100 (bad eyesight) PLUS he said he was seeing me, his girlfriend. So of course up goes the red flags and off he goes to get his e-mail searched, his laptop itself searched, they pulled out all his clothing and looked through it (poor guy, even his underwear!) and was about to go through his phone since I was texting asking what the crap was going on but it died. They asked him where he was going. I live in a small town, so small not many people have heard of it, population of 400. He tells them and I guess they tried to look it up and told him he was making it up and ot stop lying! He wasn't at all! FINALLY they come out to me and my mom asking who he was, where he was staying, how long etc. And when he came out finally, he looked so hurt and violated! Poor guy!

Sadly, it's legal. While I understand they are looking out for us, I still fear for my safety in their hands and my husbands as well! I've never traveled out of the country in a plane and don't look forward to it!

 

[Monrology]

I guess we could all learn from these experiences..

 

[mute_man]

I guess we could all learn from these experiences..

indeed!!

 

[YorkFactory]

they opened my laptop and asked me to log into my email and started reading my personal emails, then went through my folders in my laptop drive and started playing my MP3s out loud (so embarrassing), they asked me to log into my facebook (!!!) and started reading my personal messages and even saw all the albums from my trips which are about 200 albums of me and friends laughing and having fun and they still weren't convinced. They also took my phone and started looking at my photos on my phone and then reading my private SMS...

You could have refused to log into your e-mail and Facebook, but anything on your laptop was technically fair game. (But since you're a foreign national who's not a permanent resident, they could have turned you back for any reason.)

 

[ihabkal]

you're all lucky in my country they don't ask questions or search you they just shoot you that's why I want to live in Canada

 

[mute_man]

you're all lucky in my country they don't ask questions or search you they just shoot you that's why I want to live in Canada

 

[CrazyLucy]

I guess we could all learn from these experiences..

Learn what? To not look suspicious? To not want to travel?

 

[ihabkal]

I only travel when I really really have to, travelling especially by plane is a lot of stress. getting strip searched becuase you have darker skin is no fun.