As an American, I always find entering Canada to be somewhat frustrating. Don't get me wrong, I applaud the fact that they are actually enforcing their immigration laws, but am wondering why I always seem to get sent to Immigration. I've gone through customs in Germany and Denmark for meetings with work and didn't even get a second look. Yet Canada, out of the five times I've been, only one was a work trip, and I never got questioned for that one. Three of the times I've entered for a weekend trip I always wind up getting questioned (those three times be in Calgary, one unquestioned entry in Calgary, and the work trip to Toronto).
The first time I ever went to Canada with my passport (had been in Ontario by car when I was 15 with no identification whatsoever) I was sent to Immigration. I was grilled on why I was there, who I was seeing, and asked the same questions a couple of times, presumably to make sure I wasn't making it all up.
The last time was even more perplexing. I was originally planned to enter Canada on a Friday night, but due to UAL and some weather problems that changed to Saturday morning. My purpose was to attend a friend's birthday party and then I was returning Sunday afternoon. I was only going to be Canada a grand total of about 27 hours. I was quizzed pretty heavily on who I was visiting, where they lived, how I knew them, when I was going back, etc. The CBSA officer went so far as to actually call United to find out when I was returning. He even asked me about how I paid for my ticket (with miles) and this was verified by UAL.
I was allowed to enter and stamped with a different stamp that has a six month expiration. I was told by someone else that this stamp means that I can come and go to the US and Canada with limited questioning as this is a visitor visa. Is that correct? If I plan another weekend trip will they see that and not worry about my entry, especially considering the fact that I have left every time I came in.
Also, what kind of information are they entering into that computer when you talk to them? Any ideas? Any ideas on what I can say/do that might not make me such a conspicuous character? I love Canada, and hope to one day transfer/move there, but as I've said there's a legal way to do that and that's the way I plan to do it.
The first time I ever went to Canada with my passport (had been in Ontario by car when I was 15 with no identification whatsoever) I was sent to Immigration. I was grilled on why I was there, who I was seeing, and asked the same questions a couple of times, presumably to make sure I wasn't making it all up.
The last time was even more perplexing. I was originally planned to enter Canada on a Friday night, but due to UAL and some weather problems that changed to Saturday morning. My purpose was to attend a friend's birthday party and then I was returning Sunday afternoon. I was only going to be Canada a grand total of about 27 hours. I was quizzed pretty heavily on who I was visiting, where they lived, how I knew them, when I was going back, etc. The CBSA officer went so far as to actually call United to find out when I was returning. He even asked me about how I paid for my ticket (with miles) and this was verified by UAL.
I was allowed to enter and stamped with a different stamp that has a six month expiration. I was told by someone else that this stamp means that I can come and go to the US and Canada with limited questioning as this is a visitor visa. Is that correct? If I plan another weekend trip will they see that and not worry about my entry, especially considering the fact that I have left every time I came in.
Also, what kind of information are they entering into that computer when you talk to them? Any ideas? Any ideas on what I can say/do that might not make me such a conspicuous character? I love Canada, and hope to one day transfer/move there, but as I've said there's a legal way to do that and that's the way I plan to do it.
