Does anyone have any experience in terms of how to contact CBSA to remove a travel enforcement flag?

[Hansanta]

Hi everyone, My father in law is filing for my wife 2 years after marriage and she stated that she is singke on her application. Can i take legal action or what can i do?

this is not the right thread for that. please contact a lawyer.

 

[canuck78]

Hi everyone, My father in law is filing for my wife 2 years after marriage and she stated that she is singke on her application. Can i take legal action or what can i do?

Contact IRCC and specify what program they are applying for, the father’s name, your wife’s name, proof that she is married, etc. Would explain that you and your spouse do not want to mislead IRCC but family is applying on her behalf and are pressuring your wife to sign documents that are untrue.

 

[IndianBos]

True but it's an admin issue. Also some MPs can take months to respond to these type of issues.

I believe I have this resolved now. I reached out to CBSA and CIC/IRCC through various channels. I wrote an email stating that I am now a citizen, provided my passport number, citizenship certificate number and UCI/Client ID. I explained that each time I enter Canada I am sent to secondary to assess the PR Residence Obligation, which makes no sense as I'm now a citizen.

I'll detail what worked for me and also what I tried that didn't work in the hope that it can help someone else.

What worked:

On the 12th of April I emailed IRCC.CitizenshipConvocation-ConvocationCitoyennete.IRCC@cic.gc.ca, I got this email address from my request to appear for an interview prior to being granted citizenship. They responded to me on the 8th of May, the email came directly from an agent, not a group mail box and said:

"This is to confirm that the alerts in your file have been expired and you should no longer have similar issues.​

However, should you continue experiencing problems, you can complete the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Feedback Form:​

Submit your feedback to the Canada Border Services Agency (cbsa-asfc.gc.ca)"​

​

I also contacts CBSA via their web form https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/com-eng.html and submitted a complaint on the 6th of April. They responded on the 9th of May and said:

"This is in response to your message of April 6, 2023, regarding secondary referrals you have been experiencing upon entry to Canada.​

The Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) mandate is to ensure that only admissible people and goods enter Canada.​

The CBSA has reviewed your file and identified the cause of these referrals. We are pleased to confirm that the information that caused the referrals has now been removed. There are no current flags associated to your name.​

While secondary processing may seem an inconvenience to travellers, it is an important part of the normal border process to ensure the safety of all Canadians. As such, all travellers may be subject to examination any time they enter Canada.​

Thank you for contacting the Canada Border Services Agency."​

​

I suspect only the first item was required and when CBSA looked at their request they saw that IRCC had already fixed it.

What did not work:

I tried calling CIC/IRCC many times. It took 5 minutes to get through the phone menus only to be told they were too busy to take my call. I even tried this as soon as they opened and at various times of the day. Total waste of time.​

​

I contacted an internal mailbox that CBSA agents can use when someone at the border complains about flags on their file. I found them email address in the CBSA manual here: https://meurrensonimmigration.com/removing-flags-at-the-port-of-entry/. I got a prompt reply saying this email box was for internal use only and I should submit a query via the CBSA web form.​

​

I emailed CIC-CITOY-CONVO@cic.gc.ca and received a prompt email telling me this mail box is only for queries relating to the virtual Citizenship Ceremony, and then a few days later an email telling me to phone CIC.​

​

I filled out the IRCC contact form on the 12th of April, I got the following response on the 7th of May:​

"Since your question is related to a subject for which we are unable to assist you, we invite you to communicate with the appropriate department in order to obtain the answers to your questions.​

Further, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) ensures Canada's security and prosperity by facilitating and overseeing international travel and trade across Canada's border.​

For more information, we invite you to visit their website."​

The other thing I was planning to do was to print out my GCMS notes which shows the alert, and also print out the section of the CBSA manual above to show to CBSA next time I was sent to secondary screening.

I have yet to test this out by making an entry, but the two messages from CBSA and CIC saying its resolved gives me confidence. Hope that helps someone else.

I used the CBSA web form and receieved a confirmation today that alerts/flags were removed. They worked with IRCC to get this done. Thank you

 

[Mano1110786]

Hi,
Congrats!

I sent an email to MP and I didnt get a reply yet its been months......................

Congratulations and glad it worked for you.

Just for comparison: we contacted our MP and it was resolved with response in about two or three weeks (I forget to be honest, think it was < 2). A few emails, not long, one permission form to fill out, and a document of less than one page (written by me) explaining the situation.

Now, I may be lucky in terms of our MP - or more specifically the MP's office staff, who are demonstrably competent and helpful - but I had a lot more confidence in the process compared to sending emails to government 'mass inboxes' where you're never sure if it's been dealt with.

Although to be fair, those have often worked for me, too, just over periods of minimum six weeks, often months.

Anyway I can't of course guarantee an MP's office will work. Or be as helpful. But I'd still encourage anyone who has an issue to try them.

 

[armoured]

Hi,
Congrats!

I sent an email to MP and I didnt get a reply yet its been months......................

Sorry to hear that. Some MPs are better than others - clearly.

You could try calling them as well. Or the immigration minister. Write to head of the party and complain.

Others here have had success with CBSA and/or IRCC. Sure, try them as well.

 

[Mano1110786]

Sorry to hear that. Some MPs are better than others - clearly.

You could try calling them as well. Or the immigration minister. Write to head of the party and complain.

Others here have had success with CBSA and/or IRCC. Sure, try them as well.

Hi Armour
Just an update that I received AN email for my email that there is no more Red flag on my status but still I have to go through secondary security check for my goods I didn’t get the whole meaning, can someone please explain

 

[Mano1110786]

I used the CBSA web form and receieved a confirmation today that alerts/flags were removed. They worked with IRCC to get this done. Thank you

I used the CBSA web form and receieved a confirmation today that alerts/flags were removed. They worked with IRCC to get this done. Thank you

Just an update that I received AN email for my email that there is no more Red flag on my status but still I have to go through secondary security check for my goods I didn’t get the whole meaning, can someone please explain

 

[armoured]

Hi Armour
Just an update that I received AN email for my email that there is no more Red flag on my status but still I have to go through secondary security check for my goods I didn’t get the whole meaning, can someone please explain

I have no idea what your email says - of course.

When we got a response, there was language to the effect that "we can pull you into secondary any time we want for any reason because that's what CBSA does." This is standard language, doesn't mean much.

 

[Mano1110786]

I have no idea what your email says - of course.

When we got a response, there was language to the effect that "we can pull you into secondary any time we want for any reason because that's what CBSA does." This is standard language, doesn't mean much.

Hi Armour
When I travelled last time to US I met boarder agency lady who communicated with me later as I requested her to update me about my status. That’s so nice of her that she replied to my email and the last reply was a week back that there is no red flag on my status anymore but I can be sent for secondary check to Ch ek goods.

 

[armoured]

Hi Armour
When I travelled last time to US I met boarder agency lady who communicated with me later as I requested her to update me about my status. That’s so nice of her that she replied to my email and the last reply was a week back that there is no red flag on my status anymore but I can be sent for secondary check to Ch ek goods.

Sounds like you had a nice CBSA officer to help you out that way.

Reality is that you CAN be pulled over into secondary at any time, for customs checks, immigration matters, random checks, security checks, whatever. CBSA ALWAYS reserves the right to do so.

But the likelihood is that with the flag you had before removed, it should be much less frequent - and possibly not at all, or just limited to other matters like customs. Main thing is not every time.

 

[Mano1110786]

Sounds like you had a nice CBSA officer to help you out that way.

Reality is that you CAN be pulled over into secondary at any time, for customs checks, immigration matters, random checks, security checks, whatever. CBSA ALWAYS reserves the right to do so.

But the likelihood is that with the flag you had before removed, it should be much less frequent - and possibly not at all, or just limited to other matters like customs. Main thing is not every time.
Thanks for replying so it means I can go back to my country for a few days as well right as my sister is hospitalized

 

[armoured]

Thanks for replying so it means I can go back to my country for a few days as well right as my sister is hospitalized

I don't understand the question.

 

[Mano1110786]

I don't understand the question.

Oh I’m sorry
I mean that the country I claimed for refugee. Can I travel back for few days after citizenship

 

[armoured]

Oh I’m sorry
I mean that the country I claimed for refugee. Can I travel back for few days after citizenship

Ah. Let's separate issues: I understand that once one is a citizen, the issue about travelling back to your home country (revocation of PR status because of 'reavailment') disappears. But please check this, I'm not an expert.

Separate from this are risks to you in your former home country:
-that country may consider you to still be a citizen.
-as such, they may require you to enter as a citizen, and possibly require that entry be done on that national passport.
-if you have any troubles while you are there and that country considers you a citizen, Canada can basically do nothing to help you.

The rest is up to you to decide.

 

[Mano1110786]

Ah. Let's separate issues: I understand that once one is a citizen, the issue about travelling back to your home country (revocation of PR status because of 'reavailment') disappears. But please check this, I'm not an expert.

Separate from this are risks to you in your former home country:
-that country may consider you to still be a citizen.
-as such, they may require you to enter as a citizen, and possibly require that entry be done on that national passport.
-if you have any troubles while you are there and that country considers you a citizen, Canada can basically do nothing to help you.

The rest is up to you to decide.

Thank you so
Much