Hi everyone,
I am writing to share my flagpoling experience since I couldn’t find much guidance or the information I am about to share!
I visited the Rainbow bridge port of entry on a Thursday, around 5:30 pm, because I read they only allow flagpoling from Tuesday-Thursday, 8 am - 12am.
I went the office behind the duty-free store for pedestrian entry. I entered the office and spoke to a CBSA officer who told me that they are not doing flagpoling at the moment, he said they did 1 in the morning around 8:30am and the flagpoling has been closed since then. He said I can check again around 8pm when the shift changes as the new crew might do it but he said the chances are low.
I also asked him if I could do it at Windsor border on Friday? He told me that the Tuesday to Thursday restriction is for whole southern Ontario except Landsdowne (if I remember correctly).
Since I drove all the way to Niagara I wanted to give it another shot just in case I succeed. I went there again around 8pm and it was a different officer this time. He told me the flagpoling is closed for the day. He said my best shot would be Tuesday morning, he suggested that I come early because there already a line by 7 am, also that I need to visit the US border first and then show up at the Canadian Office. (Though I am glad I did not do it without checking with them first, I mean what’s the point of going to the US side and get a refusal, only to come back to Canada side and learn that they are not processing COPRs).
Anyways, so I couldn’t do the flagpoling in Niagara. Since I had already booked my tickets to Windsor for that weekend to visit my best friend, I decided to go to the tunnel and ask the officers there. Thank got I did that, and did not listen to the officer in Niagara who told me I could only do it from Tuesday-Thursday (not complaining, he was very nice to me and really tried to help).
So I decided to drive to the Windsor/Detroit tunnel with my Canadian friend around 3:30pm and before entering the tunnel there is a CBSA office on the left. I went inside and told the officer I was there for flagpoling and checked if they do flagpoling at the tunnel! He said I could do it there, but first I should drive to the US side and come back.
Me and my friend drive across the tunnel and told the officer on the US side that I am there for flagpoling. He told my I should have applied for US visa that would have been easier (he was kind of unhappy that I did not have a US visa). Nevertheless, he pasted a yellow slip on our car and another officer escorted us to a parking lot. He told us to leave our cell phones in the car and go inside the office.
We entered the office with our passports and other documents, the officer inside collected my passport and copr and told us to sit. Later he called me and took my fingerprints, he told me that this is just part of the procedure and I don’t need to worry about anything, none of this will affect my fury applications for a US visa.
He then escorted us back to the tunnel entry (we did not even have to pay the toll) he stuck a white paper in the vipers and told us to go back to the Canadian side (He was very humble and nice).
We went back to Canadian side and the officer there took that white paper and told us to go the immigration office on our right.
I went inside and an officer called me. I gave him my papers, he processes everything, gave some usual instructions, made me sign the copr and kept my current work permit with him. And that’s how I became a Candian Permanent Resident!!
The whole process took around 1 hour or so. I was pretty nervous for some reason but everything went so smooth and all the officers were really nice both on Canadian and US side.
Just make sure you have all your documents- your passport + COPR and your current status in Canada.
Also you cannot walk through the tunnel or the Ambassador bridge, s this option is only feasible if you have a car or someone who can drive you there!
I hope this would be helpful to a least some of you!!
Cheers!
I am writing to share my flagpoling experience since I couldn’t find much guidance or the information I am about to share!
I visited the Rainbow bridge port of entry on a Thursday, around 5:30 pm, because I read they only allow flagpoling from Tuesday-Thursday, 8 am - 12am.
I went the office behind the duty-free store for pedestrian entry. I entered the office and spoke to a CBSA officer who told me that they are not doing flagpoling at the moment, he said they did 1 in the morning around 8:30am and the flagpoling has been closed since then. He said I can check again around 8pm when the shift changes as the new crew might do it but he said the chances are low.
I also asked him if I could do it at Windsor border on Friday? He told me that the Tuesday to Thursday restriction is for whole southern Ontario except Landsdowne (if I remember correctly).
Since I drove all the way to Niagara I wanted to give it another shot just in case I succeed. I went there again around 8pm and it was a different officer this time. He told me the flagpoling is closed for the day. He said my best shot would be Tuesday morning, he suggested that I come early because there already a line by 7 am, also that I need to visit the US border first and then show up at the Canadian Office. (Though I am glad I did not do it without checking with them first, I mean what’s the point of going to the US side and get a refusal, only to come back to Canada side and learn that they are not processing COPRs).
Anyways, so I couldn’t do the flagpoling in Niagara. Since I had already booked my tickets to Windsor for that weekend to visit my best friend, I decided to go to the tunnel and ask the officers there. Thank got I did that, and did not listen to the officer in Niagara who told me I could only do it from Tuesday-Thursday (not complaining, he was very nice to me and really tried to help).
So I decided to drive to the Windsor/Detroit tunnel with my Canadian friend around 3:30pm and before entering the tunnel there is a CBSA office on the left. I went inside and told the officer I was there for flagpoling and checked if they do flagpoling at the tunnel! He said I could do it there, but first I should drive to the US side and come back.
Me and my friend drive across the tunnel and told the officer on the US side that I am there for flagpoling. He told my I should have applied for US visa that would have been easier (he was kind of unhappy that I did not have a US visa). Nevertheless, he pasted a yellow slip on our car and another officer escorted us to a parking lot. He told us to leave our cell phones in the car and go inside the office.
We entered the office with our passports and other documents, the officer inside collected my passport and copr and told us to sit. Later he called me and took my fingerprints, he told me that this is just part of the procedure and I don’t need to worry about anything, none of this will affect my fury applications for a US visa.
He then escorted us back to the tunnel entry (we did not even have to pay the toll) he stuck a white paper in the vipers and told us to go back to the Canadian side (He was very humble and nice).
We went back to Canadian side and the officer there took that white paper and told us to go the immigration office on our right.
I went inside and an officer called me. I gave him my papers, he processes everything, gave some usual instructions, made me sign the copr and kept my current work permit with him. And that’s how I became a Candian Permanent Resident!!
The whole process took around 1 hour or so. I was pretty nervous for some reason but everything went so smooth and all the officers were really nice both on Canadian and US side.
Just make sure you have all your documents- your passport + COPR and your current status in Canada.
Also you cannot walk through the tunnel or the Ambassador bridge, s this option is only feasible if you have a car or someone who can drive you there!
I hope this would be helpful to a least some of you!!
Cheers!