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Flagpoling Detriot/Windsor

Meghab

Full Member
Apr 21, 2020
36
2
Hello
I m as a visitor I have lmia and I m planning to go a flag pole in Windsor my sis come with me and question is did u know what question they ask for visitor to convert wp
Please share your email Id. I am also going,Please help.Please give your contact number or email Id. Its very important,
Thanks
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,840
22,108
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
Please share your email Id. I am also going,Please help.Please give your contact number or email Id. Its very important,
Thanks
FYI - Flagpoling to apply for a work permit at the border isn't possible right now. CBSA has stopped accepting and processing applications at the border due to COVID-19. You need to apply online.
 

Meghab

Full Member
Apr 21, 2020
36
2
Thanks, But my plan is not to do flagpole. I will enter through the USA.Please guide. I am not from visa exempt countries. But I have a valid status in USA
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
95,840
22,108
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
Thanks, But my plan is not to do flagpole. I will enter through the USA.Please guide. I am not from visa exempt countries. But I have a valid status in USA
It doesn't matter. It's the same thing. You cannot apply for a work permit at the border right now. Applications aren't being accepted due to COVID-19. You must apply online.

https://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/france/covid-19.aspx?lang=eng

Temporary workers: Applications for positions considered essential will be processed in priority. For an application to be considered complete, biometrics must be provided. Once their application has been processed and approved, temporary workers must determine if they are exempt from the travel restrictions in force at that time. Given that a work permit or letter of introduction indicating that the work permit application has been approved is required to prove that a temporary worker is exempt from travel restrictions, applications may not be submitted at a port of entry to Canada.

New applications for temporary residence, work permits or study permits must be submitted online. If you are a permanent resident of Canada and do not have a valid permanent resident card to return to Canada, please send an email to paris-im.visitor@international.gc.ca and ask for instructions to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document.
 

prachi1326

Newbie
Jul 13, 2022
2
0
Hi all,
Just want to share my experience.

I've tried to flagpole last week in Niagara on the Rainbow Bridge. The attempt was not successful, because I came around 8:40 am and it was already too late because they were processing 10 people per day and, basically, every day (Tuesday to Thursday) at 8:00 am these 10 people were already in the line waiting for the customs office to open.
So I went back to Toronto and decided to go another port of entry - Windsor.

I took a VIA train from Toronto to Windsor and arrived around 10 pm.
The problem with Windsor is that it has no pedestrian sidewalks both on the bridge and in the tunnel. And I have neither car nor driving license. I've tried to ask taxi to drive me outside Canadian border and turn around (since I have no US visa and was not going to enter USA) but driver refused and also scared me a lot. He said my plan was terrible and I would stuck between borders for hours.
As appeared later he was not a reliable source of information - so don't listen taxi drivers even if they are local.
So instead of the Canadian border the driver took me to Windsor bus terminal which is very close to the tunnel itself. From where I took the Tunnel Bus to Detroit (5 CAD fee, cash) to cross the border. Bus driver didn't really care about the purpose of my travel and if I have US visa - it was more like a regular TTC bus then a shuttle bus. It was almost empty - only six people inside.
So, I crossed the Canadian border and arrived to the US border. The bus stopped and all the passengers were told to exit and go to customs office. In the office I told officer that I had no intention to go to USA and I want to come back to Canada because I was just flagpoling. He took my passport and told me to stay in the office.
After that he told bus driver to pick me up on his way back. There is actually a bus stop on the other side of customs office, so the officer was not forcing driver to do something that he doesn't do normally. I guess he told that just in case if there won't be any people on the bus stop and driver may decide to pass through without stopping.
After that the officer started putting data from my passport to their system and asking some weird questions (completely different from the officer on the Rainbow Bridge). He was asking what did I do in Canada, where did I work, what was my Canadian address, which college did I study, what was my height, weight and also if I was a spy or not. :) I guess some of these questions he asked just because he was bored. He was quite friendly and relaxed.
He also took my fingerprints and made a photo of me. Again, none of this happened on the Rainbow Bridge, where the whole procedure took like 5 minutes. But here he was really checking if I am a criminal or not. Maybe just because he was bored.
Then he printed some form, put it inside my passport and told me to wait for the bus. When the bus was about to arrive the other officer took my passport with the printed form in it and escorted me to the bus stop. I suppose he was not giving me back my passport because the bus stop was physically in the US and I could theoretically run away to become illegal immigrant.
When the bus arrived the officer gave my passport to the driver (not to me) and told him something. The driver let me in together with all the other people (for some reason he didn't ask to pay fee again) and drove back to Canadian border. At the border the driver give my passport and the form to Canadian officer who told me to exit the bus and wait in the office. After processing all the other passengers he asked me to show my COPR. He was not asking for any other documents and didn't ask weird questions except for my exact address in order to send PR card. Over all he didn't look upset - more like focused on an unusual task which he wanted to finish properly.

As a conclusion, I can say that flagpoling in the Windsor/Detroit tunnel is doable but a little bit scary. :) Officers on both sides were a bit surprised of me doing that weird thing but they were not angry at all. I guess because of a very few people doing it.
At the same time the situation may change if too many people will start doing it. First of all, the bus driver will have to take care about passengers' documents what he may not really want to do on a regular basis. Also officers need to escort people to the bus stop what they also may not like to do constantly.
Windsor Detroit Broder allows flagpoling on weekends?
 

Kshama I

Newbie
Jul 27, 2023
3
0
Hi all,
Just want to share my experience.

I've tried to flagpole last week in Niagara on the Rainbow Bridge. The attempt was not successful, because I came around 8:40 am and it was already too late because they were processing 10 people per day and, basically, every day (Tuesday to Thursday) at 8:00 am these 10 people were already in the line waiting for the customs office to open.
So I went back to Toronto and decided to go another port of entry - Windsor.

I took a VIA train from Toronto to Windsor and arrived around 10 pm.
The problem with Windsor is that it has no pedestrian sidewalks both on the bridge and in the tunnel. And I have neither car nor driving license. I've tried to ask taxi to drive me outside Canadian border and turn around (since I have no US visa and was not going to enter USA) but driver refused and also scared me a lot. He said my plan was terrible and I would stuck between borders for hours.
As appeared later he was not a reliable source of information - so don't listen taxi drivers even if they are local.
So instead of the Canadian border the driver took me to Windsor bus terminal which is very close to the tunnel itself. From where I took the Tunnel Bus to Detroit (5 CAD fee, cash) to cross the border. Bus driver didn't really care about the purpose of my travel and if I have US visa - it was more like a regular TTC bus then a shuttle bus. It was almost empty - only six people inside.
So, I crossed the Canadian border and arrived to the US border. The bus stopped and all the passengers were told to exit and go to customs office. In the office I told officer that I had no intention to go to USA and I want to come back to Canada because I was just flagpoling. He took my passport and told me to stay in the office.
After that he told bus driver to pick me up on his way back. There is actually a bus stop on the other side of customs office, so the officer was not forcing driver to do something that he doesn't do normally. I guess he told that just in case if there won't be any people on the bus stop and driver may decide to pass through without stopping.
After that the officer started putting data from my passport to their system and asking some weird questions (completely different from the officer on the Rainbow Bridge). He was asking what did I do in Canada, where did I work, what was my Canadian address, which college did I study, what was my height, weight and also if I was a spy or not. :) I guess some of these questions he asked just because he was bored. He was quite friendly and relaxed.
He also took my fingerprints and made a photo of me. Again, none of this happened on the Rainbow Bridge, where the whole procedure took like 5 minutes. But here he was really checking if I am a criminal or not. Maybe just because he was bored.
Then he printed some form, put it inside my passport and told me to wait for the bus. When the bus was about to arrive the other officer took my passport with the printed form in it and escorted me to the bus stop. I suppose he was not giving me back my passport because the bus stop was physically in the US and I could theoretically run away to become illegal immigrant.
When the bus arrived the officer gave my passport to the driver (not to me) and told him something. The driver let me in together with all the other people (for some reason he didn't ask to pay fee again) and drove back to Canadian border. At the border the driver give my passport and the form to Canadian officer who told me to exit the bus and wait in the office. After processing all the other passengers he asked me to show my COPR. He was not asking for any other documents and didn't ask weird questions except for my exact address in order to send PR card. Over all he didn't look upset - more like focused on an unusual task which he wanted to finish properly.

As a conclusion, I can say that flagpoling in the Windsor/Detroit tunnel is doable but a little bit scary. :) Officers on both sides were a bit surprised of me doing that weird thing but they were not angry at all. I guess because of a very few people doing it.
At the same time the situation may change if too many people will start doing it. First of all, the bus driver will have to take care about passengers' documents what he may not really want to do on a regular basis. Also officers need to escort people to the bus stop what they also may not like to do constantly.
Can I do it on Friday?