Flagpoling Questions

[egoo45]

I live in the middle of no where Northern ON. I expect to get my passport back today or tomorrow along with my CoPR. The closest border crossing is 6.5 hours of a drive away from where I live (I'm planning on going to Thunderbay to do it). I'm thinking of making it a road trip on Saturday and landing at some point in the afternoon on Saturday.

Is it possible to land at a border crossing outside of work hours? Or is there some sort of restriction of which border agents need to be present for the landing? (I know this is a dumb question but I would like to confirm before driving that long and be surprised lol)

Also, I am from Yemen and don't have a visa for the US so being that close to US border agents terrifies me. Can someone shed some light on the procedure on how to actually flagpole for permanent residency?

 

[lifein360]

Border posts are open 24 hours a day. I would advise to go early morning 7-8 am to get it done. U do not need a visa for US, just go to the post and say flagpoling - give u an administrative entry refusal to US and send you to Canadian border agents who will complete your landing process. Saying flagpoling to the US border officers is enough - they know what you are there for.

 

[egoo45]

Border posts are open 24 hours a day. I would advise to go early morning 7-8 am to get it done. U do not need a visa for US, just go to the post and say flagpoling - give u an administrative entry refusal to US and send you to Canadian border agents who will complete your landing process. Saying flagpoling to the US border officers is enough - they know what you are there for.

You see that's the thing. If I was flagpoling at Rainbow bridge or Niagara I wouldn't be concerned, but how many people flagpole at the Pigeon River crossing?

Ahaha if living in the North taught me anything, is that government officials here don't know much about immigration and how to deal with non-citizens. (Not to their fault, they just don't have enough exposure)

 

[lifein360]

You see that's the thing. If I was flagpoling at Rainbow bridge or Niagara I wouldn't be concerned, but how many people flagpole at the Pigeon River crossing?

Ahaha if living in the North taught me anything, is that government officials here don't know much about immigration and how to deal with non-citizens. (Not to their fault, they just don't have enough exposure)

Lol, you maybe right. but it wouldn't hurt to try. You would have time till medicals expiry to land so you can try other options like flying out of the country or other border posts.

You may have seen this link already but just in case http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=748&top=22

 

[lifein360]

Actually, I just saw Niagara Border office details http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/offices-bureaux/1022-eng.html

and compared with Pigeon River http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/offices-bureaux/299-eng.html

If you see, Pigeon River does not offier 'Immigration Services' as compared to Niagara

 

[picklee]

I live in the middle of no where Northern ON. I expect to get my passport back today or tomorrow along with my CoPR. The closest border crossing is 6.5 hours of a drive away from where I live (I'm planning on going to Thunderbay to do it). I'm thinking of making it a road trip on Saturday and landing at some point in the afternoon on Saturday.

Is it possible to land at a border crossing outside of work hours? Or is there some sort of restriction of which border agents need to be present for the landing? (I know this is a dumb question but I would like to confirm before driving that long and be surprised lol)

Also, I am from Yemen and don't have a visa for the US so being that close to US border agents terrifies me. Can someone shed some light on the procedure on how to actually flagpole for permanent residency?

Given your citizenship, I would highly recommend that you do not enter the US to flagpole. US CBP agents have absolute discretion with your fate.

 

[egoo45]

Given your citizenship, I would highly recommend that you do not enter the US to flagpole. US CBP agents have absolute discretion with your fate.

Do you actually enter the US to flagpole? My understanding is that you leave the Canadian side, simply tell the US side that you are flagpoling and they just send you back with a piece of paper. Do they actually review your documents? Ask for your passport/travel document?

I just confirmed with CIC that the only borders capable of performing immigration landing in Ontario are the ones in the south. In order to schedule an appointment to land they told me to mail a request to the office I am interested in landing in... When I called I didn't have the paper with instructions with me, but I checked it again and it told me to call the call center to schedule an appointment. I am on hold again right now, hoping that I can simply schedule an appointment over the phone. Regardless it will still be a 10 hours drive to get to either their office or a port of entry that does immigration :/

The other option is to wait for an itinerary service. Basically they do a tour where they perform landings, citizenship exams and that sort of thing at hotels or where ever they have that venue. Here is more details for anyone interested:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/contact_us/offices/itinerant.asp

They have one in May that's 6 hours away from where I live, so maybe I'll just wait till then.

 

[thinkshady]

flagpoling at Rainbow bridge is your best bet.

 

[andremarques19751]

Do you actually enter the US to flagpole? My understanding is that you leave the Canadian side, simply tell the US side that you are flagpoling and they just send you back with a piece of paper. Do they actually review your documents? Ask for your passport/travel document?

I just confirmed with CIC that the only borders capable of performing immigration landing in Ontario are the ones in the south. In order to schedule an appointment to land they told me to mail a request to the office I am interested in landing in... When I called I didn't have the paper with instructions with me, but I checked it again and it told me to call the call center to schedule an appointment. I am on hold again right now, hoping that I can simply schedule an appointment over the phone. Regardless it will still be a 10 hours drive to get to either their office or a port of entry that does immigration :/

The other option is to wait for an itinerary service. Basically they do a tour where they perform landings, citizenship exams and that sort of thing at hotels or where ever they have that venue. Here is more details for anyone interested:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/contact_us/offices/itinerant.asp

They have one in May that's 6 hours away from where I live, so maybe I'll just wait till then.

Tks for sharing, didnt know about this itinerant service.

 

[picklee]

Do you actually enter the US to flagpole? My understanding is that you leave the Canadian side, simply tell the US side that you are flagpoling and they just send you back with a piece of paper. Do they actually review your documents? Ask for your passport/travel document?

Yes, they would need to see your documents in order to record that you were refused entry. And yes you are on US territory when you are at any port of entry inspection point. Personally I think it's risky given the president's nationalist stance on immigration. Recent reports show some Canadians being refused.

 

[Broken Heart]

In the end of the day, it is your decision and choice what to do.

But I will have to agree with Picklee, on this one, he is right to say that you are on US soil, therefore they can do anything they like to you. And since I recently landed by flag-poling at the Alberta/Montana border, I can confirm that they made it as tough as they could, and racism was written all over the place.

Now if you can wait a month and do inland CIC office landing by calling CIC center, to book a landing appointment to your nearest office, should be your safest option.

Remember even if you risk it and do a border run, considering your passport, the US guys can still stamp your passport with a red rejection entry stamp, which you don't want to have, trust me.


Anyways, good luck with what ever option you choose.

 

[ashu1710]

In the end of the day, it is your decision and choice what to do.

But I will have to agree with Picklee, on this one, he is right to say that you are on US soil, therefore they can do anything they like to you. And since I recently landed by flag-poling at the Alberta/Montana border, I can confirm that they made it as tough as they could, and racism was written all over the place.

Now if you can wait a month and do inland CIC office landing by calling CIC center, to book a landing appointment to your nearest office, should be your safest option.

Remember even if you risk it and do a border run, considering your passport, the US guys can still stamp your passport with a red rejection entry stamp, which you don't want to have, trust me.


Anyways, good luck with what ever option you choose.

Could you share some specifics on how they "made it as tough as they could"?

Just wondering because I was thinking of flagpoling myself.

 

[Broken Heart]

Could you share some specifics on how they "made it as tough as they could"?

Just wondering because I was thinking of flagpoling myself.

This is a very simple and easy process, however lately there are many reports of US officers' racism getting worst, for example an Indian couple was held for 1hr questioning them about where they were, terrorism and all that fancy stuff, a Filipino guy was stamped refusal on his passport rather than the refusal receipt. Maybe these are just isolated incidents, but they happened now that Mr Dump rules that land.

In my case, with EU passport, just waited half an hour, some brief questions, and argument of why come here and not land through the CIC offices, and some stupid comments, with racism all over the place, very arrogant and impolite people.

Even, when I called CIC to book an appointment, I was told to be careful, because lately there are many reports about mistreatment at the US borders and refusals given incorrectly on passport.

Of course depends on your passport, your luck, officer you get, however for OP's case, I think it's not worth the risk.

But by no means, I meant to scare anyone here, many people do land in the border everyday with no issues, or slight issues, but they do land.

Good luck to all.

 

[egoo45]

This is a very simple and easy process, however lately there are many reports of US officers' racism getting worst, for example an Indian couple was held for 1hr questioning them about where they were, terrorism and all that fancy stuff, a Filipino guy was stamped refusal on his passport rather than the refusal receipt. Maybe these are just isolated incidents, but they happened now that Mr Dump rules that land.

In my case, with EU passport, just waited half an hour, some brief questions, and argument of why come here and not land through the CIC offices, and some stupid comments, with racism all over the place, very arrogant and impolite people.

Even, when I called CIC to book an appointment, I was told to be careful, because lately there are many reports about mistreatment at the US borders and refusals given incorrectly on passport.

Of course depends on your passport, your luck, officer you get, however for OP's case, I think it's not worth the risk.

But by no means, I meant to scare anyone here, many people do land in the border everyday with no issues, or slight issues, but they do land.

Good luck to all.

I did call the CIC call center yesterday to schedule an appointment and I am waiting for the nearest office, in Etobicoke, to contact me with a date and time. The only reason I prefer flagpoling is that I can do it sooner and at my own discretion and time. The Etobicoke office is still a 10 hours drive from where I live therefore I would need at least a day travel time to get there and another day to drive back. The nearest airport is a 3 hour drive and frankly might not be worth it to fly if they schedule the appointment and only give me 3 weeks notice or less.

I tried requesting that my appointment be booked close to a weekend. Like a Friday or a Monday. The center agent mentioned that sometimes they arrange Saturday appointments so that would be ideal. I hope I don't get the appointment in the middle of the week, then the entire week is a write off work.

Thanks everyone for your input! I guess officially becoming a PR will be slightly more delayed for me.

 

[whwidjaja]

Guys, for those who are planning to do the landing or have landed by flagpoling, will/did you get a piece of paper from US border mentioning that you were refused entry to the US? I saw couple of threads in the forum mentioning that flagpoling is great since it can save time for us to schedule a landing appointment, however, there will be a record in US border that you have been administratively refused due to flagpoling. Thanks.