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Passport seizure at land border crossing

Anks86

Star Member
Feb 1, 2020
88
12
Boston, U.S.A
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Montreal
NOC Code......
2171
App. Filed.......
01-09-2019
AOR Received.
03-09-2019
Med's Done....
16-09-2019
Hi,

My wife and I while trying to go through the border crossing at St. Armand POE (Quebec) were stopped for additional verification.

The border crossing officer assigned to our case asked me everything ranging from our intent (which was to visit Montreal for a day) to what I do in USA (H1B), to when did we plan this trip (about a week ago) and if I knew anyone in Canada (yes a few friends but were not seeing them during this trip), based on my answers FIRST concluded that he doesn’t understand why would anyone drive up from Boston to spend time in Montreal for a single day. I responded by saying that I love traveling and since we don’t work on weekends, and also because Boston is just 4.5 hours from Montreal decided to visit again (yes, we visited Montreal last year too for 2 days).
He then went back for 3.5 hours and came back to inform me that he ‘doesn’t like my passport’, he really said that point blank. And started justifying by saying that the ‘texture’ of lamination was different, the picture was a bit off to the left, the signature was not entirely within the box provided, most shockingly that the plastic lamination had come off a bit from the first page (which I never noticed before, and I travel international almost every 2months).
FINALLY he concluded by saying that my passport had multiple irregularities and he was seizing it for authenticity verification pursuant to sub section 235(1) (b).
Has anyone else gone through such experience? Should I just wait for them to finish their verification (he mentioned it could take 30 days or more)? I am waiting for my express entry result by March. Could this impact that process too?
 
Last edited:

newbiealpha

Star Member
Oct 26, 2017
108
36
I think all you can do is wait, if there is no forgery in your passport then there is nothing to worry about.