Canada Border Patrol

[thetreble 19]

The one thing that puzzles me is why would I come up representing a certain profile at YVR, when I never did at any other airport in Canada? It seems a bit odd. The only thing I can assume is that YVR (like YYZ) have a lot of traffic, plus the CBSA officer I first spoke to was relatively young (and perhaps inexperienced) and it was right before Christmas at around midnight. Maybe those working at the airport at that time of year and day were annoyed and took it out on foreign visitors.

I'd also like to know what exactly about myself fit their profile, then. There is certainly nothing peculiar about me at all. Again, I'd like to know what the world "profile" even means in this case.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I'm sure they do random checks as well. As well they are trained to look for certain gestures and responses to their questions. Who knows what the reasons are.

[maritimer 0]

I will be going through Halifax for my POE (when the time arrives) as well. I've flown out of Halifax for all my trips down though, and I can honestly say I've only ever had one lad that was iffy with my responses. I gave him a few more details about my visit and he was satisfied. They are all very good there, I hope you get the older gentleman I had twice - Nicest man you will ever meet Asked me about my fiance and what my favorite things to do when we were together. He said he can just imagine how lovely a wedding we will have once we get our paperwork <3

I don't think you have any reason to be worried. Give them your answer and look them in the eyes, and they generally are quite happy to stamp you and send you along

<3 Jen

hey guys, I am from Halifax tloo I am doing things a little slower than you guys. My boyfriend lives in Boston so I am down there usually every 2nd weekend and he comes up here occasionally (he hates to fly). Early next year we wil lbe applying for the K1 i am interested to see how your POE's are so please post or send me an IM. The old Guy is Patik isn't he awesome hes the manager of them all, he always talks to me and is so friendly. There is a nice lady too, I have never had an issue with the US Agents when I go thru, I was honest with them too telling them I am visitng my boyfriend etc, they always tease me saying one of these days Im gonna see a visa on file for you!!! Good luck with your POE's

[cdn_in_wa 1]

I'm sure they do random checks as well. As well they are trained to look for certain gestures and responses to their questions. Who knows what the reasons are.

Probably 10 or more years ago I had a bizarre experience at YYZ. I had overspent my duty free exemption by $40! Instead of just sending me to pay my duties and taxes, I was admonished at length for overspending and nearly missed my connecting flight to YVR. After the dressing down, they let me through without making me pay.

And once I traveled circuitously from YVR through YYC to Spokane, WA with my elderly mother (to take advantage of airline points). At the Spokane POE I was questioned at length about my employment, etc. After, I realized that in my passport there was a business visa for India and entries into HK and Bangkok. Then it made sense.

Not specific to POEs but rather profiling:

Late 2002 travelling through Sydney-Auckland-LA-YVR I was pulled aside in all 3 outbound airports and searched. Felt kinda special being searched 3 times in one day - NOT. At that time all I could figure was reverse profiling - being a middle-aged female WASP. Be interesting to know what really caused it.

[thetreble 19]

Reverse profiling..interesting.

I would assume someone such as myself is not profiled but merely it was a random check. Without knowing what was in my suitcase, and being a PR, I think searching me was kind of useless. You usually don't search someone who lives in one country and flies home for a few days. It is not like I went on a vacation to NY and bought a whole bunch of ####### to bring home as presents.

Any ways...what ever the reasons, only happened to me once out of the many times I have traveled thus far in my life. It really wasn't a big hassle, and I gave no cause in secondary for them to not let me through.

[DeadPoolX 9]

Reverse profiling..interesting.

I would assume someone such as myself is not profiled but merely it was a random check. Without knowing what was in my suitcase, and being a PR, I think searching me was kind of useless. You usually don't search someone who lives in one country and flies home for a few days. It is not like I went on a vacation to NY and bought a whole bunch of ####### to bring home as presents.

Any ways...what ever the reasons, only happened to me once out of the many times I have traveled thus far in my life. It really wasn't a big hassle, and I gave no cause in secondary for them to not let me through.

Almost every time my wife returned home to Canada after visiting me in the U.S., she used to get pulled aside and questioned by CBSA. CATSA, as well, tend to screen her more thoroughly too. What's interesting about this is that both CBP and TSA waive her by with barely a glance. In general, CBP asks her a couple of very basic questions (at most) and a TSA officer once gave her a "thumbs-up" since she followed the rules.

Apparently, most people don't do that or pretend they don't know any better. I have no idea how anyone couldn't know about putting liquids and gels in a baggie today; even if they didn't, TSA officers go up and down the line asking if people need them. Somehow, people still get up to the screeners and act surprised that they needed to have those items in a baggie!

CBP once hassled me going back to the U.S., which was weird. The officer started asking me questions such as, "What business did you have in Canada?" and "How much money did you spend?" I wasn't the friendliest to him. I didn't have to be, either. The U.S. is my home country, so he couldn't deny me entry even if he wanted. Honestly, I sometimes think these people go off on power trips simply to intimidate others.

On the flipside, the best entry into Canada for me was in YYC. The CBSA officer didn't even look at me or speak to me when I handed him my passport. He stamped it immediately and allowed me in. I stopped for a moment and thought, "That's it? No questions? What's going on here?" But then my brain kicked into high gear and told me to move it or lose it!

[Krikit 1,163]

When Chris came to get me in September, he was flying in from Seattle. He only had a one way ticket from Edmonton (since we were driving to Seattle).

I'm at the airport all excited - and waiting for those Edmonton doors to open to see his smiling face. I see that his plane has landed and I'm waiting - waiting - waiting. No Chris. Seems like the last passenger has come through the doors and its just me and the cleaning lady standing around. I must have waited for 30-40 minutes. Chris finally comes through the doors with a seriously pissed look on his face.

Apparently the border officer didn't like his response that he was "coming to get his wife" and only had a one way ticket from Edmonton. She grilled him for about 30 minutes about the purpose of his vacation and when he intended to leave, job, blah blah blah. So then he tried to explain that he's taking me to Hawaii to live and she asked for proof of that (ie: drivers' license). So Chris pulls out his Alaskan DL and tries to explain that he hasn't updated that yet. Finally he remembers that he has his travel orders from Uncle Sam and gives those to her. She looks at them like they're in Chinese and asks what does that prove? Then she asked him to open his briefcase, cause she thought she smelled something.

I found the whole thing comical. I mean his story did sound kinda sketch and I can just picture how annoyed they probably were with one another.

Sounds like what happened to my husband when he came to get me. (We drove my car down so he only had a one-way ticket, also.) I waited and waited and waited. I had no idea what had happened until he finally came through the doors. sheesh

I'm sure they do random checks as well. As well they are trained to look for certain gestures and responses to their questions. Who knows what the reasons are.

They definitely do random checks. I was told specifically that a couple of times. Once at a land crossing "Sorry, but you've been flagged for a random check. I'm going to have to get you to pull over." and once on a flight. Same deal.... "My apologies, but you've been flagged for a random check."

I'm sure they do random checks as well. As well they are trained to look for certain gestures and responses to their questions. Who knows what the reasons are.

Probably 10 or more years ago I had a bizarre experience at YYZ. I had overspent my duty free exemption by $40! Instead of just sending me to pay my duties and taxes, I was admonished at length for overspending and nearly missed my connecting flight to YVR. After the dressing down, they let me through without making me pay.

Well, that's just stupid. You can spend however much you like.... as long as you pay the duty on whatever isn't duty free. That's the whole point of the thing. yeesh

Late 2002 travelling through Sydney-Auckland-LA-YVR I was pulled aside in all 3 outbound airports and searched. Felt kinda special being searched 3 times in one day - NOT. At that time all I could figure was reverse profiling - being a middle-aged female WASP. Be interesting to know what really caused it.

I had that happen. Once they flag you on the first leg of your journey, you're hit at every checkpoint. Good times.

[cdn_in_wa 1]

I'm sure they do random checks as well. As well they are trained to look for certain gestures and responses to their questions. Who knows what the reasons are.

Probably 10 or more years ago I had a bizarre experience at YYZ. I had overspent my duty free exemption by $40! Instead of just sending me to pay my duties and taxes, I was admonished at length for overspending and nearly missed my connecting flight to YVR. After the dressing down, they let me through without making me pay.

Well, that's just stupid. You can spend however much you like.... as long as you pay the duty on whatever isn't duty free. That's the whole point of the thing. yeesh

That was pretty much what I thought. I think I finally said something like, 'look I know I spent over my quota, can I just go pay what I owe, so I can catch my connecting flight'. I was totally exasperated by that time, and probably was less than polite, but it was ridiculous. Imagine being told 'you have spent too much. You are not allowed to spend this much.' And it wasn't just a comment - I got a bloody lecture over it. It was bizzaro world!

[SapphireDreams 71]

The one thing that puzzles me is why would I come up representing a certain profile at YVR, when I never did at any other airport in Canada? It seems a bit odd. The only thing I can assume is that YVR (like YYZ) have a lot of traffic, plus the CBSA officer I first spoke to was relatively young (and perhaps inexperienced) and it was right before Christmas at around midnight. Maybe those working at the airport at that time of year and day were annoyed and took it out on foreign visitors.

I'd also like to know what exactly about myself fit their profile, then. There is certainly nothing peculiar about me at all. Again, I'd like to know what the world "profile" even means in this case.

From what my friend explained to me, it could be anything from the way you styled your hair to the colour of your jacket or top that day. Or, it could be your travel path and times you were travelling, age, date of birth, teh wayyou spell your name... They are following a pattern of some kind and you maybe fit 3 out of 15 things in that pattern, so they had to do their due diligence and check you it. It's nothing about you being pecular or anything. Who knows, maybe they were seeing high volumes of females your age bringing back goods to sell or something. It's really a ####### shoot. Nothing to worry about. There's no way of knowing.

This is probably just a random thing but I noticed that when my profession was "student" I used to get questioned more. Now when I say, I work in public relations as an account exec at an agency they usually stop their questions! It's so odd.

Sorry this whole thread is totally off topic now

[Allie 5]

Ask for the Employment stamp they gave me mine no problem what so ever

I didn't know that they gave that in Halifax...thats a big help!

Thanks for the review and information.

I don't know whether they give the Employment stamp now, but they did when I went through Halifax in June of 07. No harm in asking for it. Good luck