What NOT to say to a USA border Agent!

[Flames9_RN 358]

So I was returning to DC from Saskatoon on Wed. So was my turn to go to the next stall for USA Immigration. Lucky me gets this crusty chick, and I just knew she was a grump,lol and I probably didnt help myself. So I get to her booth, hand her just my Greencard. NEVER have they asked for my passport, so I didnt hand it over. Of course this time she wanted it. So she takes the passport and looks it over with a fine tooth comb, looked at every page. Then she asked where I was coming from?? I explained Canada. She asked why i was in Canada? I stated "I'm Canadian" lol which wasnt the answer she wanted,lol She in a very bitchy tone stated "now that doesnt answer my question, does it? lol, I said I guess not, sorry, I was visiting my folks!,lol Again she looked over my passport and greencard, taking her time, then stamped the boarding pass, and I was on my way.

[CBR 0]

Where do they get these people from? I can't stand it. I often wonder if and how they train them to be such jackasses to us. I don't expect top notch customer service, but just in comparison to the guards at the montreal embassy who do their jobs with straight faces, but still treat people decently...it makes me sick that we have to deal with those attitudes every time we want to visit jer's family.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I admit I was incorrect to say "Im Canadian" lol I was in a bit of a grumpy mood as well. Guess she was just doing her job.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I actually remember in 2000 November (day prior to US Thanksgiving) entering at Ambassador Bridge, and being asked why I'd visited Canada (gee, I always thought people were allowed to visit their "own" country; at that time I had held a GC for 50 weeks). The guard nearly hit the sky when I said that I'd made a visit to Calgary and voted in Canadian election (not sure whether Boaracle's FL shenanigan played any part in that detail).

[KarenCee 3]

Where do they get these people from? I can't stand it. I often wonder if and how they train them to be such jackasses to us. I don't expect top notch customer service, but just in comparison to the guards at the montreal embassy who do their jobs with straight faces, but still treat people decently...it makes me sick that we have to deal with those attitudes every time we want to visit jer's family.

Maybe they were always the ones picked last at recess for games and this is their twisted form of payback?

Seriously, one time I came through Boston on my way HOME...yes HOME...and the Kojak wannabe questioned me pretty heavily. Wanted to know where I had been (NS), why was I there (to see BF), whom did I visit (again, to see BF), where did I live (GA), so I have proof of where I live (um..address is on my passport?), what do I do for a living (I teach), can I prove it (what???? still, I hand him my photo ID). Not sure what all this had to do with me coming home, but I figured it was better to let him live out his fantasy rather than argue.

[CDAgirlMI 51]

I think some of them are on some kind of "power trip". Almost everytime I cross into the States (I am from Canada, BF's in US), I have another story to tell everyone. It's almost like "Guess what happened THIS time...". But Knock on wood...they're nothing bad, sometimes amusing.

I've been asked to show proof of where I work...I'm self-employed, luckily I had left over business cards that day! She took it and sent me on my way.

I wish I would've wrote the "stories" down......something to laugh at in the future, lol.

[Eric_and_Corinna 0]

I admit I was incorrect to say "Im Canadian" lol I was in a bit of a grumpy mood as well. Guess she was just doing her job.

At least you didn't stand there and recite the entire "Joe Canadian" bit

[Marilyn. 340]

yeah almost every time my hubby came up to visit me he got "interrogated" at the Vancouver Airport...

one time they sent him over to secondary inspection and the lady asked him why he was there and hubby said i don't really know.. the lady checked over his things and just sent him on his way...

[cherylc522 0]

I've been sent to secondary before, I'm canadian and fiance is in US and i was going down to visit, they didn't let me go through and sent me home, we had not applied for k-1 yet but did right after that

[Ban Hammer 13,570]

[Marilyn. 340]

what are you confused about, Charles??

[DeadPoolX 9]

yeah almost every time my hubby came up to visit me he got "interrogated" at the Vancouver Airport...

one time they sent him over to secondary inspection and the lady asked him why he was there and hubby said i don't really know.. the lady checked over his things and just sent him on his way...

Never go through YVR if you're looking to visit your Canadian boyfriend/girlfriend, fiance(e) or spouse. They go absolutely crazy there. I've heard YYZ is just as bad or even sometimes worse. I suppose that makes sense, though. Both Vancouver and Toronto probably receive the most people and therefore, the highest number of foreign visitors.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

yeah almost every time my hubby came up to visit me he got "interrogated" at the Vancouver Airport...

one time they sent him over to secondary inspection and the lady asked him why he was there and hubby said i don't really know.. the lady checked over his things and just sent him on his way...

Never go through YVR if you're looking to visit your Canadian boyfriend/girlfriend, fiance(e) or spouse. They go absolutely crazy there. I've heard YYZ is just as bad or even sometimes worse. I suppose that makes sense, though. Both Vancouver and Toronto probably receive the most people and therefore, the highest number of foreign visitors.

Overall, YVR is given 3-stars by Globe & Mail Magazine (includes domestic section), while YYZ has been consistently given 0 for the past 19 years.

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

I've never really had a problem with Pearson....just American Airlines!

I've always had very nice officers at the airport. The only problem I had one time was because I have a very very common last name and I was put into secondary because of it...They thought I was on the no fly list...

Luckily, after 5 minutes they realized I wasn't a terrorist or a fugitive and sent me on my way.

[SpiritAlight 1]

Oh Flames, I'm glad you got through okay, although obviously not pleasant.

I used to have such fun with the checkpoint (driving across) guards my whole life, until last year.

Since then I have become traumatized (I do not use that word lightly), and really would rather not put myself through that; it is necessary though and has been done and will continue to be done. Bleh!

As the welcoming face to a country, cross border guards need to to keep that in mind.