P.O.E. Peace Arch border crossing

[LindaB 0]

I got to the border and went inside after crossing with my Nexus card. There was a big line up and when I got up to the front the agent said "sorry, I don't know how to process one of those, go back and wait in line" and then the next agent was the same thing. Seemed like all there was was "rookies" up at the counter at that time. They finally found someone who could help me and they took my package and passport and told me to sit down. After about 10 - 15 minutes, an agent called me up to the counter, took my finger prints, had me sign the form on both sides, stamped my passport and then was done. Boy, I felt like a big weight was lifted off my shoulder when I watched him stamp my passport! I was in there for approx. an hour but the actual process was only about 10 minutes. I then went to the Nexus office and updated all my information there too. Then only had to drive 30 minutes home.....sorry don't mean to rub it in to the people who have to drive hours or days to their new home.

I will be moving all the rest of my belongings down Thursday night plus I still have to import my car (getting the letter from Chrysler).

Thanks again to everyone for their support and encouragement!

[BH45 0]

Congrats on the seemless easy POE. Welcome home !!!

[Ontarkie 14,403]

Congrats

[Cdn_Ali 11]

I'm surprised they had so many rookies at Peace Arch. Glad it was relatively easy...I'll be using that POE also. Are you in Bellingham?

[jundp 191]

We went through the Peace Arch two weeks ago and it was about the same for us. Rookies, but nice guys.

Welcome!

[LindaB 0]

I'm surprised they had so many rookies at Peace Arch. Glad it was relatively easy...I'll be using that POE also. Are you in Bellingham?

Yes, we are in Bellingham. What about you?

[Cdn_Ali 11]

Have spread my time between Whistler & Squamish for the past 16 years. My final destination will be Las Vegas though...that'll be a shock to the system! I have friends in B'ham & love it down there, esp. now there is a Trader Joe's. Will use my Nexus and activate my visa at Peach Arch like you did, but will be turning around and driving back across the border right after...unless you want to get together to help me celebrate.

[EandL 0]

Congrats and Welcome to Bellingham! (From another Canadian in Bellingham)

I recommend going to the Truck Crossing to import your car. They are very professional there. I tried to import my car at Peace Arch and the officer was literally cursing at me because they didn't want to deal with it. He was like, " you wanna import your car, oh #######, oh no, we are really busy, " He said to me, "do you have to import it right now?" I said, "I don't have to, but I got harassed last time I crossed with my BC plates." He said, "get out of here. Come back another time." I couldn't believe it! It was so unprofessional!! Maybe I just went at a bad time, but it was an inconvenience to me because I had to drive back to the border the next day!

[LindaB 0]

Have spread my time between Whistler & Squamish for the past 16 years. My final destination will be Las Vegas though...that'll be a shock to the system! I have friends in B'ham & love it down there, esp. now there is a Trader Joe's. Will use my Nexus and activate my visa at Peach Arch like you did, but will be turning around and driving back across the border right after...unless you want to get together to help me celebrate.

I love it here too....I am from White Rock so if I miss the beach too much I can go down to Boulevard Park/Fairhaven!

We love it there. We live just a few minutes away from Trader Joes and love it too....they have great trail mixes...my favourite is "The nutty American"...fitting eh!

I used the Nexus line too. When you go through Nexus, make sure you tell the guard in the booth what you are doing and they will give you an orange card to take inside. The guard just waved me through as usual and when I pulled into the parking area to go inside one of the guards asked me for my orange card and when I told him what I was doing, he said I should have told the guard in Nexus booth. After I was finished inside, the agent inside asked if I had an orange card and when I said "no" he just took one out of the drawer, wrote something on it and gave it to me to give to the guards outside so I could leave.

Sure we can meet to celebrate.....we could meet at Trader Joe's

[LindaB 0]

Congrats and Welcome to Bellingham! (From another Canadian in Bellingham)

I recommend going to the Truck Crossing to import your car. They are very professional there. I tried to import my car at Peace Arch and the officer was literally cursing at me because they didn't want to deal with it. He was like, " you wanna import your car, oh #######, oh no, we are really busy, " He said to me, "do you have to import it right now?" I said, "I don't have to, but I got harassed last time I crossed with my BC plates." He said, "get out of here. Come back another time." I couldn't believe it! It was so unprofessional!! Maybe I just went at a bad time, but it was an inconvenience to me because I had to drive back to the border the next day!

Thanks for the advice! I will definitely do that because that was the responses I was getting when I first got there yesterday with my visa package. Like I was a big bother! I told one guy that I was going to go to the truck crossing but decided to come to Peace Arch because I figured they would be more experienced there. He told me "yeah you should have gone to the truck crossing because they have more experienced "visa" people there.

[Flames9_RN 358]

See so many responses on these boards of POE officers not knowing how to do certain visas!! When i crossed into Maine, they had no clue either. Had to get out the book and do it step by step, as well they called another POE to verify that info,lol Glad u made it htrough

[pegbert64 0]

I've amost always used the truck crossing, and never had a problem there. Just came through a couple weeks ago (first time coming back with my GC, yeah!) and the gentleman was VERY nice and professional...... probably the most pleasant crossing I've ever had!

Keep in mind that the Peace Arch crossing is the "touristy" one..... being that a lot of folks from other countries want to enjoy the park, take pictures at the big arch, etc. So, it would stand to reason that the officers might be a bit more 'testy', having to deal with a whole myriad of tourists from who-knows-where. The truck crossing, on the other hand, is rather boring...... just pavement and buildings!, so not much appeal to the vacationing tourists. And, dealing with trucks, couriers, drivers on business, regular crossers, etc, you would hope that the officers might have a better general knowledge of special situations.

[Cdn_Ali 11]

EandL - thanks so much for writing your experience about the car. And LindaB - thanks for the info about the orange card. Only time I got an orange card at Peace Arch was when they selected me for a random Nexus check.

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

Welcome home Linda

Congratulations and all the best to you and your beloved.

[americag1234 0]

I am so happy for you that everything worked out for you.

I got to the border and went inside after crossing with my Nexus card. There was a big line up and when I got up to the front the agent said "sorry, I don't know how to process one of those, go back and wait in line" and then the next agent was the same thing. Seemed like all there was was "rookies" up at the counter at that time. They finally found someone who could help me and they took my package and passport and told me to sit down. After about 10 - 15 minutes, an agent called me up to the counter, took my finger prints, had me sign the form on both sides, stamped my passport and then was done. Boy, I felt like a big weight was lifted off my shoulder when I watched him stamp my passport! I was in there for approx. an hour but the actual process was only about 10 minutes. I then went to the Nexus office and updated all my information there too. Then only had to drive 30 minutes home.....sorry don't mean to rub it in to the people who have to drive hours or days to their new home.

I will be moving all the rest of my belongings down Thursday night plus I still have to import my car (getting the letter from Chrysler).

Thanks again to everyone for their support and encouragement!