DH and I started our vacation last night. We left right after work and quickly made it to the border where we were swiftly detained. Apparently because DH travels back and forth in Canada, when he told them we were here for a vacation they didn't believe us and it didn't help that DH's company generously offered to let us take one of his company cars for the trip AND DH had some "business-like" materials (just papers and stuff) in his car (because it's a "business" car). We were sure they were going to send us home. Fortunately after an hour of being berated with questions and being told that lying can get us sent to jail the woman who searched our car told us that "we seemed like honest people" and sent us on hour way.
It was a rough hour, but we made it to Niagra Falls! Now we can enjoy our trip, as long as the US doesn't detain us at the border, lol! Keep your fingers crossed!
Re: So I'm in Canada (Finally!)
Serendipity3, South Beach, Miami, FL 2012
I can sadly say I remember the days when they would let us across without even showing ID.
Have a wonderful trip!!!
Glad you made it through!!Now you can relax and enjoy the rest of your vacation!!
The border can be absurd sometimes. I remember being detained with DH once when he was working in Toronto, and some creepy officer was going through my suitcase and touching all my underwear. I was completely skeeved out.
This is exactly what we both said to eachother after we had calmed down a but and realized that we were through the border, and we were fine. He called his parents right after we got through the border, because I had told him that "someone needed to laugh at that story, because I certainly wasn't at that point yet". They thought it was funny, so that calmed me down and I'm feeling much better this morning
Serendipity3, South Beach, Miami, FL 2012
What are the "NEXUS" cards? I've heard a lot about those in the past few weeks and I can't seem to figure out what they are for.
And yeah, we don't expect any more problems for the trip. We are definitely not going to drive back through Canada on the way home and the US doesn't care that we have a "company" car or "business-like materials", because we're from the US.
I didn't think about them thinking we were going to sell the car... We are 99% sure that the reason we got hassled so bad was because it was a business car and they thought that DH was there for business, which is highly discouraged. They also didn't like the fact that we were staying in St. Catherines (which is where GM is located), not Niagra, because St. Catherines is WAY cheeper than Niagra, and MUCH nicer and it's only like 15 minutes away.
Oh well, I guess you live and you learn
Serendipity3, South Beach, Miami, FL 2012
Serendipity3, South Beach, Miami, FL 2012
The NEXUS cards allows you to travel in the middle lane across the bridge so you don't have to sit in the car lane and then when you get to the booths you have your own special lane. Also available at other CANADA/US borders like Windsor. You flash your card on a special pad and it pulls up who you are and they look through your window to make sure you match the picture and open the gate for you. Now to get this "special" treatment, everyone traveling in the car must have a NEXUS card or you can't use that lane/booth. So my DH, myself, and our 2 children all have them. You fill out the application online, they run a check on you, they then send you a letter stating to make an appointment for an interview. You go into the customs office and both country's agents are there and they tell you the rules of using the cards and they scan your fingerprints, take your picture and then you get a NEXUS card with your picture on it. It is so convienient to have one especially if you like to travel to CANADA. The time we save having them is totally worth it. They're good for 5 years.
Thanks for the info. I don't know if we will travel back and forth to canada often enough to make it worth it. DH might though, I'll let him know it might be a good option to look into!
Serendipity3, South Beach, Miami, FL 2012