Canadian Immigration

gr82bart · Jul 9, 2005

Here's the official link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/

For the most part, people will only need their passport to enter Canada, but I would check this site thoroughly if you are not a citizen of the US, UK, most EU or some British Commonwealth countries.

If you need a Letter of Invitation, please PM one of the organizers (actually the only organizer that would fit the bill is Bob Carnie - he's the only Canadian citizen residing in Toronto) and start your visa application at the begining of 2006. It could take a while and I wouldn't leave it to the last minute.

Art.

doughowk · Jul 9, 2005

Thanks for the link. My mother was a Canadian citizen so I should have relative ease in emigrating. Whatever has become of the island in the Caribbean that wanted to join Canada? Sure would make it easier on those such as I who have become acclimated to warm weather.

jd callow · Jul 9, 2005

Art you are the best!

gr82bart · Jul 9, 2005

The Turks and Caicos Islands have requested 3 times to become Canada's 11th province or (at the time) 3rd territory (today it would be the 4th - we went for Nunavut instead in the Arctic - go figure!). Each time being turned down without much fanfare or a vote for that matter. Now this would be eminent domain and tax dollars well spent!

Art.

gr82bart · Jul 9, 2005

Canadian Border Services and Tax Refunds

Oh, a couple more *** IMPORTANT *** things:

1. Since many of you will have lots of photographic equipment, make sure when you get to the Canada Immigration Officer that you say you are attending a photographic conference - bring lots of evidence just in case - print outs, screen shots, PMs, e-mails, whatever - and that you are NOT going to Canada to work.

2. Buy and develop your film in Canada. It's just easier. I listed several places where film can be bought at very competitive prices.

3. Whatever you buy in Canada, you will be paying 8% Provincial Sales Tax (PST) and 7% Goods and Service Tax (GST) on the listed price. You can get a refund of your GST (including your hotel room) when you leave Canada, but you must do a few things. Click here to get the correct information and forms directly from Revenue Canada.

When you get to the border (ie airport or otherwise), you must have the receipts stamped and the goods must be shown to the Canada Border Services officer as proof of export. The stamped receipt is what you submit with your application form. This can be mailed to Canada when you return home.

This is important to remember, so book your return trips accordingly and make sure you have time to get your receipts stamped. This is especially oimportant if you are going by train or bus, as you will DELAY the other passengers, since you will have to leave the train or bus and make your way to the Canada Border Services kiosk.

At Pearson, there is a Canada Border Services kiosk at every arrivals level at every terminal. Here's a link: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/

Throughout Toronto, you will see pamphlets and brochures to get the same refund. Note that these are from private companies that will charge you a fee - deducted from your refund automatically - for processing the application that you can do for free.

Art.

Les McLean · Jul 10, 2005

On my one trip to Canada nearly 2 years ago I was given a 30 minute grilling by immigration because I was carrying my usual backpack of photographic equipment. I was continually asked if I had work published in the UK to which my answer was "what I do in my own country is my business and not yours". The officer finally told me I could leave and as I approached the door he said Lake Louise was quite beautiful in November so I should make sure I visited there.

The above experience confirms the sound advice passed on in this thread by Art, thank you, I can't wait to get back.

ann · Jul 10, 2005

Frankly, this sounds like a lot of trouble.

jd callow · Jul 10, 2005

I go to Canada all the time. If you are going for an extended vacation you don't need to do anything more than tell them the overview of your plans. I have heard that if you take a large quantity of equipment -- such as multiple cameras and tripods -- you need to tell them that it is for personal use. I have never had this problem and I have brought two tripods, MF and LF cameras and associated gear.

For me Canada is cheap (1/2 the cost of the UK and ~75-80% of the cost here in the states), so I don't bother with keeping the receipts and having them stamped, but I know lots of folks who do (but they buy more stuff then us) and they claim it is the way to go.

Ian Grant · Jul 10, 2005

No the Canadians are really freindly, I had no problem when I went there 19 months ago.

I sat in the back of my cousins car at the US/Canadian border he showed his canadian drivers licence and we just got waved through. No check on his canadian wife or myself, EEC citizen sat in the back.

However going the other way (into the US) as a non US citizen is unreal, the questioning is aggressive, offensive and quite frankly intimadating, but there's obviously wel thought out methodology in the fast barrage of questions, which are designed to trip up those not entering the country for genuine business or holiday reasons.

Going to any country is no problem as long as you can articulate why your going and when your returning

Ian

ann said:
Frankly, this sounds like a lot of trouble.

gr82bart · Jul 10, 2005

ann said:
Frankly, this sounds like a lot of trouble.

I don't know which country you are coming from ann, but if you are from the US or UK, it really is no trouble at all. Just bring your passport. It's same thing the rest of us have to go through to enter any other country for a visit.

Plan your visit. Know what to say to the officials when you enter the country and you'll have a great time in Toronto. Millions do this every year.

As for the tax refund stuff, I just put that post there for information purposes. Most visitors don't even know about it.

Art.

johnnywalker · Jul 10, 2005

ann said:
Frankly, this sounds like a lot of trouble.

It won't be. If you spend more than a couple of minutes with a customs officer I would be very surprised. And they are only rude to us returning Canadians who they are convinced are smuggling in fake Rolex watches.

Les McLean · Jul 10, 2005

Just to clarify my post I was not implying that I was intimidated or offended I simply felt I should pass on my experience to help people intending to be at the APUG conference to be aware that such a thing could happen. I agree with the comments re the friendliness of the Canadian people. Sorry if I caused anyone to doubt the wisdom of going to Canada that was certainly not my intention.

ann · Jul 10, 2005

i am in the US. and don't have a passport, i didn't know you needed one for canada.,

I didn't mean to say the people were not friendly, it just seems a bit overwhelming bit of paper work to bring in cameras and film.

gr82bart · Jul 10, 2005

ann said:
i am in the US. and don't have a passport, i didn't know you needed one for canada.

Technically you can still come in with your driver's lisence and birth certificate, assuming you are a US born citizen. It's just that a passport is the best travel document.

I didn't mean to say the people were not friendly, it just seems a bit overwhelming bit of paper work to bring in cameras and film.

For you, there would be no paperwork, assuming you are a US born citizen. Just bring your Conference receipt and maybe some print outs about the conference. You won't have to show any of this unless you are asked. As Les and others said, the questioning shouldn't last more than 2-3 minutes.

Do come and you will have a great time.

Art.

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 10, 2005

If you have a driver's license and a birth certificate, that should be satisfactory proof of U.S. citizenship.

I lived in Toronto for a year and a half around 1990. The only border crossing hassles occurred once when I forgot my passport going home and they were training a new officer at U.S. immigration, so the trainee and the supervisor gave me the full treatment, asking me to recite the preamble to the constitution and the Gettysburg Address as they listened to my accent. My poor memory of the Gettysburg Address was definitive proof of my U.S. citizenship. They said "no foreigner could put on a performance like that!" I did get home and back, though, on just my driver's license.

When I moved back to the States with a U-haul truck full of my belongings, I guess the officer at the border thought the rented truck in combination with all my East European visas was suspect, but the US inspectors didn't give me any problem.

ann · Jul 10, 2005

thanks for the updates.
i had a passport, but as i h ave not been out of the country for a few years, i did not have it renewed, (Porta rico) doesn't count (lol).

am thinking about coming but just felt overwelmed at all that verbiage.

and i am a us citizen with an accent (according to some).

gr82bart · Jul 10, 2005

David A. Goldfarb said:
My poor memory of the Gettysburg Address was definitive proof of my U.S. citizenship. They said "no foreigner could put on a performance like that!"

I had a colleague from North Carolina who had lost his ID when he was visiting Toronto. I happened to be on the same plane as him going to North Carolina. So I went with him to airport together and watched him as he went to the US Immigration Officer.

Well you should have seen the fuss they put on him. I mean he had NO IDENTIFICATION. He kept hollering in his southern drawl - "You just call my mama and she'll tell you I was born there! I hunt, I eat red meat, I like pretty girls like you (she was a female officer) and I don't have clue who all sits on the supreme court. What's more American than that?"

He got in.

Art.

ann · Jul 10, 2005

lol lol lol

roteague · Jul 10, 2005

ann said:
thanks for the updates.
i had a passport, but as i h ave not been out of the country for a few years, i did not have it renewed, (Porta rico) doesn't count (lol).

am thinking about coming but just felt overwelmed at all that verbiage.

and i am a us citizen with an accent (according to some).

Ann,

With recent changes at US border crossings, I would suggest that you get your passport updated, and take it with you. While Canada doesn't require one, it will make your re-entry into the US much easier.

Mark Layne · Sep 13, 2005

doughowk said:
Thanks for the link. My mother was a Canadian citizen so I should have relative ease in emigrating. Whatever has become of the island in the Caribbean that wanted to join Canada? Sure would make it easier on those such as I who have become acclimated to warm weather.

Other way round unfortunately. Canada wanted to join the Turks and Caicos but didn't qualify.
Mark

Michel Hardy-Vallée · Sep 13, 2005

Mark Layne said:
Other way round unfortunately. Canada wanted to join the Turks and Caicos but didn't qualify.
Mark

What, you mean that we could have had a bloody set of carribean islands for FREE? And we preferred sticking to cold, dreary Nunavik?? G**D***MN our government!!!

pelerin · Jan 28, 2006

Ian Grant said:
No the Canadians are really freindly, I had no problem when I went there 19 months ago.

I sat in the back of my cousins car at the US/Canadian border he showed his canadian drivers licence and we just got waved through. No check on his canadian wife or myself, EEC citizen sat in the back.

However going the other way (into the US) as a non US citizen is unreal, the questioning is aggressive, offensive and quite frankly intimadating, but there's obviously wel thought out methodology in the fast barrage of questions, which are designed to trip up those not entering the country for genuine business or holiday reasons.

Going to any country is no problem as long as you can articulate why your going and when your returning

Ian

Hey,
Reading this reminded me of my own funny experiences returning to the US from Canada. The first time (c. 1987) I returned I found that US Immigration had an outpost at Pearson. This in itself was not unique (similar setup at Shannon as well) but I would have been better off if I had more complete documentation than my CA driving license. The woman who questioned me was clearly not of the opinion that California was actually a legitimate part of the US. As my brother was attending U of T, I had reason visit sporadically over the next several years. I got in the habit of bringing my passport which seemed to mollify the INS. However, a few years ago my wife and I went to Vancouver for vacation. Crossing back into the US required wending one's way through a several hour traffic jam. The reason was immediately apparent when we finally came face to face with border guard. Exactly the line of questioning noted in the post above. There did not seem to be any discount provided for US citizenship. On the other hand I have crossed the same border in a car in several other place without so much as a second glance. The friendliest point of entry seems to be Atlanta however. Without fail they have always said, "welcome home sir." Southern hospitality.
Celac

Monophoto · Jan 29, 2006

ann said:
i am in the US. and don't have a passport, i didn't know you needed one for canada.

Ann -

Theoretically, US citizens can still enter Canada, and subsequently return to the US, with only a drivers license, especially if you are driving However, my experience in traveling across the border numerous times on business is that a passport really makes the process smoother. That is especially the case if you are flying because in that instance, the presumption is that everyone who flies has a passport.

That said, the US Government has proposed a change in the rules that would require a passport for everyone entering the US from Canada. The proposed change won't take place until sometime later this year, and they are getting a lot of pushback from border states on the basis that this would be a major problem for folks who live close to the border and who move back and forth frequently in the ordinary course of life and commerce. (I recall visiting a client in International Falls, MN, and driving 5 minutes across the border to Fort Francis, ON for lunch).

It does cost money to get a passport, but having one is a convenience. You might think about taking the leap in preparation for the APUG conference.

John Bartley · Jan 29, 2006

I cross the border several times a year at Prescott/Ogdensburg to visit a friend in Malone who also collects old tube radios. I have not yet encountered a Customs official on either side who was any less than businesslike and efficient and I have to say that most of them are downright friendly.
I sort of view it the same as income tax. If you don't cheat and you answer the questions honestly, you won't have any trouble.
I guess I'm going to have to get a passport, although for the time and trouble to get it vs the need to cross the border, I might just stay here in Canada from now on.
I'm not really sure what difference a passport would make. I'm sure they can be forged just as easily as a drivers license.

cheers eh?

blansky · Jan 29, 2006

roteague said:
Ann,

With recent changes at US border crossings, I would suggest that you get your passport updated, and take it with you. While Canada doesn't require one, it will make your re-entry into the US much easier.

I agree. Sometimes the hastle is with the airlines when you go to check in. To save the hastle just get a passport.

Soon you'll need them to go the the supermarket anyway.

Michael

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