RVing into Canada, what to watch out for 2 the experience

[mannebk]

so the other thread got closed, for folks saying stuff...

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f295/rvi...or-669317.html

so here is the experience...

rolled up to the border. zero wait time, there where literally free immigration officers waiting. about 4pm on Friday

i roll into the lane and up to the booth...

officer: why are you carrying a German flag instead of a front license plate..

me: im a German

o: so where do you live

m: Germany

o: how many in there

m: just me

o: what do you do here

m: vacation

o; what did it cost to get that RV here

m: oh no, its a US RV i rented, it wouldn't be legal in Europe, too wide. i did flew into salt lake and have to hand it back there at end of month. (showing my flight ticket to the officer,)

o: oh, so what does it cost to rent such a thing

m: about 200 a day

o: thinking, so when did you pick it up

m end of February

o: thinking, you happy with it

m considering age and price, yes.

o, thinking again, whats the license plate (he could not see it on his camera cause the rig was to long)

m: searching for insurance paperwork and stating plate number

o: who is tge owner

m: stating owner (reading off insurance papers)

o: what your doing in Canada

m: visiting friends

o: where

m: that bit of peninsula that has some US hanging from it right here to the west

o: You mean Tsawwassen

m: oh that's how its pronounced? yes thats the place

o: you got guns in there?

m: im a German, so no i dont own or carry weapons.

o: Wellcome to Canada have a safe trip and enjoy your vacation.

that was the immigration word by word.

[mannebk]

it took like 5 minutes. mostly because I couldn't find the insurance papers :-)

[mannebk]

i left all my ahm and ohm and bad English out, so its easier to read

[Alaskajohn]

That is about my experience on 4 out of every 5 boarder crossings!

[kenandterry]

My wife and I have crossed the U.S./Canada border more times than I can count. Maybe 5 or 6 times by air, but mostly driving across at a number of border crossing points.

The things to remember…..
1. Remove any sunglasses. (Border officials have been trained to “read” your eyes.
2. Offer your passport even before they ask for it.
3. Answer all questions honestly, but more importantly, “LESS IS MORE” is the better exchange to any questions.

These 3 steps alone, have granted us speedy crossings each way since the 1970’s, so I must be doing something right.

[NCPinz]

^^ to item number 3 - answer questions honestly, but specifically answer what was asked and STOP talking. This is hard for Americans to do but fight you're inner demon and don't provide any additional info beyond what was requested. Silence is ok.

[MKwilli]

We are getting ready to RV to Alaska from Illinois next month. Good Canada crossing info, thanks.

[spock12]

We went in 2017 and some idiot scared the hell out of my wife before we got to the border. We had no problems going or coming. The border agents asked questions and I answered honestly and said yes sir and no sir and only opened my mouth when they asked a question. About 3 minutes and we were on our way. The only thing I’m taking across the border is 2 bottles of wine, no food or fruit, they have Walmart in Canada. I have cash. I’m leaving my politics at home as there isn’t any room in the camper for them. Last time going to Alaska and probably Canada, I’m a little old to be taking long trips.

[spock12]

I hope no one brings politics into this thread, I like to see what others think about going into Canada to get to Alaska

[Brunnie]

A tip I picked up from someone that has crossed the border several times.... If the driver is normally chatty.... SWAP drivers. Her husband is always talkative, so she does all the border crossing driving. Less talk is better.

[Rexlion]

A poly tick. (Polyester)

[mannebk]

some one care to explain to me as a non native speaker the poly tick joke?

[mannebk]

darn, the penny just dropped, yea that's a funny one. ROFL

[mannebk]

most problems tourists have with German border police "Zoll" comes from: they talk to much, let those officers come to their own conclusions, caus that's their job, don't try to give answers to not (yet) asked questions, it usually rises more questions than you actually want to honestly answer.

and trying to make up their mind for them is literally interfering with the job they are tasked with.

just imagine your the border officer who lets a guy in whos going to kill 100 people later on, you literally had the best chance of all folk involved at stopping that guy.

its a serious task, not actually hunting for folks that fill out declaration papers the wrong way,, ir are illegal to cross, but hunting for those who would actually do intentionally serious damage one way or the other after the crossing of the border

my 5 cent

but that border crossing probably went that way cause im a caucasian male, and still i cleaned out my RV before i went to the border. like literally i filled two wast bins at a rest area with old parts, food and all kinds of stuff.

i also cleaned house on phone, dash cams and computers, got all uploaded into my owncloud at home, so if they confiscated something i wouldn't loos the content, and there nothing incriminating anymore, without doing deep research.

besides that in the US i had unlimited data, i used 276GB in 36h, now in Canada i got 2 GB per day, no way of transferring that amount any time soon and still using my phone...