Community Forums

caymandave · 07-06-2009, 09:31 AM

HiGuys we are going to pass back through the US Customs into the US from Canada. We are US Citizens.
Any specific Help we know about the meat and veggie deal. We tow a trailer with a Motorcycle and Car and all our stuff in boxes anyone have any ideas on what to expect. We have heard from the Canadians we have met that it is hit or miss the the US side.
Thaks in advance

Ottawa · 07-06-2009, 09:33 AM

Basically, have your passports and all the registrations for the vehicles and just take it easy.

Spikester · 07-06-2009, 10:24 AM

Firearms, pepper spray, mace and etc are also items to be aware of. Also would recommend that you have proof of insurance for all of your vehicles. If you have had any previous problems with the law (felony arrests) you may have a problem.

We have been crossing between WA and BC routinely for the past 25 years, only be stopped for inspection/search on 1 occasion. Be patient, curious and honest, remember the customs folks on either side of the border are only doing their jobs, and trying to keep the bad guys out of their respective Country's.

Spike

JCM · 07-06-2009, 10:26 AM

Don't take any non cooked meat or vegies with you. We just empty orur fridge and restock across the border since rules are changing daily. Havn't had aproblem since doing that.

RedneckExpress · 07-06-2009, 02:23 PM

Or find out if Safeway will honor their Meat Replacement policy across country borders. If they do, buy your meat at a safeway in the states and eat as much as you want, when you have to throw it away at the border, keep your receipt and go to the store and ask them to replace it under the Rancher's reserve guarauntee.

Meat replaced courtesy of Safeway Canada

.

Sixpack98 · 07-06-2009, 02:52 PM

Coming back from Canada to the US 2 weeks ago was simple and quick. Had to produce out passports. Did not ask for registration, proof of insurance. Did ask about fresh fruit and veggies. Did ask about alcohol other than for personal consumption. Did enter the MH and glanced toward the back. Guess they were looking for illegals.

TW · 07-06-2009, 09:35 PM

Very good advice from JCM! We do about the same.....
keep the fridge empty when going south and stock up at the next superstore.
On the way back north we try to get the fridge empty, well - as close as possible. No problems either way.

Enjoy
TW

read & learn · 07-07-2009, 07:08 AM

Let me ask this question. If we decide to go to Alaska from the lower 48 thru Canada, we are limited to what food we can bring into Canada and then what we could bring into Alaska. That would mean we would not be able to stock up on anything till we got to Alaska?

Craig H · 07-07-2009, 02:45 PM

We went to Alaska in the Summer of '08 and crossed into and out of Canada several times. We never had a problem and we always had a well stocked fridge. Just showed our passports and health certificates for the pets. Had an inspector come into the rig once and take a cursory look around. Smile, say hello and hand over the paperwork. All will be well.

adj · 07-08-2009, 06:39 AM

Wow! I'm ignorant. What's with the "meat" policy?

hamguy · 07-08-2009, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caymandave

HiGuys we are going to pass back through the US Customs into the US from Canada. We are US Citizens.
Any specific Help we know about the meat and veggie deal. We tow a trailer with a Motorcycle and Car and all our stuff in boxes anyone have any ideas on what to expect. We have heard from the Canadians we have met that it is hit or miss the the US side.
Thaks in advance

We crossed borders 2x in 2006 and 8x in 2007. We kept a normally stocked refrigerator and wine cabinet and were never checked once. But we do have very, VERY honest faces!

georgetown350 · 07-08-2009, 01:23 PM

answer the questions with short truthfull answers. If you dont have alcohol or ciggs and they ask " what are you bringing in to the USA" answer >>>>> nothing. If they need more detail they will ask.

kcir · 09-29-2009, 03:31 PM

[QUOTE=kcir;550462]2 weeks ago crossing from Sarnia to Mi we were stopped for a agriculture inspection, the resuilt was no goat, no lamb no PEI potatoes, and some citrus friuts were noit allowed into USA. Any red or white meat should be left in orginal package so type is not questionable.

Paul R. Haller · 09-29-2009, 04:10 PM

We have had no problems over the years but last year... OMG the Canadians were so suspicious. I had 2 bottles of wine on board and they asked about that. Then they said after handing over our passports, do you have any guns on board. I said no. (I didn't) They then said, "I see here you have a registered gun at home.... do you have any unregistered guns at home? I said it was none of their business what I do at home, just what I do in Canada and I already said I do not have any guns on board. He simply said I dont believe you and am I getting snippy with him? I said that there was no busniss to ask what I do at home, only what I do here in your beautiful country and No, I was not being snippy only truthful.. He told me to pull over and let the other guys inspect the trailer again.

2 guys came over and said, My partner does not believe you, please open the trailer. I did and said that I have nothing to hide. They were in there about 20 minutes and came out with a bag of dog food I keep for my dog. (He was in the back seat of the truck.) They asked all kinds of questions about the food and finally they just said they were confiscating the dog food. When I asked why, he did not answer just that he was doing it, period.Then, he asked me to look in his eyes and tell him I have no guns. I did. He finally said enjoy your stay in Canada and spend lots of money.

My guess is that because we are being hard at the border with Canadians they now can also be with Americans. They also noted that we entered Canada 9 times in the past 6 years and asked why this time I am entering Canada through Montana and not Washington like I always have done in the past.

My advice is to be pleasant and do not engage them in any way. Answer all questions brought up truthfully and make no remarks about anything they do warranted or not. I am surprised that they have greater powers then our own police or even the Canadian police. Here or in Canada you need a warrant to search peoples personal property but not at the border. They can detain you, hold you, or arrest you, without a warrant or cause but on a whim. They do not need to justify their actions and they can and do confiscate items they deem improper. I found out later that dog food has animal products within the processed food and that they can confiscate it, but with no explanation, it seems almost a punishment for telling them they have no business asking those kinds of questions that clearly have no bearing on the current question of if I am carrying firearms. It seems that the Canadian views of American is that we are all gun loving, bible carrying, NRA members.
-Paul R. Haller-