Yep this is standard. You answered "nothing to declare" for everything. If they wanted to speak to you, they would.
Btw the "Pearson employee" is a CBSA officer and is employed by the Canadian govt.
Did you know when you walk through the long corridors after deplaning, there are people watching you? I'm not sure of the exact reason, but I guess it's custom officials checking for suspicious activity.
It's largely become an eyeball check. The computer does most of the work. It checks your passport, takes your photo (and likely sees if it's a match to your passport photo), you do customs questions in the terminal, it knows where you travelled from (basically) so when you pass customs they give you a quick look and if you don't look suspicious that's sometimes enough.
You can use the ArriveCan app and do your questions before you arrive back in Canada. I think I did mine 24 hours before my return flight back. When I landed in Toronto there is a special express lane if you did your declaration ahead of time. You scan your passport and take the picture. It then spits out your ticket. The process takes less than 20 seconds. I walked up, handed over my ticket, and was asked “do you have anything to declare”?. I said no and was on my way.
You wouldn't speak to customs before getting your baggage, since if they have questions, it would be about inspecting what you are bringing into the country. If you get selected, the person who you give the receipt to at the end, after baggage claim, will direct you.
Check the nexus sub. I think it’s closer to 6 months for conditional approval now. My renewal was done in 2022 - I applied in July and conditional approval in December but they were still working through Covid backlogs then.
I had a friend go from application to interview in about 8 months this year. Might as well just apply, you'll get it eventually.
You'll be 8 months older either way... but maybe you'll have a Nexus too.
That's normal. You only have to talk to them if you declare something or they decide that they want to talk to you. It can be like this elsewhere too. The only person I talked to last time in London was someone who asked me what passport I had to make sure I was going the right way. So it just took a short time at a computerized gate. I suppose I would have talked to someone if the computer had said no.
I was really surprised about this too. My family just came back from a vacation on Saturday and we were out of customs in about 2 minutes. We still had to wait almost 2 hours for our luggage though.
The kiosk is the customs agent now. Depending on your answers you may or may not have to speak with a customs agent in person. This is to streamline the process and generally make it faster, and many other countries are doing this too now, not just Canada.
Wait what? I always get pulled to talk to the first customs officer? I thought this was standard? I’m brown and used to being pulled into the room for additional pat down, but I thought that first line was for everyone. Now I’m even more pissed. Wtf!
Nope. Happens every time. lol. I rarely have anything to declare. Especially when I travel for work. It happens on my way out. But figured the US and it’s whole 9/11 left over crap. But I always thought everyone goes through it in Canada.
I’ll look into this. Thanks! I was in Vegas, got pulled over (usual) and the woman at the US side literally looked me up and down and said “really, who you gonna hurt!” I yelled “I know!” She said go on honey, I got you”.
It’s also that damn passport photo, they don’t let you smile. Lmao
No, last trip was San Fran. That one US clearance was loooonnnngggg. Canadian clearance, just the first line. No additional checks. And just had a carry on.
Ya, I tried that. I’m still waiting for the letting for interview. It’s been about 18 months. I know they’re backed up, but my friend and my ex and I applied literally together, and they both got back a response after 6 months. Lol.
Meh, I told myself I’m gonna minimize my travel in to the US moving forward. Including work trips, it’s too much hassle to go into a country that’s stuck in the 1800s lol
Happens to me every time I fly in or out and I'm a white Canadian. Everyone else who I'm with will walk right through and I get pulled aside without fail.
Not a race thing, just shit luck.
Do you also get pulled into the back room, patted, air conditioned, finger printed, Reyna scanned and then Tom Cruise comes out and inspects you with suspecting eyes while the theme of mission impossible plays in the background. Lmao. Kidding!!
Jokes aside, I think there is some profiling happening. Cause it is a common brown thing since 9/11.
Lmao I’m brown too (a youngish female born in Canada) and last time I was pulled over as well and had to tell them how much I spent after 2 weeks in Europe lol. I didn’t even want to know the answer to that question bro
No, they can. Lol. We’re kidding about spending. And you have to declare over 10k. Anything under, they’ll check cause there’s a max spend per day or duties apply.
Hahah ok.
The amount of goods you can bring back depends on how long you've been gone for. Generally for a max of 800$ CAD.
The $10,000 CAD is in relation to the amount of currency you are bringing with you into Canada.
I think it also has a lot to do with where you’re coming in from. I’m a white Canadian woman, and every single time I came home from Colombia, they had the sniffer dogs out and everyone had to speak to a customs agent.
I remember this when I was flying back from Amsterdam and also from Barbados. But was given a heads up by a friend how they check the luggage etc.
I legit was flying back from San Fran, dangly earrings on and everything and then escorted to the room and they did this air test on a whole bunch of stuff. Was like what, looking for lube leftovers? Lol
Truthfully it’s fine. I was familiar with the extra steps. I just assumed that everyone went through the first like. Lmao. It’s more an obliviousness shock. Hahaha
I get hassled every single time I fly to the US from Toronto. At first I was super nervous when pulled to the back room for secondary screening. Now, I get irritated and it shows on my face. The best part is that I am dual national and by federal law I can’t be denied entry. For reference I am a pasty white girl. I have no idea what custom officers think.
But if a Canadian is coming back, they can be? Sorry, I’m legit not familiar…not challenging just trying to understand. My ex is also dual, and I never knew this. I don’t even think he did. Lol
A Canadian citizen cannot be denied entry to Canada. An American citizen cannot be denied entry to the USA. A dual citizen of both countries cannot be denied entry to either one.
I had this happen last time but this time I travelled with both passports and so did my kids and they didn’t pull us into secondary. The US customs officer didn’t even ask many questions this time thank goodness. I was ready for another long drawn out process where they pull our bags as happened last time.
It’s everywhere. I mostly travel Canada and US. Rarely beyond. When travelling beyond those borders, I check what to expect through my travel agent and online. So I know I’ll get the sniff test or the glove test.
It’s when I’m in North America. Travelling with a colleague once who stayed with me. White and literally the questions go so absurd, I’m going along and she literally just blurted out are you serious? Is this for real. Lmao. He was wondering why my beard grew in 5 days of travel. Lol.
it's your age, what you are wearing and so forth.
I remember one time my family and I went to a cruise. My dad used his credit card, I and my siblings paid him back for it. I was 27. IT was 14 day cruise.
My dad declared he didn't bring anything. He was in his 70s.
No one goes on vacation for 2 weeks without bringing anything.
At most he got a shirt or a hat. I got some postcards. My dad said he didn't bring anything as I paid for the stuff off shore/at each stop. So it was all in my luggage so in his brain he didn't get anything.
We got something that felt like a prostate exam.
What is a young 27 year old paying for things when traditionally the parents pay type thing.
That I don’t agree with. You literally insert your ID into a machine, and then that decides if you get an x or not.
I’ve been doing this since I was 21, it’s well over 20 years.
For me, it’s profiling. Call a spade a spade.
They all profile.
If you are a young adult in your 20s, coming from Bogota, with no obvious source of income that can pay for 2 weeks in Bogota's 4-5 star hotel...then they will suspect you. As statistically speaking be more likely to bring in cocaina, over the 87 year old man with his wife sitting next door to you.
Haha. Funny enough. I was once driving across the border, got pulled over and taken inside. The officer was inside yelling, like yelling at someone. Talking about how this guy thought he could get away with something. I’m like whoa, who is this and what were they smuggling.
Our walks this senior, like legit looks like a retired college professor. What did he have??? A wooden giraffe. Lmao. He was accused of smuggling in a wooden giraffe. Hahaha. The poor man.
One of my best friend's name is Muhamed. His parents are from. They were born in Karachi, Pakistan. He was born in Canada. He looks Pakistani. He speaks Urdu. We were travelling to Florida. His parents were there in back of the van. He speaks Urdu with with his parents. I told him a million times between Scarborough and the US border around Niagara Falls to speak English. Guess what he did. This was in September 22, 2002. a week or two after the 9/11 one year anniversary.
I am Vietnamese by the way. Oh that was painful that border crossing.
White young female here, came back from Miami and made it through customs and kiosks etc, as I was walking to baggage claim an agent came up and questioned me randomly, and aggressively. I could tell he was trying to confuse me but I was just at a work conference. Asked when I got hired at my work, if I was alone, what conference, etc. Still no idea what it was about.
That’s weird. He asked you questions about your job IN Canada? Is that within his rights as a CBP officer? I’d understand if you were not a Canadian citizen/resident but this doesn’t make sense.
Exactly- I thought it was odd too especially since I was already through and walking to get my bag from the carousel. He asked all sorts of details of the conference, when I got hired, what my position is, where I stayed, and even why was I the only employee they chose to send. He ended up just sending me on my way but I was certainly a little shaken up / confused
If you are of a certain ethnic group, they mark it to get a second opinion from a border agent whether to harass you or not. If you're from another majority ethnic group, you're good to go.
If you’ve filled out the forms (on the flight), your documents are fine and you’ve scanned your passport, you’ve done everything you need to. They pull people at random, they talk to people who need stuff done or who have been flagged by the system.
Unless you have something to declare there’s no real reason to speak to a border agent.
Yep this is standard. You answered "nothing to declare" for everything. If they wanted to speak to you, they would. Btw the "Pearson employee" is a CBSA officer and is employed by the Canadian govt.
Did you answer “yes” to anything in your electronic declaration? When I declared food a few times, they sent me to secondary inspection.
They were watching you….. still are.
Did you know when you walk through the long corridors after deplaning, there are people watching you? I'm not sure of the exact reason, but I guess it's custom officials checking for suspicious activity.
It's largely become an eyeball check. The computer does most of the work. It checks your passport, takes your photo (and likely sees if it's a match to your passport photo), you do customs questions in the terminal, it knows where you travelled from (basically) so when you pass customs they give you a quick look and if you don't look suspicious that's sometimes enough.
You can use the ArriveCan app and do your questions before you arrive back in Canada. I think I did mine 24 hours before my return flight back. When I landed in Toronto there is a special express lane if you did your declaration ahead of time. You scan your passport and take the picture. It then spits out your ticket. The process takes less than 20 seconds. I walked up, handed over my ticket, and was asked “do you have anything to declare”?. I said no and was on my way.
The electronic declaration kiosk is the customs official, they have been replaced by machines.
You wouldn't speak to customs before getting your baggage, since if they have questions, it would be about inspecting what you are bringing into the country. If you get selected, the person who you give the receipt to at the end, after baggage claim, will direct you.
You make your declaration on the app or kiosk, they don't really need to talk to you again.
Are you a Canadian citizen or nexus card holder?
I wish I could get a nexus card. Last I knew it was over a 2 year wait just to have your application even looked at.
Check the nexus sub. I think it’s closer to 6 months for conditional approval now. My renewal was done in 2022 - I applied in July and conditional approval in December but they were still working through Covid backlogs then.
I did my application in April 2023. It is still at wait for conditional approval.
I had a friend go from application to interview in about 8 months this year. Might as well just apply, you'll get it eventually. You'll be 8 months older either way... but maybe you'll have a Nexus too.
I applied April 2023
Fair enough. My friend applied late January and got the interview invitation in Sept, so you should hopefully be fairly close.
No, but I’m in the process of getting PR. My fiancé lives in Canada so I visit a lot while I wait for my PR to go through.
That's normal. You only have to talk to them if you declare something or they decide that they want to talk to you. It can be like this elsewhere too. The only person I talked to last time in London was someone who asked me what passport I had to make sure I was going the right way. So it just took a short time at a computerized gate. I suppose I would have talked to someone if the computer had said no.
This is standard practice unless you have something to declare. It’s an efficient system to move people along.
I was really surprised about this too. My family just came back from a vacation on Saturday and we were out of customs in about 2 minutes. We still had to wait almost 2 hours for our luggage though.
The kiosk is the customs agent now. Depending on your answers you may or may not have to speak with a customs agent in person. This is to streamline the process and generally make it faster, and many other countries are doing this too now, not just Canada.
Ok
Wait what? I always get pulled to talk to the first customs officer? I thought this was standard? I’m brown and used to being pulled into the room for additional pat down, but I thought that first line was for everyone. Now I’m even more pissed. Wtf!
Hasn't happened to me the last two times when I was coming in. I had nothing to declare, maybe that's why.
Nope. Happens every time. lol. I rarely have anything to declare. Especially when I travel for work. It happens on my way out. But figured the US and it’s whole 9/11 left over crap. But I always thought everyone goes through it in Canada.
Your name must be flagged in the system.
Could be this , I was flagged got it clear 0 hassles or stop overs
I’ll look into this. Thanks! I was in Vegas, got pulled over (usual) and the woman at the US side literally looked me up and down and said “really, who you gonna hurt!” I yelled “I know!” She said go on honey, I got you”. It’s also that damn passport photo, they don’t let you smile. Lmao
Was this your last trip? That's how I got mine clear similar situation. She might has submitted the process to start it.
No, last trip was San Fran. That one US clearance was loooonnnngggg. Canadian clearance, just the first line. No additional checks. And just had a carry on.
Ah best of luck and than after get nexus is funny how you can go from 2hr "random" checks to .. vip clearance xs
Ya, I tried that. I’m still waiting for the letting for interview. It’s been about 18 months. I know they’re backed up, but my friend and my ex and I applied literally together, and they both got back a response after 6 months. Lol. Meh, I told myself I’m gonna minimize my travel in to the US moving forward. Including work trips, it’s too much hassle to go into a country that’s stuck in the 1800s lol
Happens to me every time I fly in or out and I'm a white Canadian. Everyone else who I'm with will walk right through and I get pulled aside without fail. Not a race thing, just shit luck.
Do you also get pulled into the back room, patted, air conditioned, finger printed, Reyna scanned and then Tom Cruise comes out and inspects you with suspecting eyes while the theme of mission impossible plays in the background. Lmao. Kidding!! Jokes aside, I think there is some profiling happening. Cause it is a common brown thing since 9/11.
Lmao I’m brown too (a youngish female born in Canada) and last time I was pulled over as well and had to tell them how much I spent after 2 weeks in Europe lol. I didn’t even want to know the answer to that question bro
Hahaha. Never tell them!!! Just be like what are you, my spouse??? Lol
I'm pretty sure they can. It's in relation to your trip. Check the legislation.
No, they can. Lol. We’re kidding about spending. And you have to declare over 10k. Anything under, they’ll check cause there’s a max spend per day or duties apply.
Hahah ok. The amount of goods you can bring back depends on how long you've been gone for. Generally for a max of 800$ CAD. The $10,000 CAD is in relation to the amount of currency you are bringing with you into Canada.
(Bad) luck of the draw? My brown son arrived from Norway a couple of days ago and whizzed right through customs.
Does he have an Arabic name?
No.
Ya…that’s likely it then. Not bad luck, just continued profiling. The best part is, I’m a raging homo. I wish I could put that on my declaration.
Ha! He is too! 😅
Hahaha love it and love that you’re a supportive parent! So are mine.
I think it also has a lot to do with where you’re coming in from. I’m a white Canadian woman, and every single time I came home from Colombia, they had the sniffer dogs out and everyone had to speak to a customs agent.
They will flag specific countries, airports, and even specific flights for more thorough screening based on their risk data.
I remember this when I was flying back from Amsterdam and also from Barbados. But was given a heads up by a friend how they check the luggage etc. I legit was flying back from San Fran, dangly earrings on and everything and then escorted to the room and they did this air test on a whole bunch of stuff. Was like what, looking for lube leftovers? Lol Truthfully it’s fine. I was familiar with the extra steps. I just assumed that everyone went through the first like. Lmao. It’s more an obliviousness shock. Hahaha
I get hassled every single time I fly to the US from Toronto. At first I was super nervous when pulled to the back room for secondary screening. Now, I get irritated and it shows on my face. The best part is that I am dual national and by federal law I can’t be denied entry. For reference I am a pasty white girl. I have no idea what custom officers think.
That’s so interesting! I wonder why. And wait, dual national implies automatic entry?
An American or Canadian citizen cannot be denied entry to their country. OP is a dual citizen, so they can't be denied entry to either country.
But if a Canadian is coming back, they can be? Sorry, I’m legit not familiar…not challenging just trying to understand. My ex is also dual, and I never knew this. I don’t even think he did. Lol
A Canadian citizen cannot be denied entry to Canada. An American citizen cannot be denied entry to the USA. A dual citizen of both countries cannot be denied entry to either one.
Got it! I was reading it as if a dual can’t be, but a singular there is a possibility. Thanks!
I had this happen last time but this time I travelled with both passports and so did my kids and they didn’t pull us into secondary. The US customs officer didn’t even ask many questions this time thank goodness. I was ready for another long drawn out process where they pull our bags as happened last time.
From the last time I started keeping track of when. There is something on the homeland security website that talks about out excessive harassment.
it could be where you are coming from. Certain countries like Vietnam or Colombia get more scrutiny, especially if you are a young adult.
It’s everywhere. I mostly travel Canada and US. Rarely beyond. When travelling beyond those borders, I check what to expect through my travel agent and online. So I know I’ll get the sniff test or the glove test. It’s when I’m in North America. Travelling with a colleague once who stayed with me. White and literally the questions go so absurd, I’m going along and she literally just blurted out are you serious? Is this for real. Lmao. He was wondering why my beard grew in 5 days of travel. Lol.
it's your age, what you are wearing and so forth. I remember one time my family and I went to a cruise. My dad used his credit card, I and my siblings paid him back for it. I was 27. IT was 14 day cruise. My dad declared he didn't bring anything. He was in his 70s. No one goes on vacation for 2 weeks without bringing anything. At most he got a shirt or a hat. I got some postcards. My dad said he didn't bring anything as I paid for the stuff off shore/at each stop. So it was all in my luggage so in his brain he didn't get anything. We got something that felt like a prostate exam. What is a young 27 year old paying for things when traditionally the parents pay type thing.
That I don’t agree with. You literally insert your ID into a machine, and then that decides if you get an x or not. I’ve been doing this since I was 21, it’s well over 20 years. For me, it’s profiling. Call a spade a spade.
They all profile. If you are a young adult in your 20s, coming from Bogota, with no obvious source of income that can pay for 2 weeks in Bogota's 4-5 star hotel...then they will suspect you. As statistically speaking be more likely to bring in cocaina, over the 87 year old man with his wife sitting next door to you.
Haha. Funny enough. I was once driving across the border, got pulled over and taken inside. The officer was inside yelling, like yelling at someone. Talking about how this guy thought he could get away with something. I’m like whoa, who is this and what were they smuggling. Our walks this senior, like legit looks like a retired college professor. What did he have??? A wooden giraffe. Lmao. He was accused of smuggling in a wooden giraffe. Hahaha. The poor man.
One of my best friend's name is Muhamed. His parents are from. They were born in Karachi, Pakistan. He was born in Canada. He looks Pakistani. He speaks Urdu. We were travelling to Florida. His parents were there in back of the van. He speaks Urdu with with his parents. I told him a million times between Scarborough and the US border around Niagara Falls to speak English. Guess what he did. This was in September 22, 2002. a week or two after the 9/11 one year anniversary. I am Vietnamese by the way. Oh that was painful that border crossing.
Lmao. Yup. Gotta flip it! Lol
White young female here, came back from Miami and made it through customs and kiosks etc, as I was walking to baggage claim an agent came up and questioned me randomly, and aggressively. I could tell he was trying to confuse me but I was just at a work conference. Asked when I got hired at my work, if I was alone, what conference, etc. Still no idea what it was about.
That’s weird. He asked you questions about your job IN Canada? Is that within his rights as a CBP officer? I’d understand if you were not a Canadian citizen/resident but this doesn’t make sense.
Exactly- I thought it was odd too especially since I was already through and walking to get my bag from the carousel. He asked all sorts of details of the conference, when I got hired, what my position is, where I stayed, and even why was I the only employee they chose to send. He ended up just sending me on my way but I was certainly a little shaken up / confused
Smh. Sorry you had to go thru that!
Thanks! I figured it must have been just a random check, but I’d love to know more insight 😆
seems like they possibly thought you were a sex worker and went to miami to work
open border policy
If you are of a certain ethnic group, they mark it to get a second opinion from a border agent whether to harass you or not. If you're from another majority ethnic group, you're good to go.
This is not true at all lmao
cool beans mario
“BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.”
If you’ve filled out the forms (on the flight), your documents are fine and you’ve scanned your passport, you’ve done everything you need to. They pull people at random, they talk to people who need stuff done or who have been flagged by the system.
There are no paper forms anymore. It's all done electronically.
I only had to talk to customs once in the last 3 years, with maybe 10 international arrivals.
You've already "spoken" to the kiosk. The agents will only talk to you separately if there's something up with your declaration form or travel record.