Canada Customs/Immigration Questions... post them here

How do the Canadians treat a defrred judgement? Actually, this should not show up as a conviction.

[a3dad]

We normally have a couple of cases per person and a bottle or two of tequila. When we cross we say that we just have two cases of beer. Are we asking for trouble? The problem is that we are traveling in the middle of the night and have no where to purchase it in Canada (Driving from Upstate NY to the Gouin).

[Fishoil]

You're not asking for trouble, you're BEGGING for it. I've been putting together a trip every year for the past 20 years. Our group varies from 8 to 20 people and the one thing I insist on is that everyone declare everything that they take across the border. When (not if) you're caught not declaring that extra beer/booze you can plan on spending several hours at the border, paying a fine, losing your beer/booze and then probably plan on being searched in subsequent crossings also. For what? To save a few dollars on duty?? That would get you uninvited from our trip in a real big hurry.

[crawler catcher]

I need the phone number for the International Falls border crossing
to the USA.

Thanks

[a3dad]

Originally Posted by Fishoil

You're not asking for trouble, you're BEGGING for it. I've been putting together a trip every year for the past 20 years. Our group varies from 8 to 20 people and the one thing I insist on is that everyone declare everything that they take across the border. When (not if) you're caught not declaring that extra beer/booze you can plan on spending several hours at the border, paying a fine, losing your beer/booze and then probably plan on being searched in subsequent crossings also. For what? To save a few dollars on duty?? That would get you uninvited from our trip in a real big hurry.

I certainly can't argue with you Fishoil! I've been worrying about this hence my question. What are the per-person allowance to bring in? And if you declare more than that is it as simple as paying duty on the extra? How long does that take and can you do it right at the crossing? Thanks for the advise.

Try a phone book or google search for that phone # for US Customs.

[Glenman12]

I certainly can't argue with you Fishoil! I've been worrying about this hence my question. What are the per-person allowance to bring in? And if you declare more than that is it as simple as paying duty on the extra? How long does that take and can you do it right at the crossing? Thanks for the advise. "

you are allowed one, 1.1 litre bottle of liquor or wine, or 1 case of beer..and yes, all you do is declare, go inside and pay the duty and you are on your way..just a hint..tell the customs agent that you want to declare you hard liquor and that you will pay the duty on the beer..the duty on hard liquor is considerably more than the duty on beer..
As for tobacco, you can bring 50 cigars, a carton of cigarettes and 2lbs of chewing tobacco..

[Fishoil]

You are allowed 24-12oz cans of beer OR 1 liter of booze per person. Anything over that you will have to pay duty on. In my experience the cost has been anywhere from $7-$12 per extra case or liter. There are restrictions on tobacco also but most of my group is non-smokers so that hasn't been an issue. You will be paying the duty at the crossing. It's quite simple and relatively painless, and it beats having to explain why you lied.

We usually have extra alcohol to declare when we cross also. I've only been seriously torn down once in all my border crossings and they found exactly what we declared. We treated the officials with the same rescpect we would have expected in their shoes and they treated us well in return. We must have done something right because they even packed the truck back up for us, which I'm told is very much the exception to what normally happens.

[JinxCanada]

Originally Posted by TIGHTLINER

Several years ago we had stopped at the duty free and purchased our spirits for the trip into canada. We were all legal and purchased only what we were allowed to take in to the country. I had pulled up to the window and while answering the questions they had ask if we had anything to claim. At that i told them that the pickup truck traveling behind us was also with us as we were traveling together and we had all the spirits purchased at the duty free with us because of room and for fear of getting anything broken going into camp. We were ask to pull over to be checked. Several customs agents came out and said this is going to be a long ordeal with that one of them jumped up into the truck and started to rip the tape from the totes we had pulling things apart and leaving them lay. This person was 6 ft 5 in probably 280 lbs and he walked over and stepped on anything that he could crushing two of the tackle boxes. When he got done i ask him what he was looking for and he said the spirits. I had it inside the truck. Needless to say we were told we had to pay the duty on the extra spirits because we were over what we could legally take into the country. This agent was very rude and could be seen with the others laughing at the way he did what he did to the items in the truck. We were honest and up front with them on everything and to have something like this happen puts a sour taste in ones mouth for going into canada on a fishing trip. Been going there for almost 30 times and have never had anything like this happen before.

i have no answer for that other than i'm sorry you had that experience. any damage would be covered to repair/replace by the Canadian Government...you should have asked to see a supervisor.

[JinxCanada]

Originally Posted by a3dad

We normally have a couple of cases per person and a bottle or two of tequila. When we cross we say that we just have two cases of beer. Are we asking for trouble? The problem is that we are traveling in the middle of the night and have no where to purchase it in Canada (Driving from Upstate NY to the Gouin).

I can only advise you to make a full and complete declaration. You risk having your goods seized for non report.