Rainbow Bridge PR Landing FAILED

[luckysimsim]

Hi guys,

I think I need to share my landing experience at Rainbow Bridge in a new thread since a lot of people maybe will have an unpleasant landing experience just like me. Flag-poling is currently restricted at certain land crossings in the Southern Ontario Region during peak periods.

So this happened yesterday (Saturday) when I attempted to finish my PR landing at Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls. I did my research before I went there, I visited the official website of Canada Border Services Agency, and made sure that the PR landing service was available at Rainbow Bridge.

HOWEVER, after I crossed the bridge and got the Flag-Pole document (a white paper) from the US side and went back to the Canadian border. The officer told me they are no longer to process landing during the weekends for the summer time. He gave me a yellow paper and recommended me to make an appointment with the in-land office or come back during a weekday but the waiting time will be very long. I was shocked because there's no up-to-date information on their website.

So I did some research at home, and realized that The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) informally announced on May 2nd that it will no longer be permitting flag-poling at certain land crossings in the Southern Ontario Region during peak periods, effective immediately.

The ports-of-entry affected by this initiative include:

– Queenston;
– Niagara Falls;
– Rainbow Bridge; and
– Fort Erie (Peace Bridge).

Click here to read the original article

So... plan thing ahead and don't do landing during the weekends at Rainbow Bridge. It was totally unpleasant and frustrating. And I'm sure this has caused inconvenience for so many of us but heard no one has talked about it. Are there any other people has had the same experience as me?

I will try again this Tuesday.
Feel free to share your experience,

Good luck guys.

 

[luckysimsim]

Was anyone unable to flag pole during the weekends?

 

[andyding13]

I am curious. What is the difference between flag-poling and enter US then return to Canada (assume one has a valid US visa). Would someone entering from US be treated differently from people flag-poling?

 

[picklee]

I am curious. What is the difference between flag-poling and enter US then return to Canada (assume one has a valid US visa). Would someone entering from US be treated differently from people flag-poling?

No difference. In both cases you are entering from the U.S., whether you were there for 5 minutes or 5 days it's the same.

 

[Bs65]

Shame CBSa have not published this restriction clearly on their website but I guess that communication has never been a strong point for any government entity. Just going to make it difficult for people fitting in around their work on the days available but I guess if someone wants something bad enough small inconvenience.

 

[RiZ92]

Strange!! I have completed the Landing Procedure during weekend (Saturday)

Here is my Experience...

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/pr-landing-at-rainbow-bridge-with-i-94-no-entry-denial.494339/

 

[luckysimsim]

Strange!! I have completed the Landing Procedure during weekend (Saturday)

Here is my Experience...

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/pr-landing-at-rainbow-bridge-with-i-94-no-entry-denial.494339/

Guess they started in June, I don't know. It's confusing! I think there's only one entrance on the Canadian side? I don't see there's an office though, just a small building, with 2-3 officers checking people.

 

[luckysimsim]

I am curious. What is the difference between flag-poling and enter US then return to Canada (assume one has a valid US visa). Would someone entering from US be treated differently from people flag-poling?

I asked the US officer if I can strolling along on the US side and come back for PR landing, the officer said I have to be flag-poled and then come back and visit if I want.

 

[luckysimsim]

Shame CBSa have not published this restriction clearly on their website but I guess that communication has never been a strong point for any government entity. Just going to make it difficult for people fitting in around their work on the days available but I guess if someone wants something bad enough small inconvenience.

Have you landed recently?

 

[RiZ92]

I asked the US officer if I can strolling along on the US side and come back for PR landing, the officer said I have to be flag-poled and then come back and visit if I want.

This is strange from the US Officer. I have said the purpose of visit to complete PR landing but wants to avail this opportunity to see Niagara from other side and they let me in.

Not sure why officer said that to you :/

 

[RiZ92]

Guess they started in June, I don't know. It's confusing! I think there's only one entrance on the Canadian side? I don't see there's an office though, just a small building, with 2-3 officers checking people.

The Article releases on May 2nd but I did the landing after that....Not sure what they are planning. I know couple of people they have completed their landing in June on Weekends.

 

[Mthornt]

I am curious. What is the difference between flag-poling and enter US then return to Canada (assume one has a valid US visa). Would someone entering from US be treated differently from people flag-poling?

Flag-poling is not the same as entering the US and returning to Canada, and you won't be provided with a document from the US side stating "flag-poling" on it. Many people who flag-pole actually cannot legally enter the US since they do not have the required visa, however they are still able to flag-pole. The article specifically refers to flag-poling. Also, the below article was published 2 days later, saying that this change was postponed until further notice, which is why people have still been able to flag pole during weekends.

http://immigrationblog.ca.pwc.com/blog/canada-immigration-news/cbsa-postpones-restriction-on-flag-poling-during-certain-days

 

[rnimk]

Does it matter if it is late in the evening on a weekday? Are there summer hours for that as well?I plan to do the soft-landing hopefully this Thursday evening.

 

[bellaluna]

Strange!! I have completed the Landing Procedure during weekend (Saturday)

Here is my Experience...

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/pr-landing-at-rainbow-bridge-with-i-94-no-entry-denial.494339/

As previously explained, what you did was NOT flagpoling, so you were admitted. You had a valid US visa, and you entered the US, and your landing procedure was completed upon your return to Canada.
Flagpoling is usually done by people without US visas, or without processing by the US CBP--I have a US visa, and the CBP officer offered me the option to flagpole last summer, but I declined and requested an I-94 to enter the US.

 

[rnimk]

Hi guys,

I think I need to share my landing experience at Rainbow Bridge in a new thread since a lot of people maybe will have an unpleasant landing experience just like me. Flag-poling is currently restricted at certain land crossings in the Southern Ontario Region during peak periods.

So this happened yesterday (Saturday) when I attempted to finish my PR landing at Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls. I did my research before I went there, I visited the official website of Canada Border Services Agency, and made sure that the PR landing service was available at Rainbow Bridge.

HOWEVER, after I crossed the bridge and got the Flag-Pole document (a white paper) from the US side and went back to the Canadian border. The officer told me they are no longer to process landing during the weekends for the summer time. He gave me a yellow paper and recommended me to make an appointment with the in-land office or come back during a weekday but the waiting time will be very long. I was shocked because there's no up-to-date information on their website.

So I did some research at home, and realized that The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) informally announced on May 2nd that it will no longer be permitting flag-poling at certain land crossings in the Southern Ontario Region during peak periods, effective immediately.

The ports-of-entry affected by this initiative include:

– Queenston;
– Niagara Falls;
– Rainbow Bridge; and
– Fort Erie (Peace Bridge).

Click here to read the original article

So... plan thing ahead and don't do landing during the weekends at Rainbow Bridge. It was totally unpleasant and frustrating. And I'm sure this has caused inconvenience for so many of us but heard no one has talked about it. Are there any other people has had the same experience as me?

I will try again this Tuesday.
Feel free to share your experience,

Good luck guys.

Just want to get something clarified, does flag poling mean you are already in Canada, but you just want to cross the border to US side and then come back to Canada?

Am I correct in understanding that if you are in US on a visa and want to land in Canada, and come back to the US it is not the same thing?