Would like to visit again. Had incident at the border a few years back.

[evagaba]

I am a caucasian male from Ohio in the USA and I had my honeymoon in Niagara Falls, so that is a special place for my wife and I. From 2003-2007 I made the trip to Niagara Falls almost twice a month without incident. I made this trip well over 30 times and I was usually alone. (I was going to Fallsview Casino and playing poker, so the wife did not come along).

I believe in May of 2007, I was at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing. Typically at the border, they asked me one or two questions and let me though. This time however, they asked me way more than normal. I answered everything they asked. They then asked to see my birth certificate, which I did not have with me. I told them I was never asked for the birth certificate before (in over 30 trips) and did not know I had to have it with me. They gave me a yellow paper and told me to pull up to the immigration office which I did.

I got out of my car and said to one of the border guards, "I don't understand the problem." My exact words. He immediately become overally hostile with me, shouting at me and telling me to "just shut up" and do as he says. I did not say another word and then the guard said, "I don't let people with attitudes into my country. Maybe if you tried again and were nice I will let you in, but I won't now." So I left, rode around Niagara Falls, NY for about 10 minutes and tried again. (Keep in mind I had a $300 hotel room pre-paid for in Niagara Falls, ON and did not wish to lose it).

Upon my second try, they did the same thing at the gate with the yellow paper. I again pulled up to the immigration office and the same guard approuched me and said "What are you stupid? I said I was not letting you in." I explained that he told me that I could try again if I did not have an attitude. He claims he never said that.

Well then 5 guards proceeded to ransack my car. (Which contained my overnight bag and a cooler with water and nothing else). They then took me inside the office and asked me my arrest history. I explained that in 1995 I had a DUI and had never been in trouble before or since. He then told me that if I ever wanted in the country again, I had to provide them with a history of my arrest record and proof of employment. He gave me multiple papers with instructions on them. While I was completely shell shocked from the entire ordeal, I agreed I would read over the instructions and provide what he needed.

As I was leaving Cananda, at the USA board, the USA board guard asked me what the deal was. I told him the whole story and he asked to the see the papers the Canadian guard gave me. He then told me, "anything they give you is mine" and he took the papers the guard gave me. I pleaded for him to give them back, but he would not.

So now I had no idea how to go about getting back into Canada again. I tried emailed several Canadian gov't websites in 2007 and early 2008 but they were no help.

My friend is now getting married in Niagara Falls in May of 2011 and I really want to attend, but I have NO clue about how to get back in again. I don't want to just show up at the boarder and try. I want to do it right. I want to be allowed in and not be a problem. I am a law abiding citizen, employed full time and since that one incident in 1995, I have not even sniffed trouble with the law.

I know this was really long, but felt I had to explain my story before asking for help. Could anyone provide ANY information to allow be to get back into Canada again?

Thank you.

 

[newtone]

I would not worry about it the stupid border guard probably got up on the wrong side of the bed. Dont take it personally. I had an incidence once at the border and I told the officer to go take a hike. She told me that she'll make sure they investigate my case...its been six years since and I crossed border several times....nothing happened, so relax and chill yo

 

[Leon]

Just in case, get your arrest record or police clearance from your local police dept. Should not be a big deal and get a letter from your employer stating how long you have worked there and how much vacation you have requested for this trip. Also bring the wedding invitation. It's possible that the border guard who was in a bad mood has flagged you in the system so they might pull you over for extra questioning automatically.

You could also contact the Canadian embassy and ask if you should apply for a visit visa. As an American, you don't normally need a visit visa but I suppose they can issue it if you ask and it will give you a little more security that you have been approved to enter Canada.

Another thing you could do is apply for a Nexus card. A Nexus card is given to "trusted" citizens and PR's of the US and Canada to ease their border crossings. See http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/nexus_prog/nexus.xml for more info.

 

[newtone]

I dont know if all this is necessary Leon cause he didnt do anything. He just asked "what is the problem", as a matter of fact the Border guard called him stupid, there is absolutely no reason why one would need an arrest record or letter from employer. The invitation part I can understand but not all those legal documents

 

[Leon]

newtone: Even if his story is the 100% truth, an immigration officer in a bad mood can still red-flag somebody's file. If his file is red-flagged and he was told before to bring an arrest record and letter from employer, the safe thing is to do it now. Best case scenario, there is no flag on his file and he doesn't need them. Worst case, he gets the same immigration officer again in an equally bad mood and/or there is a red-flag on his file and he gets grilled and turned away again.

A member of this board had the experience of being red-flagged after he came to Canada to visit somebody he had met on the internet. The immigration officer thought that was weird and therefore red-flagged him. After that, he always had problems entering Canada. I think it was already 10 or some years later and he was in the process of being sponsored by his Canadian wife that they went together and asked if his file could be de-flagged and were told that once it's flagged, it is impossible to remove.

 

[irishsnowmobiler]

Excuse the naive question but when you say red-flagged is that different from just flagged or is it all the same.

On another thread I was given the option of voluntary withdrawal cause I was meeting someone from the internet to go snowmobiling.
Apparently the snowmobileforum.com is a dangerous site. Though when asked the question if I was meeting up with someone I initially said no but I had notes on my itinerary saying otherwise. My mistake.

So even though I wasn't barred and the woman said there'd be no 'black mark' my next entry will be flagged (or red-flagged)? Are there degrees of flagging?

 

[j2m]

I know this is an older thread, but "Irishsnowmobiler" brings up a good question.
Are there different levels of Flagging?
Another question: If I was flagged (pretty sure I was) did the "Flag" get removed when I became a permanent resident?
I am a US citizen and Permanent Resident of Canada: Should I still apply for Nexus?

 

[Baloo]

Flagged and banned

Apply for Nexus, but not that many locations (and TSA agents) in the USA have no idea what it is.