+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Can I make refugee claim of Canada at the US/Canada border?

Alice778

Newbie
Feb 22, 2023
6
0
I know there is a safe third country agreement between the two countries, which does not allow people in US to seek asylum in Canada. I wonder in reality whether it is true. When I make a refugee claim to Canada at the US/Canada border, what will happen? Will I be deported to US immediately or will they give me a chance to enter Canada?

I don't have any special ties in Canada.,just holding a visitor visa of US, a very ordinary people, nothing special.

Any valid information provided will be greatly appreciated.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
93,612
20,919
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
I know there is a safe third country agreement between the two countries, which does not allow people in US to seek asylum in Canada. I wonder in reality whether it is true. When I make a refugee claim to Canada at the US/Canada border, what will happen? Will I be deported to US immediately or will they give me a chance to enter Canada?

I don't have any special ties in Canada.,just holding a visitor visa of US, a very ordinary people, nothing special.

Any valid information provided will be greatly appreciated.
Yes, this rule is strictly enforced.

If you don't fall under one of the exemptions (e.g. having family in Canada), then you will not be allowed to make a claim at a Canadian port of entry and will be returned to the US.
 

Alice778

Newbie
Feb 22, 2023
6
0
Yes, this rule is strictly enforced.

If you don't fall under one of the exemptions (e.g. having family in Canada), then you will not be allowed to make a claim at a Canadian port of entry and will be returned to the US.
Thanks for your reply. But I have heard that there is a famous road around Quebec where people can go to Canada through that. Do you know about that?
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
93,612
20,919
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
Thanks for your reply. But I have heard that there is a famous road around Quebec where people can go to Canada through that. Do you know about that?
Those are illegal border crossings. You don't go through a legal border entry (port of entry) but instead enter Canada illegally to get around the Safe Third Country Agreement.
 

peace123

Star Member
Jul 11, 2019
154
29
You could go to Plattsburgh via Greyhound bus. In Plattsburgh, you could take a taxi to US-Canada border. You just ask one taxi driver to head for Roxham Road, US-Canada border.

In additional, Once you enter into Quebec for asylum, you could be sent to Ontario and other provinced.

Recently, Quebec Premier François Legault is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to redirect all asylum seekers entering Quebec to other provinces "as soon as they arrive at the border."

Quebec Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette said the province's message was finally getting through, as more migrants entering the country through Roxham Road were being sent to Ontario and other provinces.
 
  • Like
Reactions: B-Nice

jinglebell0123

Hero Member
Jun 4, 2021
405
121
Burnaby, Canada
Category........
Other
I have never heard of anyone being returned to the US. I know a lot of people crossed the border and seek asylum on the border, most of them are PR and citizenship holders now. As long as you didn't seek asylum in the US you will be fine. To be on the safe side, make sure to cross the border then go to the nearest border office to seek asylum.
 
  • Like
Reactions: B-Nice

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
53,253
12,855
I have never heard of anyone being returned to the US. I know a lot of people crossed the border and seek asylum on the border, most of them are PR and citizenship holders now. As long as you didn't seek asylum in the US you will be fine. To be on the safe side, make sure to cross the border then go to the nearest border office to seek asylum.
If you apply for asylum at a legal border crossing and don’t have family in Canada you will be denied entry and will be returned to the US. It happens you just don’t hear about it. There are potential problems when claiming asylum so guaranteeing that a person will have no problems as long as they don’t claim asylum in the US isn’t something I would promise. We are also seeing a lot of pressure to try to change the volume of applicants coming to Canada via the US so people should follow the news to see if there are any changes. Not a very easy issue to change or get more control over the situation but there may be some changes coming. As more cities are having to deal with a large influx of asylum claimants that are overwhelming the local services and in many cases placing a huge financial burden on cities with no guarantee of reimbursement from the federal government, the issue will get more attention. There is also the issue of the summer tourist season where many cities depend on having hotel rooms available so I assume the hospitality industry will start vocalizing there concerns about the potential impact on the tourist season if there are significantly less hotel rooms available in all of Canada but especially tourist areas.

In general, anyone planning on claiming asylum or who have already claimed asylum should keep track of the news for any possible changes.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
53,253
12,855
I know there is a safe third country agreement between the two countries, which does not allow people in US to seek asylum in Canada. I wonder in reality whether it is true. When I make a refugee claim to Canada at the US/Canada border, what will happen? Will I be deported to US immediately or will they give me a chance to enter Canada?

I don't have any special ties in Canada.,just holding a visitor visa of US, a very ordinary people, nothing special.

Any valid information provided will be greatly appreciated.
Have you been living in the US? For how long? Have you claimed asylum somewhere in the world before? Do you have proof of your persecution? Have visited the US before? Would suggest consulting with a Canadian immigration lawyer about your case before trying to enter Canada or going to the US with plans of trying to get asylum in Canada. There are longterm consequences of applying for asylum especially if denied asylum but even if you get approved so that should always be your last option. A consultation should also give you an idea whether your chance of success are good. Have you looked into economic pathways to come to Canada?
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
53,253
12,855
You could go to Plattsburgh via Greyhound bus. In Plattsburgh, you could take a taxi to US-Canada border. You just ask one taxi driver to head for Roxham Road, US-Canada border.

In additional, Once you enter into Quebec for asylum, you could be sent to Ontario and other provinced.

Recently, Quebec Premier François Legault is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to redirect all asylum seekers entering Quebec to other provinces "as soon as they arrive at the border."

Quebec Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette said the province's message was finally getting through, as more migrants entering the country through Roxham Road were being sent to Ontario and other provinces.
Asylum claimants have been sent to various provinces, mainly Ontario this month, but will be expanding to other provinces. If you can provide your own housing and have your own funds you can chose to relocate where you prefer. Quebec doesn’t have the ability to absorb any more asylum claimants esiecualky because there is already a shortage of teachers, HC workers, there is a lack of affordable housing, etc. Many of the new asylum claimants are arriving without any funds, don’t have family and friends in Canada that may he able to welcome them into their own homes temporarily and many are from countries without a large community group already present in Canada like Venezuela. Realistically any asylum claimant should expect that they will likely be sent to live in smaller communities and not Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver to try and spread out the pressure on services throughout Canada and encourage people to live in smaller cities where the cost of living will be lower so finding housing may actually be possible.
 

jinglebell0123

Hero Member
Jun 4, 2021
405
121
Burnaby, Canada
Category........
Other
If you apply for asylum at a legal border crossing and don’t have family in Canada you will be denied entry and will be returned to the US. It happens you just don’t hear about it. There are potential problems when claiming asylum so guaranteeing that a person will have no problems as long as they don’t claim asylum in the US isn’t something I would promise. We are also seeing a lot of pressure to try to change the volume of applicants coming to Canada via the US so people should follow the news to see if there are any changes. Not a very easy issue to change or get more control over the situation but there may be some changes coming. As more cities are having to deal with a large influx of asylum claimants that are overwhelming the local services and in many cases placing a huge financial burden on cities with no guarantee of reimbursement from the federal government, the issue will get more attention. There is also the issue of the summer tourist season where many cities depend on having hotel rooms available so I assume the hospitality industry will start vocalizing there concerns about the potential impact on the tourist season if there are significantly less hotel rooms available in all of Canada but especially tourist areas.

In general, anyone planning on claiming asylum or who have already claimed asylum should keep track of the news for any possible changes.
It is not really true. this agreement is only on paper. People come through the border everyday claiming refugee. Canadian gov bluffs US on this agreement, by keep accepting immigrants on the borders. I know a family who just entered Canada through the US border and claimed asylum there last month. They got their work permits already, along with Welfare payments & provided shelter. Reality is different than what is on paper.
 

Copingwithlife

VIP Member
Jul 29, 2018
4,058
1,987
Earth
It is not really true. this agreement is only on paper. People come through the border everyday claiming refugee. Canadian gov bluffs US on this agreement, by keep accepting immigrants on the borders. I know a family who just entered Canada through the US border and claimed asylum there last month. They got their work permits already, along with Welfare payments & provided shelter. Reality is different than what is on paper.
You seriously have no clue
 

Simba112

VIP Member
Mar 25, 2021
4,417
1,632
It is not really true. this agreement is only on paper. People come through the border everyday claiming refugee. Canadian gov bluffs US on this agreement, by keep accepting immigrants on the borders. I know a family who just entered Canada through the US border and claimed asylum there last month. They got their work permits already, along with Welfare payments & provided shelter. Reality is different than what is on paper.
Check your facts again......
 

Heba.ali

Full Member
Mar 1, 2023
20
3
It is not really true. this agreement is only on paper. People come through the border everyday claiming refugee. Canadian gov bluffs US on this agreement, by keep accepting immigrants on the borders. I know a family who just entered Canada through the US border and claimed asylum there last month. They got their work permits already, along with Welfare payments & provided shelter. Reality is different than what is on paper.
Hi, I have crosssed roxham road in December and applied for a a refugee claim. I then transferred to Ontario but didn’t receive any work permit or a new eligibility interview date yet. Where did the family relocate because wait times are terrible in Quebec, our first eligibility interview date said 08 August 2024! I’d really appreciate any type of information that helped them speed up the process. Thank you.
 

jinglebell0123

Hero Member
Jun 4, 2021
405
121
Burnaby, Canada
Category........
Other
Hi, I have crosssed roxham road in December and applied for a a refugee claim. I then transferred to Ontario but didn’t receive any work permit or a new eligibility interview date yet. Where did the family relocate because wait times are terrible in Quebec, our first eligibility interview date said 08 August 2024! I’d really appreciate any type of information that helped them speed up the process. Thank you.
If you claimed refugee at the border then that would be your eligibility interview. Things would be much faster for you. But if you made the same mistake that I did and claimed inside Canada then don't wait for work permit/eligibility or anything else to happen soon. They would just ignore you. Priority is for those who claim at border/airport.