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Flagpoling on foot in Coutts

WaiterCA

Star Member
Mar 6, 2018
165
111
Calgary
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Nomination.....
06-07-2017
AOR Received.
12-09-2017
Hi everyone,

I want to share my PR landing experience about flagpoling on foot in Coutts Alberta.
As you may know Alberta has a few land border checkpoints on South and I needed to drive 4 hours each way to a border. I used a rent car and didn't want to have any problems because of that with immigration officers. Based on other posts on this forum, they check number plates, drive you around, ask to park and leave a car, etc. So, I decided to walk through borders. In this case best place for that in Alberta is Coutts because US and Canada border security use the same building.

I parked my car on a visitors parking lot, it's free. If you check google maps, you will see this parking lot on a left side from a border security building. After that you just need to walk through a glass bridge, it leads from a parking lot to an actual building. Again you can use google maps street view to check how it looks. When you in a building, use the elevator and go to a second floor. Go outside and turn left. Walk to the US booth, it's probably about 30 metres away. US officer will take your passport, ask a few questions and tell you to walk extra 10 metres to go inside a building. Inside a building it's a visitors waiting area. After 10 minutes they will give you your passport back with a refusal letter and ask to go back to Canada.

Once again, go outside and walk about 30 metres to a Canadian booth. They will let you through after a few questions and ask to go inside a building. When you are inside, go to a travellers booth, they will take your documents and ask to grab a seat and wait.

Now just wait and you are a permanent resident!

When everything was done. I used an elevator once again, to go from a first floor to a third. And walk back through a glass bridge to a parking lot.

All border officers were friendly and supportive. Told me where to go and what to do.

Good luck everyone!
 

SCNU

Star Member
Aug 18, 2017
95
60
Hi everyone,

I want to share my PR landing experience about flagpoling on foot in Coutts Alberta.
As you may know Alberta has a few land border checkpoints on South and I needed to drive 4 hours each way to a border. I used a rent car and didn't want to have any problems because of that with immigration officers. Based on other posts on this forum, they check number plates, drive you around, ask to park and leave a car, etc. So, I decided to walk through borders. In this case best place for that in Alberta is Coutts because US and Canada border security use the same building.

I parked my car on a visitors parking lot, it's free. If you check google maps, you will see this parking lot on a left side from a border security building. After that you just need to walk through a glass bridge, it leads from a parking lot to an actual building. Again you can use google maps street view to check how it looks. When you in a building, use the elevator and go to a second floor. Go outside and turn left. Walk to the US booth, it's probably about 30 metres away. US officer will take your passport, ask a few questions and tell you to walk extra 10 metres to go inside a building. Inside a building it's a visitors waiting area. After 10 minutes they will give you your passport back with a refusal letter and ask to go back to Canada.

Once again, go outside and walk about 30 metres to a Canadian booth. They will let you through after a few questions and ask to go inside a building. When you are inside, go to a travellers booth, they will take your documents and ask to grab a seat and wait.

Now just wait and you are a permanent resident!

When everything was done. I used an elevator once again, to go from a first floor to a third. And walk back through a glass bridge to a parking lot.

All border officers were friendly and supportive. Told me where to go and what to do.

Good luck everyone!
Thank you for the information. I have a quick question. Is the parking on the left side of the building when facing the building from the Canadain side? I am using Google map but I don't seem to see a parking lot and a glass bridge leading from the parking. Please help
 
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WaiterCA

Star Member
Mar 6, 2018
165
111
Calgary
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Nomination.....
06-07-2017
AOR Received.
12-09-2017
Thank you for the information. I have a quick question. Is the parking on the left side of the building when facing the building from the Canadain side? I am using Google map but I don't seem to see a parking lot and a glass bridge leading from the parking. Please help
Hmm, let me explain.
If you are facing the building from the Canadain side, parking lot is on a right side.
If you are looking on the building from above, parking lot is on a left side.

Don't forget to access this parking lot you need to exit way before an actual border. Just put a pin in google maps and it will show when you need to turn and exit.

Parking lot on a google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/MjVCTkDQZEn
Parking lot coordinates: 48°59'56.3"N 111°57'43.0"W
 
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SCNU

Star Member
Aug 18, 2017
95
60
Hmm, let me explain.
If you are facing the building from the Canadain side, parking lot is on a right side.
If you are looking on the building from above, parking lot is on a left side.

Don't forget to access this parking lot you need to exit way before an actual border. Just put a pin in google maps and it will show when you need to turn and exit.

Parking lot on a google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/MjVCTkDQZEn
Parking lot coordinates: 48°59'56.3"N 111°57'43.0"W
This is very helpful. Thank you very much.
 
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SCNU

Star Member
Aug 18, 2017
95
60
Hello waiterCA. I finished my landing in Coutts and I followed the directions you gave regarding landing by foot. Those dirctions were amazing and you had all the details very correct. I was looking at your directions while we were making our way inside the building and it led us to all the right places. Thank you for the great details it really helped.

My landing was very smooth, there were no questions from either the US officials and the Canadian side just asked us to write our address and confirm some certain things in the COPR. She gave us our congratulations letter for PR even before she started the paper work. Both sides were very nice. They knew what we came to do and just asked us for the docs.

For those thinking that administrative refusal is a problem note this.... I asked the US official what will be our answer when asked if we have ever been refused entry into the US during us visa applications, he said say no.

Congratulations all
 
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xiaoqizi

Full Member
May 23, 2019
22
22
I followed your instruction and landed last week by walk, thank you for the great information. I think walking is actually faster than driving, because the booth officer on both side will take you in first than those who are lining up to cross the border by car.

The whole process is very smooth and takes about 30 mins in total.
 
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rgpanna

Full Member
Jan 22, 2015
23
5
This post is really really helpful!

Does anyone have more reports about the flagging pole at this border?

It looks like this one is better compared to the other borders and reports, offices are nice and polite.
I Want to do it because it is taking to long to get an interview and after that, we need to wait 30 days to receive the PR Card, and we plan to travel out of Canada in January, so if we continue in the interview process we will not receive our cards in time for our travel....

I've just one question, do they work during weekends?
 
Last edited:
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rgpanna

Full Member
Jan 22, 2015
23
5
Hi everyone,

I want to share my PR landing experience about flagpoling on foot in Coutts Alberta.
As you may know Alberta has a few land border checkpoints on South and I needed to drive 4 hours each way to a border. I used a rent car and didn't want to have any problems because of that with immigration officers. Based on other posts on this forum, they check number plates, drive you around, ask to park and leave a car, etc. So, I decided to walk through borders. In this case best place for that in Alberta is Coutts because US and Canada border security use the same building.

I parked my car on a visitors parking lot, it's free. If you check google maps, you will see this parking lot on a left side from a border security building. After that you just need to walk through a glass bridge, it leads from a parking lot to an actual building. Again you can use google maps street view to check how it looks. When you in a building, use the elevator and go to a second floor. Go outside and turn left. Walk to the US booth, it's probably about 30 metres away. US officer will take your passport, ask a few questions and tell you to walk extra 10 metres to go inside a building. Inside a building it's a visitors waiting area. After 10 minutes they will give you your passport back with a refusal letter and ask to go back to Canada.

Once again, go outside and walk about 30 metres to a Canadian booth. They will let you through after a few questions and ask to go inside a building. When you are inside, go to a travellers booth, they will take your documents and ask to grab a seat and wait.

Now just wait and you are a permanent resident!

When everything was done. I used an elevator once again, to go from a first floor to a third. And walk back through a glass bridge to a parking lot.

All border officers were friendly and supportive. Told me where to go and what to do.

Good luck everyone!

I just want to share that we went to the border last Saturday, Nov 22nd!
I did everything exactly as you said, and works perfectly!
everyone there was really polite and everything went well!
we took less than 1 hour for the whole process in the border!

Thank you for this post!
 
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WaiterCA

Star Member
Mar 6, 2018
165
111
Calgary
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Nomination.....
06-07-2017
AOR Received.
12-09-2017
I just want to share that we went to the border last Saturday, Nov 22nd!
I did everything exactly as you said, and works perfectly!
everyone there was really polite and everything went well!
we took less than 1 hour for the whole process in the border!

Thank you for this post!
I'm glad my post helped! Congratulations with you PR!

For future readers. Coutts is the best one in Alberta because everything in one building. Other places have customs in separate buildings and you need physically drive a mile or so between them.
 
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FazleS

Member
Aug 20, 2019
10
1
Thanks for sharing this. I have a question. Can I flagpole without a U.S. Visa?
Did you guys have a U.S. Visa?
Please let me know - Thanks!
 

FazleS

Member
Aug 20, 2019
10
1
I'm glad my post helped! Congratulations with you PR!

For future readers. Coutts is the best one in Alberta because everything in one building. Other places have customs in separate buildings and you need physically drive a mile or so between them.
Thanks for sharing this. I have a question. Can I flagpole without a U.S. Visa?
Did you guys have a U.S. Visa?
Please let me know - Thanks!
 

sukhi_boy

Hero Member
May 14, 2010
334
35
Hi friends.. I got a doubt if somebody can help pls. I am a pr card holder and recently my parents passports are requested for pr visas...they are in canada on visitor visa.so I am planning to go to us border for their flagpoling...can I be allowed to go with them as I am pr card holder and not canadian citizen....pls reply
 

sukhi_boy

Hero Member
May 14, 2010
334
35
Friends correct me if I m wrong...what I studied is to access the parking lot..you have to take exit of 2 avenue from highway4 and turn left turn on 2 street w which will take you all the way to parking lot...
 

WaiterCA

Star Member
Mar 6, 2018
165
111
Calgary
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Nomination.....
06-07-2017
AOR Received.
12-09-2017
Thanks for sharing this. I have a question. Can I flagpole without a U.S. Visa?
Did you guys have a U.S. Visa?
Please let me know - Thanks!
You don't need a US visa. I didn't have it. They just give you a refuse letter at US Border.
 
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