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Landing experience at Lewiston–Queenston Bridge, some other tips

alexliu

Hero Member
Jul 20, 2015
211
11
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Guys, just a quick share of my recent IMM landing experience and some other tips you may need.

I guess tips and status of those bridges would be more important, therefore i'm going to start with it.

1. All bridges located on southern Ontario office starts processing immigration landing and application for work permit at 8:00am in the morning. (Tuesdays, Wen, Thursdays). As they said no flagpoles on weekends and Mondays as well.

2. From what officer said, No guarantees whether your landing or WP application would be processed at the border. Especially after 8:20 or 8:30 in the morning, I saw a few ppl were sent back to Canada without taking a look at their files. (i guess they came for landing and wp/sp)

3. One ppl I met today said rainbow bridge has 200 quotas for immigration landing applications per day and they failed to landing even they arrived at 8:30 am.

4. They prefer you apply work permit online and immigration landing through inland way instead of going to the border. (according to one of the officer)

5. I guess, this is my personal opinion, If the border office is busy and a lot a ppl lining up during the day at any time from 8:00 to 12 midnight, you will be most likely sent back to Canada or lining up for many many hours. If you want to make sure you can successfully land at those southern Ontario bridges, go early and line up for first 5 each day, otherwise the success of your landing would be really depending on how busy the officers are.

Here are roughly my landing experience :

Generally followed Google map towards Lewiston–Queenston Bridge, after sign of "last exits before USA" and kept on driving followed "car lane" and got to the Bridge. Directly drove to USA and stop at a stop sign which is the first office of USA. Asked my nationality and what's your purpose. I said something like "I want a flagpole and going back to CA for immigration landing". Pulled the car around the corner for 5 mins, another officer gave me a piece of white paper and told to give it to Canadian officers. So I went back to Canada thru the bridge again. Followed the car lane and stopped at a small office which is the Canadian side, answered a lot of questions like goods like duty free like anything bring like money. Basically the same questions as the form you need to fill when you enter Canada by airplane. Then officer gave me a yellow piece of paper. Drove pass a yellow flashing light and parked at a parking spot in front of Canadian border office.

After parked, it was only 6:30. I went inside office and they told me they are not going to start processing IMM landing util 8am. So I got back my white and yellow paper back (important, because the first thing you meet the officer you need to present those papers, make sure you have them when you enter the office again) and asked if I can wait in the car. Officer said I'm not sure because the time on your yellow flagpole is 6:20am not sure they will accept you or not since I'm not the officer processes immigration. I don't know what to do but I can only wait until 8am. I went back to the office again around 7:50am. I was the second one in the line and luckily they accepted my file. Nothing special after they took my passport, just asked my Co-pr and waited for 40 mins. Sign and asked couple question, wrote my current address on Co-pr. No additional document were asked.

Thanks for all help guys and wish all you will get PR soon. So see you some day, see you somewhere! In Canada.!!
 
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chandra415

Hero Member
Feb 20, 2016
453
108
Toronto
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Sydney -> Mississauga -> NDVO
App. Filed.......
04-11-2019 (App Received Date)
AOR Received.
23-11-2019
File Transfer...
File Transfer to NDVO: 13-01-2020
Med's Request
06-12-2019
Med's Done....
Medicals passed on 11-12-2019
Passport Req..
Waiting Eagerly
@alexliu Thanks for the information, when did you do the landing, date please. I recently heard that they completely stopped landing at southern Ontario boarders.
 

chandra415

Hero Member
Feb 20, 2016
453
108
Toronto
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Sydney -> Mississauga -> NDVO
App. Filed.......
04-11-2019 (App Received Date)
AOR Received.
23-11-2019
File Transfer...
File Transfer to NDVO: 13-01-2020
Med's Request
06-12-2019
Med's Done....
Medicals passed on 11-12-2019
Passport Req..
Waiting Eagerly
Guys, just a quick share of my recent IMM landing experience and some other tips you may need.

I guess tips and status of those bridges would be more important, therefore i'm going to start with it.

1. All bridges located on southern Ontario office starts processing immigration landing and application for work permit at 8:00am in the morning. (Tuesdays, Wen, Thursdays). As they said no flagpoles on weekends and Mondays as well.

2. From what officer said, No guarantees whether your landing or WP application would be processed at the border. Especially after 8:20 or 8:30 in the morning, I saw a few ppl were sent back to Canada without taking a look at their files. (i guess they came for landing and wp/sp)

3. One ppl I met today said rainbow bridge has 200 quotas for immigration landing applications per day and they failed to landing even they arrived at 8:30 am.

4. They prefer you apply work permit online and immigration landing through inland way instead of going to the border. (according to one of the officer)

5. I guess, this is my personal opinion, If the border office is busy and a lot a ppl lining up during the day at any time from 8:00 to 12 midnight, you will be most likely sent back to Canada or lining up for many many hours. If you want to make sure you can successfully land at those southern Ontario bridges, go early and line up for first 5 each day, otherwise the success of your landing would be really depending on how busy the officers are.

Here are roughly my landing experience :

Generally followed Google map towards Lewiston–Queenston Bridge, after sign of "last exits before USA" and kept on driving followed "car lane" and got to the Bridge. Directly drove to USA and stop at a stop sign which is the first office of USA. Asked my nationality and what's your purpose. I said something like "I want a flagpole and going back to CA for immigration landing". Pulled the car around the corner for 5 mins, another officer gave me a piece of white paper and told to give it to Canadian officers. So I went back to Canada thru the bridge again. Followed the car lane and stopped at a small office which is the Canadian side, answered a lot of questions like goods like duty free like anything bring like money. Basically the same questions as the form you need to fill when you enter Canada by airplane. Then officer gave me a yellow piece of paper. Drove pass a yellow flashing light and parked at a parking spot in front of Canadian border office.

After parked, it was only 6:30. I went inside office and they told me they are not going to start processing IMM landing util 8am. So I got back my white and yellow paper back (important, because the first thing you meet the officer you need to present those papers, make sure you have them when you enter the office again) and asked if I can wait in the car. Officer said I'm not sure because the time on your yellow flagpole is 6:20am not sure they will accept you or not since I'm not the officer processes immigration. I don't know what to do but I can only wait until 8am. I went back to the office again around 7:50am. I was the second one in the line and luckily they accepted my file. Nothing special after they took my passport, just asked my Co-pr and waited for 40 mins. Sign and asked couple question, wrote my current address on Co-pr. No additional document were asked.

Thanks for all help guys and wish all you will get PR soon. So see you some day, see you somewhere! In Canada.!!
Thanks for the information, when did you do the landing, date please. I recently heard that they completely stopped landing at southern Ontario boarders.
 

Cupkeyk

Star Member
Dec 22, 2015
54
4
Hi, do they have a cutoff time of doing the flagpole at southern ontario bridges? Was wondering if they start at 8am, do they have a cutoff time in the evening of tue-thur?
 

trumprefugee

Champion Member
Jun 6, 2017
1,616
3,186
Ottawa, ON
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2172
App. Filed.......
06-01-2018
Nomination.....
19-12-2017
AOR Received.
07-01-2018
IELTS Request
24-06-2017
Med's Done....
05-01-2018
Passport Req..
09-03-2018
VISA ISSUED...
02-04-2018
LANDED..........
28-05-2018
Anyone? I am planning my landing and move to Toronto from New York and thinking of driving. Google maps gives Lewiston-Queenston bridge in the directions, so I am wondering if that would be a good place for someone coming from New York state to land, or which bridge would be best. Can anyone confirm if there is a cutoff time for landing at southern Ontario bridges? I am not flagpoling, only regular landing from the US.
 

MattyTj

Hero Member
Mar 7, 2017
266
85
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Anyone? I am planning my landing and move to Toronto from New York and thinking of driving. Google maps gives Lewiston-Queenston bridge in the directions, so I am wondering if that would be a good place for someone coming from New York state to land, or which bridge would be best. Can anyone confirm if there is a cutoff time for landing at southern Ontario bridges? I am not flagpoling, only regular landing from the US.
I landed at the Peace bridge last Tuesday at 730am. One booth out of 14 open, no line for anything. In and out in 20 minutes. As long as you aren’t flagpolling, you can land anytime 24/7. If your country of residence on your Copr is the US, you are never flagpolling. They might grumble but they will let you land 24/7. Agents I had were nice and professional. One even gave me a big CONGRATULATIONS! It was easy and awesome!
 
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trumprefugee

Champion Member
Jun 6, 2017
1,616
3,186
Ottawa, ON
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2172
App. Filed.......
06-01-2018
Nomination.....
19-12-2017
AOR Received.
07-01-2018
IELTS Request
24-06-2017
Med's Done....
05-01-2018
Passport Req..
09-03-2018
VISA ISSUED...
02-04-2018
LANDED..........
28-05-2018
I landed at the Peace bridge last Tuesday at 730am. One booth out of 14 open, no line for anything. In and out in 20 minutes. As long as you aren’t flagpolling, you can land anytime 24/7. If your country of residence on your Copr is the US, you are never flagpolling. They might grumble but they will let you land 24/7. Agents I had were nice and professional. One even gave me a big CONGRATULATIONS! It was easy and awesome!
Congrats! Glad to hear this. I will have an 8 hour drive, and I'm not a morning person, so I will probably cross the border late at night and wanted to make sure I could land at that time. Hope it will be smooth late at night, but as long as they don't tell me they are closed for the day for landing, I'll be fine.
 

Slm1003

Star Member
Oct 31, 2017
147
56
Congrats! Glad to hear this. I will have an 8 hour drive, and I'm not a morning person, so I will probably cross the border late at night and wanted to make sure I could land at that time. Hope it will be smooth late at night, but as long as they don't tell me they are closed for the day for landing, I'll be fine.
When are you planning on landing? We’re driving up from Boston this weekend and while it’s shorter to go through NY, I’m worried if we get to the bridge too late we won’t be able to land... right now we’re planning to go to Derby/Stansted in Vermont. But it turns a 7.5 hour drive into a 12 hour drive.
 

trumprefugee

Champion Member
Jun 6, 2017
1,616
3,186
Ottawa, ON
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2172
App. Filed.......
06-01-2018
Nomination.....
19-12-2017
AOR Received.
07-01-2018
IELTS Request
24-06-2017
Med's Done....
05-01-2018
Passport Req..
09-03-2018
VISA ISSUED...
02-04-2018
LANDED..........
28-05-2018
When are you planning on landing? We’re driving up from Boston this weekend and while it’s shorter to go through NY, I’m worried if we get to the bridge too late we won’t be able to land... right now we’re planning to go to Derby/Stansted in Vermont. But it turns a 7.5 hour drive into a 12 hour drive.
Hey, I'm planning to land at the Lewiston-Queenston bridge but in May. Sounds like as long as the border is open 24/7, which it is, we should be able to land 24/7.
http://www.ezbordercrossing.com/list-of-border-crossings/new-york/

Are you renting a car to move your stuff over as well? If so, which rental car will you be using? I'm looking into prices and it seems Budget and Avis are about $200-$300 for larger cars and minivans, but a small moving truck goes over $1000!
 

Slm1003

Star Member
Oct 31, 2017
147
56
Hey, I'm planning to land at the Lewiston-Queenston bridge but in May. Sounds like as long as the border is open 24/7, which it is, we should be able to land 24/7.
http://www.ezbordercrossing.com/list-of-border-crossings/new-york/

Are you renting a car to move your stuff over as well? If so, which rental car will you be using? I'm looking into prices and it seems Budget and Avis are about $200-$300 for larger cars and minivans, but a small moving truck goes over $1000!
I’ve seen things that the buffalo borders can be strict on what times you can do landing... I’m afraid to get there and get turned away. :(

We’re using UPack to ship our stuff. It’s actually only costing us $1200 which isn’t that bad. My husband doesn’t have his license and we can’t fit us, a baby, and a dog in a moving truck so this was the best option. :)
 
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trumprefugee

Champion Member
Jun 6, 2017
1,616
3,186
Ottawa, ON
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2172
App. Filed.......
06-01-2018
Nomination.....
19-12-2017
AOR Received.
07-01-2018
IELTS Request
24-06-2017
Med's Done....
05-01-2018
Passport Req..
09-03-2018
VISA ISSUED...
02-04-2018
LANDED..........
28-05-2018
I’ve seen things that the buffalo borders can be strict on what times you can do landing... I’m afraid to get there and get turned away. :(

We’re using UPack to ship our stuff. It’s actually only costing us $1200 which isn’t that bad. My husband doesn’t have his license and we can’t fit us, a baby, and a dog in a moving truck so this was the best option. :)
That's what I'm afraid of as well, especially since I will likely be arriving late at night. All the best for your landing, and please let us know how it goes.