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Landing Experience: Intimidating and Nervewracking

kcward7

VIP Member
May 4, 2017
3,788
1,436
Last night we got our COPR and went to the border to leave and come back to land.

I guess that may have been mistake one. Before we crossed we spoke to a CBSA agent, who was extremely displeased with us. He said we should have made an appointment instead of crossing to come back because it takes up time he could be doing more important things. He advised us that we were free to cross and be refused at the US and return to Canada, but to know there was no guarantee he would let my husband back into Canada, and may issue a deportation order.

I was pretty shocked and how aggressive he was with us, I really expected the process to be easy and painless, and I wonder if I made an error in not making an appointment. We explained we thought we could do either or.

We decided to cross and take the risk. The US gave us a refusal notice no problem. We came back through one of the stalls and a different CBSA officer was again overly aggressive and giving us a hard time. He kept telling me that we went through the PR process incorrectly and not legally as my husband is a visitor and we are on an outland application. He told me this is not allowed.

Of course, I know this isn't true, and I explained politely, but he kept arguing with me, and really, you don't want to push it with these officers. He finally said "we're going to be looking into the legality of this". I don't know if he was trying to intimidate me, I would expect that a CBSA officer would know the process and rules but who knows?

We get in with the initial officer who warned us we may be denied and it resulted in an hour long process of interrogation and intimidating questions. At one point, four officers at once were involved. I could not believe it.

Once they concluded, they granted the PR, but I really can't believe how they fear inducing they made it. This is a simple, straightforward Irish outland application. I don't know if we did something wrong by flagpoling, but my god they were NOT happy with us. I'm glad we never have to do that again.
 

starnaenae

Champion Member
Aug 9, 2016
2,792
837
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mexico
App. Filed.......
March 1 2017
Doc's Request.
March 27, 2017, July 10, 2017
AOR Received.
AOR 1:March 17 2017 AOR 2: May 10, 2017
File Transfer...
April 8, 2017
Med's Request
Upfront - PASSED
Med's Done....
December 12 2016
Interview........
NOT REQUIRED
Passport Req..
March 5, 2018
VISA ISSUED...
March 13, 2018
LANDED..........
April 30, 2018
Last night we got our COPR and went to the border to leave and come back to land.

I guess that may have been mistake one. Before we crossed we spoke to a CBSA agent, who was extremely displeased with us. He said we should have made an appointment instead of crossing to come back because it takes up time he could be doing more important things. He advised us that we were free to cross and be refused at the US and return to Canada, but to know there was no guarantee he would let my husband back into Canada, and may issue a deportation order.

I was pretty shocked and how aggressive he was with us, I really expected the process to be easy and painless, and I wonder if I made an error in not making an appointment. We explained we thought we could do either or.

We decided to cross and take the risk. The US gave us a refusal notice no problem. We came back through one of the stalls and a different CBSA officer was again overly aggressive and giving us a hard time. He kept telling me that we went through the PR process incorrectly and not legally as my husband is a visitor and we are on an outland application. He told me this is not allowed.

Of course, I know this isn't true, and I explained politely, but he kept arguing with me, and really, you don't want to push it with these officers. He finally said "we're going to be looking into the legality of this". I don't know if he was trying to intimidate me, I would expect that a CBSA officer would know the process and rules but who knows?

We get in with the initial officer who warned us we may be denied and it resulted in an hour long process of interrogation and intimidating questions. At one point, four officers at once were involved. I could not believe it.

Once they concluded, they granted the PR, but I really can't believe how they fear inducing they made it. This is a simple, straightforward Irish outland application. I don't know if we did something wrong by flagpoling, but my god they were NOT happy with us. I'm glad we never have to do that again.

which border crossing was this?
 

starnaenae

Champion Member
Aug 9, 2016
2,792
837
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mexico
App. Filed.......
March 1 2017
Doc's Request.
March 27, 2017, July 10, 2017
AOR Received.
AOR 1:March 17 2017 AOR 2: May 10, 2017
File Transfer...
April 8, 2017
Med's Request
Upfront - PASSED
Med's Done....
December 12 2016
Interview........
NOT REQUIRED
Passport Req..
March 5, 2018
VISA ISSUED...
March 13, 2018
LANDED..........
April 30, 2018

WeegieInOttawa

Champion Member
Jun 11, 2017
1,126
372
Ottawa
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
London (UK)
App. Filed.......
24-10-2017
AOR Received.
08-12-2017
File Transfer...
24-01-2018
Med's Request
11-12-2017
Med's Done....
02-01-2018
Last night we got our COPR and went to the border to leave and come back to land.

I guess that may have been mistake one. Before we crossed we spoke to a CBSA agent, who was extremely displeased with us. He said we should have made an appointment instead of crossing to come back because it takes up time he could be doing more important things. He advised us that we were free to cross and be refused at the US and return to Canada, but to know there was no guarantee he would let my husband back into Canada, and may issue a deportation order.

I was pretty shocked and how aggressive he was with us, I really expected the process to be easy and painless, and I wonder if I made an error in not making an appointment. We explained we thought we could do either or.

We decided to cross and take the risk. The US gave us a refusal notice no problem. We came back through one of the stalls and a different CBSA officer was again overly aggressive and giving us a hard time. He kept telling me that we went through the PR process incorrectly and not legally as my husband is a visitor and we are on an outland application. He told me this is not allowed.

Of course, I know this isn't true, and I explained politely, but he kept arguing with me, and really, you don't want to push it with these officers. He finally said "we're going to be looking into the legality of this". I don't know if he was trying to intimidate me, I would expect that a CBSA officer would know the process and rules but who knows?

We get in with the initial officer who warned us we may be denied and it resulted in an hour long process of interrogation and intimidating questions. At one point, four officers at once were involved. I could not believe it.

Once they concluded, they granted the PR, but I really can't believe how they fear inducing they made it. This is a simple, straightforward Irish outland application. I don't know if we did something wrong by flagpoling, but my god they were NOT happy with us. I'm glad we never have to do that again.
Wow. That sucks. At that point you would think you could have breathed a sigh of relief and "enjoyed" the process of landing. Actually pretty shocked by this. :eek:
 

Oldmacwright

Hero Member
Aug 18, 2017
404
229
Souinds awful...finally getting to the end of the process and then being threatened with a deportation order what the hell??

What was he trying to say, you can't apply outland whilst in Canada as a visitor? Which obviously is ok to do, but guess you dare not argue with these guys.

We're inland so we/my wife wont have to leave and come back to land?
 

CaroM8

Hero Member
Feb 26, 2015
818
85
Ottawa
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mexico City
App. Filed.......
26/09/2016
AOR Received.
20/10/2016 - SA:25/10/2016 - AOR2: 22/12/16
File Transfer...
25/10/2016
Med's Done....
Upfront
Passport Req..
11-10-2017
LANDED..........
14-11-2017
Wow that sucks..

We were actually going to flag pole as well but changed our minds after we talked to CBSA.

When my husband got his COPR I called CBSA directly; I just wanted to get an idea which border would be better (there’s 2 close to us) and what time is less busy. The agent on the phone was nice, but he strongly recommended NOT to do a flag pole landing. He says while the CBSA agents CAN do a landing, most don’t like doing it. He also said that if the border is busy, they can outright deny doing the landing and turn you around. He said it really depends on the agent you get. We didn’t want to take a chance so we decided to go to an office.

You can book an appointment by calling CIC directly and they’ll book you for the closest office to you. We’re in Ottawa so there’s an office right here, which actually doesn’t take appointments, it’s a walk in process on certain days of the month only.

I’m sorry you had to go through that..
 

BlueSkiesHere

Star Member
Jan 18, 2017
56
53
Category........
FAM
Visa Office......
Mississauga
App. Filed.......
16-07-2017
AOR Received.
20-08-2017
Med's Done....
17-09-2017
Passport Req..
04-02-2018
LANDED..........
25-02-2018
Dumb question (forgive me) but if you 'flagpole' by flying to somewhere in the states - is that then less 'trouble' as driving?
 

canuck_in_uk

VIP Member
May 4, 2012
31,558
7,196
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
06/12
Last night we got our COPR and went to the border to leave and come back to land.

I guess that may have been mistake one. Before we crossed we spoke to a CBSA agent, who was extremely displeased with us. He said we should have made an appointment instead of crossing to come back because it takes up time he could be doing more important things. He advised us that we were free to cross and be refused at the US and return to Canada, but to know there was no guarantee he would let my husband back into Canada, and may issue a deportation order.

I was pretty shocked and how aggressive he was with us, I really expected the process to be easy and painless, and I wonder if I made an error in not making an appointment. We explained we thought we could do either or.

We decided to cross and take the risk. The US gave us a refusal notice no problem. We came back through one of the stalls and a different CBSA officer was again overly aggressive and giving us a hard time. He kept telling me that we went through the PR process incorrectly and not legally as my husband is a visitor and we are on an outland application. He told me this is not allowed.

Of course, I know this isn't true, and I explained politely, but he kept arguing with me, and really, you don't want to push it with these officers. He finally said "we're going to be looking into the legality of this". I don't know if he was trying to intimidate me, I would expect that a CBSA officer would know the process and rules but who knows?

We get in with the initial officer who warned us we may be denied and it resulted in an hour long process of interrogation and intimidating questions. At one point, four officers at once were involved. I could not believe it.

Once they concluded, they granted the PR, but I really can't believe how they fear inducing they made it. This is a simple, straightforward Irish outland application. I don't know if we did something wrong by flagpoling, but my god they were NOT happy with us. I'm glad we never have to do that again.
That sucks. You can file a formal complaint with CBSA and your MP. Have a look here https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/agency-agence/reports-rapports/acc-resp/code-eng.html and find every way that they violated their "values".

Also cite this http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-2002-227/page-14.html#h-36. As per immigration law, a person in Canada must either present at a POE or at an office to land. That's all it says; there is no legal restriction on flagpoling.
 

kcward7

VIP Member
May 4, 2017
3,788
1,436
That sucks. You can file a formal complaint with CBSA and your MP. Have a look here https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/agency-agence/reports-rapports/acc-resp/code-eng.html and find every way that they violated their "values".

Also cite this http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-2002-227/page-14.html#h-36. As per immigration law, a person in Canada must either present at a POE or at an office to land. That's all it says; there is no legal restriction on flagpoling.
I have seriously considered doing this, the only reason I held back was out of concern that they could do something with our residency, revoke it, or something...I know that's probably not a valid concern?
 

canadiantica15

Hero Member
Sep 14, 2016
262
136
Visa Office......
Mississauga/Ottawa
App. Filed.......
04-04-2017
AOR Received.
01-05-2017
File Transfer...
24-05-2017
Med's Request
06-06-2017
Med's Done....
28-06-2017
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
24-10-2017
VISA ISSUED...
08-11-2017
LANDED..........
15-12-2017

canadiantica15

Hero Member
Sep 14, 2016
262
136
Visa Office......
Mississauga/Ottawa
App. Filed.......
04-04-2017
AOR Received.
01-05-2017
File Transfer...
24-05-2017
Med's Request
06-06-2017
Med's Done....
28-06-2017
Interview........
Waived
Passport Req..
24-10-2017
VISA ISSUED...
08-11-2017
LANDED..........
15-12-2017
I wanted to, but he was giving me shit for not trying to make an appointment first, and the bullet says "if you're not able to make an appt..."
Berating you for not making an appointment is unacceptable. It is understood that it can take a while to get an appointment therefore activating your PR at the border is sufficient. You must've gotten a cranky bunch of officers unfortunately.
 
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