Visa Approved - Immigration officer Question

[MicrowaveSafe]

Hi everyone

So my visa got approved (already shared my profile earlier if you are interested http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/visa-approved-t445149.0.html)

My question is about the immigration officer when I get to canada.
Is it true they go through your laptop and phone? Also some threads say you need to bring a copy of your bank statements but I cant find anywhere on the CIC website that says this. Is it true?

Thank you everyone for all your help and support I hope I can pass on whatever I've learnt to future applicants ;D :-*

 

[Gymguy]

Is it true they go through your laptop and phone? Also some threads say you need to bring a copy of your bank statements but I cant find anyway on the CIC website that says this. Is it true?

Completely baseless. Whoever told you that is exponentially delusional.

They ask about you only max (course, college etc.), nothing more.

 

[yyzstudent]

They have every right in the world to go through your laptop and your phone. Quite recently someone was sent home after immigration found text messages about working without a permit. And if they want to they can go through your laptop. If they find illegal stuff on it, that's not good. For you.

Now, they deal with thousands of people every day. There is no time to check everyone, therefore it is random. Anyone can be pulled in for extra checks.

Now, as for what to show: print a copy of your visa application that was approved. That should be enough.

 

[Gymguy]

They have every right in the world to go through your laptop and your phone. Quite recently someone was sent home after immigration found text messages about working without a permit. And if they want to they can go through your laptop. If they find illegal stuff on it, that's not good. For you.

FYI OP is entering first time in Canada; max he/she may have in the phone is msg's from family, girlfriend/boyfriend or work etc. in his/her home country. The 'someone' that you are referring to here (I remember that thread but have no time to dig it out) was working illegally as per his visa conditions and was caught while re-entering at POE. As to laptop, OP seems to be mature enough not to store illegal stuff on his/her laptop. OP has gone through long/arduous visa process where attention to detail to every document/application is paramount, so I wouldn't scare him/her with any exponentially delusional stuff.

On the same note, your second and third part of comment contradicts what you said in the above quote and is quite balanced advice.

Cheers.

 

[yyzstudent]

In that case, if you take a copy of windows which is cracked (of-course) isn't that illegal too? If not, what sort of 'illegal stuff' are we talking about here? can you clarify?

Pirated material, illegal material, child *censored word*, etc etc. It happens and is checked every day. Not everyone gets checked but they do this every day.

[quote author=zuif] finding text messages about working without a permit, and stopping 'em sounds like a hoax, i mean why would they check your text messages in the first place ???[/quote]
Texts, Facebook, twitter, what's app, emails, they have the right to check it all.

It is not a hoax. Recently a member of this board asked for advice as upon reentry, border officer found communication and text messages which proved he was working without a workpermit in Canada.
[quote author=zuif]
I see lots of people posting bull**** here without any knowledge, stop doing that, stop confusing others, just post things you know about.
[/quote]

My job for several decades meant that I had to do a lot of border crossings and clearing customs. I've gone through it all, including strip searches.

Customs and immigration officers have the right to do any search they want under the legal term of "protecting the country and its citizens". That includes going through phones, laptops, luggage, your body, for anything that is prohibited. Be it banned food items, drugs, illegal materials, counterfeit/pirated materials, communications involving illegal actions/plans, weapons, etc. Encrypting your harddrive and refusing to unlock it, won't help. They'll just confiscate it.

It happens every day. It just doesn't happen to everyone. Why risk your admissibility?

 

[zuif]

Yes, they will check stuffs when they have grounds or a reason to check something.

A new student going through customs WON"T be put onto those tedious process, unless some complaints has been received or some suspicious information has been obtained about them before hand.

It's not about RANDOM checking it's more about REASON for checking.

 

[Gymguy]

Yes, they will check stuffs when they have grounds or a reason to check something.

A new student going through customs WON"T be put onto those tedious process, unless some complaints has been received or some suspicious information has been obtained about them before hand.

It's not about RANDOM checking it's more about REASON for checking.

I tend to agree with zuif. Very well said. They have lot of rights but they are also flat-out with lot of work to catch the genuine offenders and won't go to the extent of checking someone's phone/laptop who's entering Canada for the first time until and unless there's a strong reason to do it. Cheers

 

[scorpio1641]

They won't check your laptop or phone unless they have very grave reasons to do so.
During my entry into Canada, I didn't see anyone being searched at all. I've travelled to Calgary and back and have never seen this happen also.
They consider privacy an important thing so I wouldn't worry about it.

Also, they didn't check my bank statements too. All they asked was if I had paid for my tuition and my tuition receipt. After that you're good to go

 

[MicrowaveSafe]

Thank you So much everyone! I was wondering how they would have so much time to go through laptops and phones. If your visas haven't been approved yet Good luck! All the best

 

[yyzstudent]

Just because it hasn't happened to me or other people responding to this post, doesn't mean it never happens. It can and it does. It is extremely random. Better be safe than sorry.

 

[MicrowaveSafe]

Just because it hasn't happened to me or other people responding to this post, doesn't mean it never happens. It can and it does. It is extremely random. Better be safe than sorry.

I have nothing to hide. I want to be an engineer, I probably wont have time to work at all, let alone past the limit. I was asking because it seemed a bit invasive and unrealistic. Thanks for the help though.