Crossing the border into canada
 

What documentation do I need to cross the border?

Driver's License and Birth Cert? Anything else?

Other "do's and don'ts"?

Don't bring in any handguns :)

are rifles ok? i assume my patriotic right to defend myself from threats both domestic and abroad apply when crossing into your frightening and uncharted country..?

:error

Sure give it a shot..but they like to put on the rubber gloves if you get caught with them

Uno thats a good start if you have a passport, thats also great. DONT tell them you are coming for business:winkwink: too many questions:1orglaugh

bracelets are sometimes the ticket.
http://static.flickr.com/11/13335197_478321d4af_m.jpg

2hp

No radar detectors and as JFK says DO NOT say you are travelling on biz.
Also be prepared in some rare occasions to have your laptop searched.
And yes a passport is best or at least photo ID

Surprisingly, I'm the opposite. When they ask what I do and I drop the SEO bomb on them, they just let me go without any more questions. When I say personal, they ask me what I do, how come I can take time off in mid-week, etc. etc...
WG

I found that out going to the Montreal show in '03. We had to drive all the way from NY to Vermont to cross. :1orglaugh

Unfortunately I lost my passport and have only recently applied for a new one. Damn I miss all the cool stamps I had.

So besides a passport are there any other points of ID I should bring? I'm not sure what else I have access to aside from a few bills like Cable with my name and addy.

What about a criminal record?

Again, I made that mistake once.... Never again.

As far as what is on my laptop, should I upload all my adult content, mp3's, and related stuff to my server and redownload it when I get up there?

If you're driving...leave your radar detector at home (or hide it well).

And we drive on the right side of the road (except in Quebec...where they drive all over regardless of the laws).

Its pronounced "poo-teen" when ordering fries with gravy and cheese curds.

When standing in a long line at The Beer Store, loudly complain they should make it self-serve. You'll fit right in.

No need to tip the girl behind the window at the Tim Horton's drive-thru. She's honoured enough to be working minimum wage at midnight.

If the lights in your hotel go out - its not a terrorist attack...just a rolling brownout caused by another power interruption from Michigan.

A few tips to get you by in Cana-duh.

Do misdemeanors count? I might have a few of those, but no felonies. When I was stopped and turned away in NY because I was there for business and a friend for liesure they asked us if we had ever been arrested. We assumed they meant felony convictions so we said "No". Then they threatened to throw us in jail right there.

At the Vermont border where we finally did cross we both said we were going to Montreal to hang out and have a good time for a few days.

Hopefully they'll look at our docs, ask us why we are going, "few days vacation in Toronto", and let us go without giving us the rubber glove treatment.

How rough is the border @ Niagra Falls as far as that stuff goes, if anyone knows?

I hit you up a few times about that shoot, please get back to me on icq! 111-914

Tell them you're coming up to gamble and sight see and you're golden.
WG

Yeah, having a criminal conviction should get you turned away, but linking your personal information to criminal records is a little tough to do on the spot (I think its easier through a passport but harder with a drivers license).
WG

dont voluteer it, deny it as much as you can. If they ask just say NO:winkwink: If they happen to search and find it, just say my lawyer told me that would we purged from the records:winkwink:

Unfortunately NY and NJ are linked together like that.

leave the laptop CLEAN just in case, and if you are coming accross at niagara, just say you're only staying a few hrs to gamble, checking out casino Niagra:winkwink: except if you have a ton of luggage:1orglaugh

dont have any blow residue on your drivers license

I really don't think that it's that big of a deal. If they ask questions, tell them honestly what you do - if you can of course, focus more on your mainstreem efforts ;)

But yeah, it would be a good time to make sure that the laptop is clean just in case.

But really, I cross the boarder regularly and I never have a problem. I also know folks from the U.S. who come in regularly without a problem.

NY and NJ may be, but what about Ontario ;)
Do like JFK said though, deny.
WG

Bring your drivers license if you have one, Passport works too, if you are driving in, leave your radar detector at home, the same goes for your long guns unless you have proof you're going hunting and that can be verified by the lodge you will be staying at.

Never say you are going up for business, don't hint that you are going to stay there for good, nor have all your clothes and possessions with you.
On the flip side, if you are visiting friends, keep their names out of it, tell them you are just visiting the country for a few days. Ask them for information on getting your GST (Goods and Services Tax) back when you come back to the states.

Like every other border crossings, just look the agent straight in the eyes, and tell more or less the truth. Know that when you are coming and going your plates and ID are getting run through any number of databases.

I actually think coming back into the U.S. from Canada is more of a pain in the ass than leaving.

No one I have gone with recently have had any problem with only their NYS license or non driver id.

I always carry my passport with me.

Don't worry about the laptop. The most they may ask you to do is turn it on to show it works (that it is not a bomb).

Just tell them you are going sight seeing in Toronto for a few days. Everyone likes tourists.
DO NOT LIE ABOUT HOW LONG YOU ARE STAYING (as JFK suggested), that will only lead to potential trouble on your way back.

You need to have some proof that you are a US Citizen, a passport works best.

When visiting a foreign country geographically north of your own the accepted method of boarder crossing is to swim, tunnel, or climb the fence.

.

WG SEO must sounds as an abra cadabre for them :)

LMAO, that's too funny

I spoke with the state department and they said until 2007 you can still get into Canada, Mexico and a few other places with your driver's license and OFFICIAL birth cert NOT a copy. It must be the one with the raised seal. Passports will be required in 2007.

The week's worth of luggage, gear and whatever else probably wouldn't help then.

Good, I should have my passport in a few weeks, so i won't have to worry about that in the future. I guess i'll rename all my "porn" directories so they are less obvious.

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

OMFG!!!!!11111

Lots of good advice in this thread. Enjoy yourself in my fine country, uno.

Oh, massage parlors arent REALLY massage parlors.

I made the mistake of picking the massage therapist with the biggest forearms.
*sighs*

Don't drimk the water

These seem more like tips to get by in Ontario :1orglaugh

Oh dear.

5678

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh Luckily that's not my poison of choice. I can get anything I want in toronto anyway, so no need to bring any of that up. Think they'd give pause to police issue handcuffs in the trunk?

I get by wherever I roam. For some reason that I'll never understand, people seem to like me.

Good advice. Thanks.

Ya man who cares LOL, we have a very lax border guard policy haha

uno: you coming to webmaster access?

hahahhahahah dude, you're not going the USA, you're coming into Canada. You should probably do that shit before you go home though. ;)

Lookin' forward to hookin' up with you guys on Sunday. Mr. Weatherman isn't being too optimistic at this point, though.

Might wanna bring your water wings and galoshes. And they're callin' for the temps to drop.

Crossing the border into Canada is cake, a drivers license will do the trick.

It's been hell for me every time. It might have something to do with the u-haul full of furniture I take with me though.

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

Yup...a drivers license and a t-shirt that says
"You're Either With Us Or Your're With the Terrorists"
works everytime.

Back with some Cubans, tylenol with codeine and tons of cheap, duty free shit!