To Frank Miranda and other travellers.

[harlequin death rebel]

Hi Frank,

Do you think you could talk me through the basic procedure of passing through the customs checkpoint into Canada from North America. Is it done in your car and you just hand your passport to someone in a booth. Or do you have to go into an office? How does it work and how does it work when you're returning from Canada into America?

Appreciated. Thanks a mil,
harlequin

[moorea01]

When I've crossed into Canada from the U.S., it's all been taken care of in the car. The customs agent sits in what looks like a toll booth. You pull up. No passport required. (Unless it's changed since 9/11.) I showed my driver's license I think. The guy asked where I was going, how long I planned to stay. Then waved me on my way.

Same coming back. The U.S. agent just asked where I'd been, how long I'd been there.

[Frank Miranda]

Hi Harlequin, Sorry for the delay- I couldn't get on the site for awhile.

Anyway, moorea basically has it- was the same for me except that he never asked me for a driver's license. Passports back then were unheard of crossing the border by foot or by car. Again, as moorea points out, this may have changed since 9-11. I haven't been back since then. But I have a friend living right up near the border who might know- I can ask if you still need this info.

[Meltdown]

Recently we went across the border from Canada into the U.S (Aldergrove into northern Washington State). We had a van full of people - we stayed in the van and they asked for everyone driver's license and the birth cerificates for our kids.

They let us through, but I was told to make sure I have my birth certificate with me next time. ( Have to get one, lost mine) which caught me off guard.

Recently I've heard that they have been asking for passports too, but I'm not sure. My inlaws are in town and they close to border, I'll ask them tonight.

[whistlelock]

You can still pass in and out of Mexico with just a license.

And I would suggest that for your scene you make some decisions based more on what will build the tension rather than what really happens.

If you want to build it up, then I'd go with a full on inspection going into Canada. People in the audience will notice the difference, they'll be like "What the heck, he's just going to Canada." but if it's not ment to be a source of conflict, I'd just have'em waive a licsense around and they walk through.

[britwrit]

"Crossing the Bridge," which came out about ten years ago. It was all about these three dead-end Michigan kids trying to sneak in a lot of drugs from Canada by way of the Ambassador Bridge. I really don't know how realistic it was but it made it seem as tough as trying to cross over at Checkpoint Charlie in 1965.

[Ravenlocks01]

On a side note, an interesting story. My dad grew up near the Canadian border (on the U.S. side). Since the prices were cheaper in the U.S., around Christmas-time many Canadians would dress in their oldest clothes and come over the border to the mall to go shopping. Then they would put on their new purchases and go home duty-free. :) The mall dumpsters would be full of all this old Canadian clothing...