First Time Crossing - What to expect from customs!

Bob Jerkins posted 1 year ago

I crossed for my first time to the US this weekend after being granted a waiver.

1) You will go to secondary inspection. You will be questioned and fingerprinted. Nothing you do will change this the first time you cross.

2) If you have your kids/wife with you, they have to go as well. If you cross via car your car will be searched up and down. Prepared your kids/wife if they already haven't been told about your past. I don't believe in keeping this information from your kids as you are trying to make them better people than you were. SO TELL YOUR KIDS!

3) Any Canadian with a waiver is no longer a non-controlled citizen meaning you have to apply for an "I-94" on top of your waiver. You do this online " https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov " which makes secondary much faster because they already have run the background check on you.

4) I suggest you have print outs of where you are staying as they will ask you for it.

5) From what I was told every 6 months you are taken into to secondary. Prepare for this and accept it as fact.

Good luck all.

J Rogers (trusted member) Trusted 1 year ago

@Bob Jerkins - - - Great summary.

I will only add that 33% of my clients do NOT have a criminal record, so obviously sometimes its easier to talk to your kids about it. Many clients tried to get asylum, were turned down, and then came to Canada and were approved. Canada has a different criteria.

Also, I spoke to a client last night who was stuck in secondary and was surprised because it was her third visit since getting the waiver, and this was her FIRST secondary. So the description above was accurate but there ARE exceptions.

Loisgh 1 year ago

When travelling with a waiver what are best practices? Do we automatically show our waiver or when an officer ask for it? Also, is anyone using the CBP MPC app for faster check in process?

casper 1 year ago

@Loisgh
When flying always put your passport and waiver on the counter for the agent.
You don’t want to have them ask for it

cal123 1 year ago

Can it cause issue if wife crosses the border first (to avoid cross examination and avoid any conflicting information that may go against me) and then I cross separately? Although, she is fully aware about the case and will catch the same flight from YVR.

Or will it be prudent to cross together?

Ana 1 year ago

@cal123 I can understand the reasoning behind why you may want to travel separately though they may ask id you’re traveling with anyone.
I’m no expert but my understanding is that the entire family unit has to go to secondary if you’re traveling together. I hope I’m wrong.

cal123 1 year ago

Can it cause issue if wife crosses the border first (to avoid cross examination and avoid any conflicting information that may go against me) and then I cross separately? Although, she is fully aware about the case and will catch the same flight from YVR.

Or will it be prudent to cross together?

Just to update on above, I crossed the border twice with wife and there was no issue at all. She was not called for any secondary (cross verification) and just remained seated far away.

First Time Crossing - What to expect from customs!

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