Traveling between Canada & US & Passport Stamps

[norftown 0]

1st trip - Flew to Seattle in March and drove into Canada at Peace Arch (I-5/99) for a 7 day trip. Returned the same way. No stamp entering or leaving.

2nd trip - Flew into Vancouver from Denver in July for a 12 day trip. Went through customs at YVR. No stamp. Flew home from YVR (did not go thorugh customs) into Chicago. I went through customs in Chicago where I had to pick up my luggage, check it back in and go back through security and did not receive a stamp.

3rd trip - Flew into Vancouver from Chicago in September for an 8 day trip. Went through customs at YVR and the customs agent asked me how many times I had traveled to Canada this year and I said, "This will be the third." She responded, "Then why isn't your passport stamped?" I said, "I'm not sure." She asked maybe 2-3 other routine questions, stamped my passport and then let me through. During this trip my Canadian fiancee and I drove to Seattle for a day trip and never had our passports stamped when leaving or entering. We were a bit nervous but both times it was just a few questions and we drove off. I flew home from YVR, except this time when I checked in they had me go through US Customs at the YVR airport. Went through customs, threw my luggage bag on the conveyor and got on the plane. When I landed in Chicago I obviously didn't have to go through customs again or get my baggage until my final destination. No stamp going home.

So I have a few questions:

1. What determines when customs stamps your passport? In other words, are they supposed to stamp it every time? Because on my old passport I traveled to several other countries and it was hit or miss as to when I got stamped.

2. When leaving Canada why did I not go through US customs at YVR airport the first trip, but went through US customs in YVR airport on the second trip?

[JillA 2]

I have never had my passport stamped when travelling by vehicle to the US.... but almost always by air... I have no idea why they stamp it sometimes and don't other times.... Who the heck knows why USCIS does half the stuff they do

[Udella&Wiz 325]

I had it stamped once by the US BP. The officer was more inquisitive then most and i think they gave her a new stamp pad that day or something so she wanted to use it

I've flown many times and it was just that once. Never been stamped when going by car

[Emancipation 2]

tsk tsk tsk.. there you go putting logic and immigration together again

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

I've only had my old Canadian Passport stamped once by US Customs when I travelled to the USA by land and was issued a B-2 visitor's visa...(POE)....

To which at my AOS interview the immigration officer asked: "Why did you have your passport stamped and why did they issue you a visitor's visa (as Canadians are exempt from such)?" (or something along those lines). To which I thought: "I don't know, you're an immigration officer, you tell me."

I haven't had any of my Canadian passports stamped since then...(I travel by land by car to Canada, frequently, since I live so close to the border...)

Regardless, whenever I travel, I still show the border officials (on both sides of the border) my valid Canadian Passport and Green Card, and they do scan such in their computer system. So yes, they may have "official records" of such trips, even though we don't have records of such in our passports.

It shouldn't be a problem there that we as Canadians have no passport stamps in our passports for trips back to Canada.

However, (as I mentioned in another message thread post on the Canada boards):

Now for the N-400/Citizenship stage....They do ask for records of trips outside of the USA since permanent residency. So I did list such trips to Canada, according to my own unofficial records, provided an explaination as to why I don't have official records in my passport, and said that if they wanted to verify my unofficial records they can find it themselves from their own official records (I can't be bothered additionally searching for and paying for records they might already have in their own government computers). Hopefully this will satisfy their requirements about recording such travels.

What I would recommend for you (and for any other Canadians) is to keep an unofficial record on your own about the trips you have made over the border over the years. Use a calendar, list, or whatever else...So in case they do ask about such cross-border Canada/USA trips in the future, you have an unofficial record already, and can verify it with their own official records. As well, if you have any additional proof of your trips (ticket stubs, itineries/agendas, photos, cards, etc.) keep those and show those as well when asked. Remember: Always tell the truth about such trips and you'll be ok there.

Hope this helps. Good luck with the rest of your immigration journey too.

Ant

Edited September 23, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[Rhiannercakes 14]

Some of my boarding passes were stamped instead of my passport.

Out of 6 trips my passport was only stamped once, which I was given a B-2 I believe. Which weird-ed me out

Rest of the time it was my boarding pass.

Edited September 23, 2009 by Rhiann

[SapphireDreams 71]

It was always hit or miss for me too.

Sometimes they just stamped my boarding pass, sometimes both, sometimes none...

Same thing on the Canadian side with my husband, sometimes he would get a stamp and sometimes he wouldn't....

[Hugglebuggles 60]

The only time I ever recieved a stamp is when I entered on my K-1... but I never flew from Canada to the US. We always used the airport in Buffalo, as its cheaper and a lot closer. For one reason or another officers at the border when you drive across just can't be bothered. Perhaps that is due to the fact that passport weren't required until recently? Maybe stamps will become more common in time, or they'll start to enforce a stamping rule.

As far as the immigrations at the airport go, I can only guess. Some airports with flights coming to and from Canada and the US offer preclearance before you even get on the plane and others do not. Perhaps its dependant on your destination, or the time you fly? Someone with experience doing this could probably answer it better then me!

[warlord 72]

It was always hit or miss for me too.

Sometimes they just stamped my boarding pass, sometimes both, sometimes none...

Same thing on the Canadian side with my husband, sometimes he would get a stamp and sometimes he wouldn't....

The same thing happens at the Mexican border too. Stamping a passport in North America isn't really a requirment as it would be if you went over seas etc. Generally it's not required for them to stamp a passport, it's more of a proper proceedure and are encouraged to stamp them, but many don't want to bother with it. So you'll have some that follow the proceedures more to the exact book and others that don't bother with things that aren't mandatory...

[redmen99 1]

I always complained that I NEVER got a stamp in my passport when I went into Canada. Air, Car, it didn't matter. Then I drove in with the hubby, then boyfriend and I was flying home the next day, I drove up with him for a preseason lacrosse game or something. I said I'm flying home on such a day. The border guy was like um, you mean tomorrow? It was after midnight, so it was tomorrow. So I said yes. He asked me for a copy of my travel plans which I didn't print out. (Mistake #1! Always print that stuff out!) So he was going over my flight plans with me again and said so you are leaving tomorrow, I said weather permitting, yes since there was a snow storm heading in. (Mistake #2! NEVER SAY THAT!) So he pulled me into secondary where they questioned me further and they eventually let me go with a stamp in my passport (Finally!) And now looking at that stamp, I think they gave me a visa because under the stamp is a hand written V with a date six months out from when I entered. I was so excited to finally have that stamp. Something so weird, yet it made me so happy!