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Path: utzoo!lsuc!msb
From: msb@lsuc.UUCP (Mark Brader)
Newsgroups: net.railroad,net.travel
Subject: Re: Trip on Canada's VIA Rail
Message-ID: <466@lsuc.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 2-Mar-85 00:59:05 EST
Article-I.D.: lsuc.466
Posted: Sat Mar  2 00:59:05 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 2-Mar-85 01:37:11 EST
References: <297@ssc-bee.UUCP>
Reply-To: msb@lsuc.UUCP (Mark Brader)
Distribution: net
Organization: Law Society of Upper Canada, Toronto
Lines: 28
Summary: Canada/US immigration, and other stuff

maa@ssc-bee.UUCP (Mark A Allyn) writes:

> Going through customs and immigrations on both ends of the trip were
> a snap. They only require a driver's license or some other proof of
> ID and they never did go through anyone's luggage.

You were lucky.  The real rule is that to travel between Canada and the US,
citizens of either country must show proof of *citizenship*, not just
residence.  When entering the one that you're not a citizen of, you may
also have to convince them that you're not seeking employment (unless of
course you have the appropriate permit).

When I took Amtrak from Toronto to the San Francisco area, and back as
far as Chicago, a couple of years ago, spending only a couple of days in
SF to visit a friend, the immigration inspector at Port Huron (MI) found
my itinerary completely unbelievable.  She didn't seem to think anyone would
go all that way just for the joy of the trip.  And yet the interview took
place on a train.  (Maybe the fact that I was in SF on the weekend helped
convince her.)

By the way, I enjoyed the trip quite as much as MAA enjoyed his VIA trip,
and found both the Amtrak staff and the train generally nicer than I have
experienced on VIA.  But I haven't traveled on a VIA transcontinental yet.

And also by the way, Montreal is spelled Montreal.  (plus an acute accent
on the e, in the French version)

Mark Brader