Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site lsuc.UUCP 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