A FEW HINTS TO EASE CROSSING THE BORDER

Long before you plan to cross the US/Canadian border, certainly before you begin to pack for the trip, you should visit the US and Canadian Customs websites to find out what's legal and what's not. You can also get hard copies of the various brochures by visiting local Customs offices (every large city has them), although that probably won't help you with the foreign country's regulations.

Several things are heavily controlled or definitely banned from crossing. Among them are the following. Note that this is by no means a complete list. If you have any questions or doubts you MUST call the Customs offices of the country you're travelling into ahead of time to ask for specific instructions.

CONTRABAND ITEMS

• Any plant or animal, or identifiable parts or derivatives thereof. Included in this are items made of ivory including carved curios and native chunks of ivory, any endangered species of plant or animal, most agricultural species of plant or animal, any living plants including potted houseplants regardless of the source, any caged or wild birds including family pets. Family dogs and cats are about the only significant exception, but dogs (seldom cats) must be accompanied by a valid, signed rabies certificate from your veterinarian. (Just the rabies tag won't work.)
• Street or recreational drugs, or any medicinal drugs or pharmaceuticals not accompanied by a doctor's prescription. Both countries have a zero tolerance policy. While this generally does not extend to simple over-the-counter medicines, you should be forewarned that even some fairly benign pharmaceuticals can get you into trouble. For instance, several antihistamine preparations are sold over-the-counter in Canada, but require a prescription in the USA. If you're found with them you can be charged with possession by the US authorities! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!
• Firearms, explosives or their parts, ingredients or precursors. If you wish to transport hunting rifles across the border you must contact Customs IN BOTH COUNTRIES well in advance!
• Alcohol and tobacco are strictly controlled. There are limits to how much you may bring with you as you cross the border. Exceeding those limits will automatically require payment of stiff import duties and excise taxes or immediate destruction of the excess. There are "duty free shops" at the border where you may purchase alcohol and tobacco products as you cross the border, but unless you know the rules and the routine you must either ask for guidance beforehand or pass till another day. Save yourself the grief, now's a good time to stop smoking and drinking!
• Special note: As of this writing (2005-December-05) we are experiencing yet another BSE (Mad Cow Disease) crisis. As a result, severe restrictions have been placed on the cross-border transportation of many animals and products containing animal meat and byproducts INCLUDING PET FOODS! This includes living, dry or canned products intended for any animal: cats, dogs, python, piranha or what have you.

  Plan ahead. Call both US and Canadian Customs where you intend to cross before leaving home to verify the current status of the regulations. Do not carry excess pet food with you. Feed the family pets as you approach the border. Plan on any excess being confiscated as you cross. (In fact, be certain to mention that you have such products as you go through Customs to avoid possible embarrassment, delays and fines.) Plan on buying replacements at veterinary clinics, groceries and pet shops after you cross.

Several questions are almost always asked as you cross the border.

"How many people in your vehicle?"

You are usually not asked this unless the officer can't see clearly into your entire vehicle (e.g., as with a van, bus or motorhome).

"You're citizens of where?"

US and Canadian citizens seldom have to present any documentation. If they do, usually only a birth certificate, driver's license or both will suffice. But if you have a passport, do not hesitate to carry and display it to the Customs officer.

The only significant exception are people of Middle Eastern ancestry who may be asked to present further identification as a result of the 9/11 tragedy. (This sort of discrimination is reprehensible but often unavoidable. If you fall into this group you should either be prepared for it or change your travel plans.)

If you're not a Canadian or US citizen you will be required to present passports or other documentation and probably have to speak with an immigration officer. This situation is beyond the scope of this page. Seek help or advice elsewhere.

"You're residents of where?"

What city or geographic district do you live in or near?

"You're going where?" or "For what purpose?"

Tell them the most major city on your itinerary or "on business " or "on vacation" (for instance) to ... (the most major destination on your trip).

"Do you have any drugs?"

Say "No" or "Only prescription drugs" if appropriate. Do not be stupid enough to try to smuggle drugs across the border!

"Do you have any alcohol?"

If so, say so. This situation is beyond the scope of this page and you should seek advice or help elsewhere.

"Do you have any tobacco?"

If so, say so. This situation is beyond the scope of this page and you should seek advice or help elsewhere.

"Do you have anything to declare?" or "Are you bringing anything with you that you will not be bringing back as you return?"

This is the crux of the entire issue and will be discussed at length below.

This is the second place (after the citizenship part) where people most often get into trouble.

If you're leaving your home country and entering a foreign country (e.g., Americans crossing into Canada), the Customs officers usually expect to get a "No" answer because you've not been anywhere yet. However, if you really are taking a gift to Aunt Josey in Moose Jaw, by all means tell Customs! You'll almost certainly not be bothered over trivial gifts, and more expensive items will only be considered by Customs if they're expensive enough to make all the paperwork worth the bother. In any circumstances, paying a few dollars duty is by far preferable to suffering the embarrassment, penalties and delay if you're caught trying to smuggle something across the border.

However, as you return to your home country from abroad, the Customs officers fully expect that you'll be bringing souvenirs or merchandise back with you. (Cross border shopping by Canadians is legendary because the Canadian market apparently is incapable of accommodating the scope and depth of products available in the USA.) If you declare that you are not bringing anything back they immediately get suspicious and pull you over for a search. At a minimum, always buy some small, inexpensive curios or other items and declare them as you return, even if you've only been out of the country a few hours. Such a trivial effort on your part can save you several hours and a lot of inconvenience at the border.

"I GOT ME A [BLEEP BLEEP] PLAN."

As we tour the USA, we collect receipts for everything that we purchase. Usually this is no problem as we use our charge cards or debit cards (see the sidebars) as much as possible while travelling and automatically are given a receipt. In other circumstances we are certain to ask for a receipt if one isn't offered. All such receipts are kept in a special, large envelope reserved specifically for this purpose.

As we approach the border, Marguerite goes through these receipts and itemizes those that contain products or goods that we are taking back with us. A sample itemisation might look something like this.

Wal-Mart (Houston, TX)	$25.87
Catherine's Dress Shop (Dallas, TX)	$134.43
From's Shell Service (Wayland, OK)	$257.86
K-Mart (Denver, CO)	$87.54
Figworth's Emporium (Cheyenne, WY)	$34.52
TOTAL	$540.22

Note that we're neither itemising WHAT we're bringing back nor the TOTAL that we spent at each place of business. We're only itemizing the BUSINESSES where we spent the money and the PORTION of the receipt that we're claiming. For instance, the amount spent at Wal-Mart was actually significantly larger than what we're claiming because we purchased food there that was subsequently consumed on the trip. It is not being imported into Canada and therefore isn't listed.

Each of the listed receipts is attached to our master list for future reference. And on each receipt those items that we are claiming as being brought into Canada are circled or otherwise highlighted for future reference.

Lastly, relatively trivial items that have been used, were purchased as used or that are partly consumed are not listed. There are exceptions to this, however. Our teenaged grandson's partly eaten bag of potato chips (purchased in Great Falls) will be of little interest to Customs Canada, but the new tires that we had to buy in Wayland, OK must be declared even though we already have 1,000 kilometres on them. Customs will not allow us to ignore such big ticket items. Too much duty is at stake.

HEADS UP, GANG!

IT'S THE SAME STORY EITHER DIRECTION While the example we've given here is for Canadian residents returning home from a vacation in the USA, travelling in the other direction involves almost an identical sequence of events. The direction you're travelling is relatively unimportant and the fundamental concepts are the same.

I DO DECLARE!

In answer to the Customs Officer's question we say "Yes." At that point they almost always ask either "What?" or "How much?" We then respond by presenting the list as shown above. The officer does a quick mental conversion to Canadian dollars, divides by the number of people in our vehicle and makes a value judgement about whether to pursue recovery of taxes and duty on our importations.