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US-Canadian Border Hassels

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by rudyxhiebert

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Has anyone had this happen to them? We live close to a border crossing and where on our way to set up a booth at a fair in Washington State. Typicaly we had no problem checking out our list of stuff at the Canadian Customs to avoid problems coming back. On our way in to the US, however, we were told that we did not qualify because we did not have a "working visa", which we needed because were "selling" US products. (We had no products to sell, only give-away catalogs and literature). Is this something new, because we've never had this happen before?

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by oz_media

I know that the boder here (BC Whiterock and Sumas crossings) is absuolutely hideous.

There are fewer people crossing and the lines are four times longer, it's a true waste of time.

I do ship a LOT of marketing materials to the US as well as products (CD's). CD's are covered under the artists contracts and I've never been charged for the promotional mmaterials. Bulk end display cards/boxes, promo pages for store counters, posters, demo's to various radio stations, award approvals etc.

I JUST finished posting to aldana's thread about WOULD YOU VOTE FOR BUSH? Based on economical views. I mentioned how the cross border shopping has dropped due to heightened security. I think that without EASING security it will become more efficient as bored guards grow more experienced at handling heightened security, it usually does over time. There's an initial paranoia and fesar of everything or being responsible for making a terrible mistake, nobody wants to face the consequences. I think it will relax with time and experience though.

I've seen this reaction from security I've managed too.

by sullyman

I spend a bit of time working with a promotional products company, and for our Canadian clients going to trade shows in the US we have to ship the products directly to the show so they clear US customs. Many times clients have tried to brng in theirr own products to be turned back at the border. Samples that we get from the US that we pick up on trips, have to be damaged ( or cut ) to qualify as samples. This HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH Canadian US relations...current or past!!!

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