I think he made it clear in the second sentence of his post there was no luggage apart from one carry-on.
But HOW does the immigration official know that? They come before the baggage collection point.
I always try to answer in the least number of words.
My husband is the same way. He gets treated with much more suspicion than me, miss chatterbox.
1) People tend to overestimate how interesting their lives are to total strangers
2) Unless you're a real nutjob, they're not going to remember you or your pasty white legs
thoughtpolice:
no, I don't think that I'm confused. But I may have my terminology wrong. First I went with everyone else to the immigration lineup where I presented my passport and arrival card. Was asked questions by the officer why I only had one bag and why I went to Hong Kong and Thailand so often. She obviously wasn't satisfied and wrote something on my arrival card which then flagged me for secondary inspection just before I exited the airport. This is where my bags and camera where inspected. I hope that is now clear and in the future promise to be more precise in my reporting.
laura_haha: I think you are missing the point. I really don't care that she saw my "pasty white legs". How are your legs by the way? I was just surprised at how casual and informal it was. If she had said; "Sir, I would like to have a look at what is in your camera because I have due cause to suspect that you have illegal material in it" then I probably would have told her to go crazy and have a look. FYI, the reason that I go to Hong Kong so often is that my 30 year old girlfriend of 6 years; and my future wife works there. Also, Immigration offices are human and don't think that there are some that enjoy the voyeur aspect of the job. Are they really looking at the photos because they think I am a sex offender or are they doing it just because they can?
Next time I will make sure that my memory card is full of pictures of my pasty bare white ass.
There is no legal requirement for you to answer any questions you fell are intrusive from those people-if they bother you ask to see a Supervisor.
They cannot deny you entry into the country of your birth or if you're a Canadian citizen.
It's been my experience that Canadian Customs & Immigration officials are poorly educated/badly trained very limited individuals who should be treated like the low level functionaries that they are.
ya - I'm sure they can't "make" you answer a question, but come on now...don't answer a question and what do you think is going to happen? Grab your camera and say you can't look in there and what do you think is going to happen? Grab your bag and say you can't look in there and what do you think is going to happen?
The customs act says that they can examine goods to check for pornography, but it also says:
"Non-intrusive examination of goods
99.3 (1) An officer may, in accordance with the regulations and without individualized suspicion, conduct a non-intrusive examination of goods in the custody or possession of a person leaving a customs controlled area." reference
And of course we know they can also open mail.
I think its a stretch for them to say they have grounds to check your camera for pornography just because you're a guy and just because you went to Thailand, but what can you really do in the situation? I guess you can ask for the supervisor, but then do they say that they now have grounds to check because you're trying to deny them access to inspect your 'goods'? You can say its private or that you believe its intrusive, but then what? Then do they say - Why don;t you want to let them look? If its just travel pictures, what's the problem? blah blah - I think you get the point. I know when I came back from one trip and the customs officer is reading my journal. I'm thinking - wtf? But I also just wanted to get home.
I get asked why I go to the mideast so often....geez. But the last time I came back through I was asked by customs what I had brought back (I was so fried by this time, no sleep, etc..) told them soap, soap, soap. Literally bars of olive soap I so love. The guy didn't even blink and went waltzing through...
a lot of the questions they ask may seem ridiculous to you, but it's the way that you answer the 'ridiculous' question that might trigger suspicion. There's a lot of psychology involved, and they can tell a lot not just by your answer, but by the way you answer.
we don't understand why they use the approach that they do, because we're not supposed to understand. if everyone knew the questions that were coming, those that want to break the rules would become more practiced liars.
on the other hand, some may be just plain bored if traffic is slow.
they stopped my parents once on their return to Canada from Michigan.
Border guard asked them how long they had been in the States.
Then asked where they stayed, and when they replied at their daughters house she then asked what they had for dinner last night.
They told her steak and she then asked them for their daughter's phone number.
The guard then went in and phoned the number they gave, and asked what they had for dinner; to confirm that my folks were telling the truth.
Two folks in their 70's, new car, what's the suspicion? who knows what the motive was?
it's all part of the mystery of travel, and you might as well get used to it.
Goldfinger - How thick are you, what do yopu not understand about no checked baggage. all his luggage was with him when he went through immigration. I'm guessing you've never been further than Hope and they don't have immigration there.
First of all it was a customs officer that checked you, not immigration. Immigration officers are desk clerks with bad attitudes, lying alone in bed at night touching themselves as they dream about one day becoming a customs agent.
Secondly, they absolutely have the right to check your camera, and that is quite common. Actually you might be able put up a fuss and force them to get a warrant, but what's the point - they will most definitely do it if you force the issue. Try going through a land crossing to the US with a laptop - they will run their special software which pulls up content that has been deleted in the past, and content from websites you've visited. You think them viewing your camera is intrusive - let them get ahold of your laptop and see how uncomfortable and embarrassing that can be!
I guess I'm as thick as Goldfinger. I still don't understand how the immigration officer would know how many bags you had, or whether or not you had checked any.
"no, I don't think that I'm confused. But I may have my terminology wrong. First I went with everyone else to the immigration lineup where I presented my passport and arrival card. Was asked questions by the officer why I only had one bag and why I went to Hong Kong and Thailand so often. She obviously wasn't satisfied and wrote something on my arrival card which then flagged me for secondary inspection just before I exited the airport. This is where my bags and camera where inspected. I hope that is now clear and in the future promise to be more precise in my reporting. '
Your story does not ring true.
When you get in the immigration lineup after exiting the plane, all you have is your carryon luggage, just like every other person in the line. The Immigration Officer would have no idea how many bags you have, wouldn't ask and does not care. They do ask intrsive questioons here.
You then proceed to the baggage carousel and pick up your luggage, or in your case proceed to primary inspection just like every other paasenger. The Immigration officer may have noted something on your form, the Customs officer might not like the way you look, or you have been picked at random (as in they search every 26th person). You were hten taken to secondary inspection by Customs.
I find it unlikely that the Customs guy would ask the same questions that were asked by the Immigration person- you have already been admitted to Canada, and the issue is now contraband, not Immigration issues.
"How thick are you, what do yopu not understand about no checked baggage. all his luggage was with him when he went through immigration. I'm guessing you've never been further than Hope and they don't have immigration there." 'Immigration" at airports does not check luggage, know or care how many pieces you have. They would have no idea or interest in any luggage. Customs does care, and they come later.
Anyway, there is dick you can do about except live somewhere else.