Does anyone know of cases where “US persons” at risk from the IRS have run into trouble entering the US? Have any of you had a bad experience?
The last time I entered the US was nearly three years ago and I was seriously hassled at the border crossing (we were driving) because I did not have a US passport. I have not dared try to enter the US since then. I do know a few people who seem to have come and gone without any questions asked.
Thank you.
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@JC
U ever see the parents at these sports events that the kids play in… I’m nervous that my dear one will get picked up by the cops for being in a fight with a ref or another parent… yes… I admit it… dear one is one of those parents… seems to think he is a pro player no matter what sport…. the kids are embarrassed beyond belief… they make believe sometimes they don’t know him… lol
I`ve already voted twice for my kid`s hockey team to NOT attend proposed tournaments in the USA, and they haven`t happened, since my kid is the only goaltender on the team. Way to improve your economy, Obama!
@US_Foreign_Person,
The system seems to be set up to treat all persons as criminals first, and sort it out later – if at all. How will they have time or resources to catch those they say are their real targets if they are so busy oppressing the ordinary and everyday? Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
I look at those around me who like to do day shopping and turn around gas up trips to the US and I think they are misguided. Not for me even though I could as I have formally expatriated and they cannot force me to use the US passport – which is now null and void. I see no reason to reward the US for its bad behaviour with my Canadian earned consumer dollars.
@PierreD and badger
It was a long hike for me to go to the US, so I would usually stay for about a month on each trip. Consequently I would spend around 5k minimum on each trip not counting air fares. At the moment it appears very likely that I will never go again for fear of putting myself within their evil clutches. I don’t see how this is a good thing for their struggling economy.
@Badger. “The system seems to be set up to treat all persons as criminals first, and sort it out later – if at all.” That’s their modern day version of shoot first, ask questions later.
@ProudAussie. I once had a horrible experience when entering the US on my US passport. (Back room interrogation, vehicle search, luggage search, the whole nine yards.)
I have gotten nothing but respect since I suddenly switched to entering on my Canadian Passport at the end of 2012. I know at least one guy noticed my US birthplace because he discussed it along with other pleasantries. He didn’t seem to care. This doesn’t mean things can’t go off the rails the very next time, however.
It’s actually my son; (Thanks JC). The reason being is that my son doesn’t have a Canadian passport either (it’s been five years since he first got one and it’s expired). I am also not going to get him a US passport – there is no way in hell that I’m documenting him as a US citizen. The United States is NOT getting their hands on him or his brothers or sister.
My son is a forward and assistant captain on his team and his team would have greatly needed his leadership on the ice against the Whatcom Warriors this weekend, however to keep him safe from O(dumba$$)’s grasp, I’m keeping him north of the border and the coach and team manager understands this.
@maz57
Sorry to hear about your VIP treatment at the hands of customs. I have had a few back room adventures around the globe over the years, but admittedly my last one in the US was in San Francisco in 1980. I wish that I would have had your sense and just continued using my Aussie passport after being told I needed a US one last year.
Wise strategy, The Animal!!
US border agents have made my life hell crossing from Canada my whole life, except for the last crossing with a CLN. Everyone was quite friendly then, go figure. Too late. Next vacation will be to the UK, unlike all others that were in the US. There will never be another US vacation, it’s not worth the risk to me.
Have any US citizens crossed the border recently with kids who might be entitled to US citizenship through their parent but haven’t claimed it?
Twice on previous visits I have been questioned about their citizenship (after presenting Canadian documents and saying they were not US citizens) so I am a bit nervous.
aaa,
For some children, whether *claimed* or not, they will still be defined by the US, US citizens — as my son (with a ‘mental incapacity’), born in Canada to two US citizen parents (and who cannot renounce nor a parent, guardian or trustee with a right to do so on such a person’s behalf, even with a court order).
Thanks for reporting that has happened to your family, aaa. We need any such other reports here.
Today at Isaac Brock, concerning the children to whom we passed derivative US citizenship or, for some, the ability to claim such:
– http://blogs.angloinfo.com/us-tax/2014/11/24/2452/ shows when our children would be required to file their own FBARs;
– that one of our children could decide to sue could be reality, http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2014/12/23/its-1100-p-m-do-you-know-what-your-child-who-you-registered-as-americansabroad-is-doing/.
The absurdity is never-ending.
@calgary411
Now at least… some have the info so that the mistakes my family made will taint less of the kids of our next generation…. we still teach the kids to save… but to be very careful where to deposit it… cash is king… no matter what the gov’t tries
Well, I’m certainly surprised to find myself commenting on this thread. My sister is critically ill in SW Washington, so on Saturday, January 10, I entered the US by car at the Douglas, BC crossing (Hwy 99/I-5). As expected, I had no problems at all using my Canadian passport (with US birthplace). There was no comment made at all about my passport… just the usual questions about where I was going, why, and what I was bringing with me.
It’s a tough visit, and I’ll be going back and forth a couple of times over the near future, I fear. I will keep you all posted.
Thanks for reporting, Fifi. As you, visiting a critically ill relative is what many of us will have to or want to do without conflict at the border. May all of your trips go smoothly so you can spend quality time with your sister in Washington state. Godspeed.
@Fifi,
Sad and sorry to hear that your sister is ill.
I hope your travels will continue to go smoothly. It is a travesty that amid caring for family that our US birthplace is even an issue or that we might have to wonder whether it will pose a problem. My first (and only) US passport was obtained only late in life – and only for the sole purpose of seeing a very ill family member.
Take care.
Nina Olson wrote in her report “Why are we tormenting these people”. Thats really the biggest question- and why wont they stop.
I had an interesting experience at customs recently.
I took Back to Back Cruises out of Miami in late last year. After the first cruise it is necessary to get off the ship, go through customs and then get back on the ship. The people doing back to back are the last ones off and the first ones back on again. The customs officers were not in their booth, they were standing in front of it so they did not have access to the computer. When I passed the officer my Canadian passport with US birth place his question was not “Are you a US citizen?” but rather “Have you renounced your US citizenship?” I said “Yes in 2012” I was waved through. My Canadian only wife was not questioned.
I wonder if “Have you renounced?” is the new “Are you a citizen?”
Customs is provided before hand with a list of departing passengers and I assume a list of back to back passengers so the officers may have been briefed before hand.
@Just a Canadian if “Have you renounced?” is the new “Are you a citizen?”
is just one more reason (like we really needed more) to never if at all possible cross that border ever again.
i feel for the people who have to cross for work or family as it is just an added stress but a reasonable reason to have to cross.
everybody else should be able to change their vacation plans and avoid that country like the palgue it has become!!!
I have been crossing the border with my Canadian passport (with US birthplace) and have had no issues. I had a relinquishment appointment early last year and have been crossing the border (without a decision or a piece of paper mentioning my relinquishment appt), the entire time. Various crossing points in BC and Alberta, car, boat and air. I also travel with my Canadian born son, who has not been asked about his US ties. I have several more trips planned over the next 6 months and I do not anticipate any issues.
Does anyone know, if I request for my birthplace *not* to appear on my Canadian passport, would this create more questions at the border than actually help? Is anyone using a CDN passport without their birthplace displayed? Even though I am not experiencing border crossing issues, I would consider this for my next passport.
@Geri. Have a look at the November 3 questions asked by Nick and the responses. The United States will not admit anyone travelling on a passport without place of birth. Some have said it is possible to have city but not country. I believe George has said this is what is on his passport. I
I do not know if this is available on a Canadian passport or not or if it would cause more or fewer problems.
Depending on your province, there is also the option of an enhanced driver’s license. In Ontario, that does not give place of birth. It requires an interview available at only a few locations in Ontario.
Of course, they can always ask where you were born. I do not know how often that happens. Perhaps someone who has an enhanced DL or who has a passport with city but no country can tell you what their experience is.
Thanks Blaze – this is helpful. I appreciate the response.
Having not been to DUHmerica for many years prior to my LAST trip there four years ago I was both unprepared for and shocked by the police state it has become.
It started immediately upon deplaning in LAX where TSA jack boots were shouting at us and gesticulating madly. That lovely moment was followed by everyone having to go through a metal detector with the shoes and belt off nonsense. Yes, we were ARRIVING at LAX not departing. Never mind we had all been on an aircraft for more than 12 hours and in my case in a secure environment for 26 hours.
Next was a forty minute queue for more abuse from 20 something government clerks who were so attentive that a passport ISSUED in Bangkok with 100 pages all of which were nearly full with visas and stamps all over SE Asia caused him to state with his face in my passport and his back to me ‘You spend a lot of time in SE Asia’. Gee, what gave it away? Not having a response to a statement rather than a question I elected to remain silent. Wrong thing to do. His head snapped around his eyes narrowed and he barked ‘DID YOU HEAR ME?’ Shocked at both his idiocy AND his vehemence I was unable to reply quickly enough so his foot went to the call button and three large fellows materialized next to me demanding that I follow them ‘over there’.
When we arrived ‘over there’, a roped off section on one side of the entry hall, One of them got within inches of me inquiring as to whether I had a problem with authority. He was not amused when I replied ‘only when I’m forced to exercise it’. His already excessive eye blinking accelerated by several magnitudes. He did the hard stare shtick for a ten count and headed for a door with a small two way mirror. During the ensuing hour no one approached me searched me or my carry on. When an Officer, I could tell by the oak leaf on his collar came out and asked the same question about having a problem with authority I calmly replied ‘asked and answered’ where upon his eye blinking accelerated to warp speed in a nano second. I further added that since they were such sticklers for proper address I must insist they address me properly as Captain as after all I had EARNED it. He huffed, turned on his heel and exited aforementioned door with small mirrored window. Forty minutes later a fellow of my rank, I could tell by the eagle on his collar, came up to me held out my passport and said ‘welcome home.’ I snorted and corrected his mistake because clearly from my passport Thailand is my home.
Upon exiting the international terminal I decided I would forgo further harassment from jackbooted thugs and dispose of my onward ticket to Phoenix and immediately jumped on the approaching car hire shuttle.
Exiting said car hire agency in my hired Cadillac I drove straight to Phoenix Once out of the city and in the desert cruising at 75 mph being passed by everything except trucks one of those trucks pulled out to pass another on a long climb both doing less than 30 mph. I braked hard and crawled up the hill behind him until he pulled back into the truck lane, As I hit resume on the cruise control blue lights began flashing in my mirror so I pulled into the right lane where the cop followed me and pulled me over. I would have been cited for something but she was unable to read my drivers license. I even went to the extent of reading it to her to help her out but noooo I had to sit there for an hour while she got instructions on what to do with me.
Back on the road and fuming even more I was unprepared for what was ahead of me. Hundreds of miles from any border a Border Patrol check station was set up on both sides of the interstate and ALL vehicles were required to stop and answer their absurd question: Are you an American citizen?’. The backup was 30 minutes long! Upon being asked that question inquiring minds want to know in exasperation I replied ‘yes, but it wasn’t my fault’. I was rewarded by a further series of questions and further ‘screening’ by yet more jackbooted thugs with zero knowledge of much less respect for the Constitution and several legal precedents.
Back on the road and now in Arizona was another, yep you guessed it – Border patrol check station. This time my response to the citizenship question was a polite ‘yes, but not for much longer’. The jackbooted thug of the moment must have been tired because he waved me on.
DUHmericans are afraid of freedom, would not recognize it if it were right in front of them and in true DUHmerican fashion would shoot it dead if it even whispered to them.
@Jeffry Gilbert. So I guess the answer to the question about having a bad experience, would be yes.
I find it a worry that you came across a Border Patrol station on I-10, maybe they just want an excuse to check everyone. There is always the agricultural check station near the AZ border, but I’ve never come across them on that road before. I’ll have to keep that in mind if I ever go back.
On the bright side…car rentals are much cheaper at LAX than they are in PHX.
internal border patrol checkpoints were ruled reasonable within 100 miles of the border, later expanded to within 100 miles of a point of entry covers roughly 98% of US
see https://www.checkpointusa.org/blog/
this is one of many sites documenting abuse at internal checkpoints
@patricia: I wish the US gov’t good luck in trying to get guys like the truck driver in that video to fill out an FBAR!