Canada Customs at CYWG??? ... they cleared me over the phone

[IBPilot]

Hey guys and gals

Just landed a few hours ago after a successful and much needed flight from KGFK. I was in the states for the day and flew back to my home airport CYAV via YWG to clear Canada Customs. When I arrived, I called them and told them I was waiting because I was 15 minutes early and they simply cleared me over the phone. Asked me all the standard questions and simply trusted my words and said I was good to go back home.

Seeing as this was my first trip down south, is this something that is practiced at AOE ports (Canada Entry Airports)???
Did I just get lucky or is this the standard... if it is, I have one concern. Whats not to stop someone with the wrong intentions from bringing illegal items into Canada if they know they just have to answer a few questions over the phone??

Regards

[Lurch]

Very standard, they rarely show up.

As for somebody smuggling something illegal, I would advise that you don't take this as a free pass. I have seen the RCMP around the airport a lot, they are in plain clothes. The only reason I know they are there is because I know the officers.

The Customs officers show up at random. I have even had them bring out the dog. To my understanding, by talking to the officers, it's up to the officers in YVR whether they show up or not.

P.S I suggest if you plan on flying across the border a few times a year, get a CANPASS, Well worth it. It makes crossing the border childs play.

Lurch

[IBPilot]

Very standard, they rarely show up.

As for somebody smuggling something illegal, I would advise that you don't take this as a free pass. I have seen the RCMP around the airport a lot, they are in plain clothes. The only reason I know they are there is because I know the officers.

The Customs officers show up at random. I have even had them bring out the dog. To my understanding, by talking to the officers, it's up to the officers in YVR whether they show up or not.

P.S I suggest if you plan on flying across the border a few times a year, get a CANPASS, Well worth it. It makes crossing the border childs play.

Lurch

Wow. .. well, I would not have expected that.

Thanks for the information Lurch and yes, I will look into getting a CANPASS but I guess i don't completely understand how it can make travel easier???

[just curious]

With a canpass, they have your Sin number for collecting duties over the phone or if you have something with a tax value over your cash on hand.

They also have a fair idea if you've ever been caught smuggling, or failing to declare, or have a criminal record.

I've been met or not met, randomly over the years. Lying when you call canpass in YVR isn't the brightest thing you can do. Get caught once, and they are going to stop and search your aircraft hard forever afterwards.

I'm glad your experience was pleasant.

[joco]

It happened to me as well in Hamilton Ont coming from US. And that was in their (YHM's) good days, when Westjet had its eastern hub there and traffic was up.

[dmillage]

It's standard in yow to clear over the phone

[Lurch]

Get caught once, and they are going to stop and search your aircraft hard forever afterwards.

Get caught failing to declare you and the vessel are flagged for 5 years. You and the vessel will be searched every crossing for the next 5 years whether you are on onboard or not.

Lurch

[Invertago]

Get caught once, and they are going to stop and search your aircraft hard forever afterwards.

Get caught failing to declare you and the vessel are flagged for 5 years. You and the vessel will be searched every crossing for the next 5 years whether you are on onboard or not.

Lurch

Can you find out if an aircraft is flagged before you buy it??? That could be a crappy surprise!

[Lurch]

Get caught once, and they are going to stop and search your aircraft hard forever afterwards.

Get caught failing to declare you and the vessel are flagged for 5 years. You and the vessel will be searched every crossing for the next 5 years whether you are on onboard or not.

Lurch

Can you find out if an aircraft is flagged before you buy it??? That could be a crappy surprise!

Tell me about it. Our plane was flagged, it was only after the 5th full search they told me that the plane was flagged. The previous owner got caught not declaring.

After 4 phone calls and some paperwork and I was able to get the plane unflagged. Not sure if customs can tell you before you buy but you can ask the CANPASS officer when you call them up prior to returning to Canada.

I have found Customs agents very helpful and I never had trouble getting answers. If anybody ever has any concern call the CANPASS number and just ask, I'm sure they'll be happy to address your concerns.

Lurch

[randallg]

I've entered Canada three times - once at YWG. I was cleared over the phone, there and at CZBB. I think they exercised good judgement.

The third time was at Sault St Marie on the Sunday Oshkosh ended last year. When I parked there were no agents around, so I called the phone number and was cleared over the phone. So I walked over to the FBO and sat in the sun round back to eat my sandwich, before planning my next flight to Ottawa. Soon the gas guy came over and said customs was looking for me. I walked back to my plane where two very suspicious agents were waiting. Long story short, I could prove I was already cleared so nothing bad happened. They looked in my plane anyway and of course found nothing amiss.

[ywgflyboy]

Then on the flip side, is it not the most welcome experience going the other way? Nothing like 3 black, fully tinted Suburbans racing out to surround you as you pull onto the apron!

[flyinhigh]

Not unusual at all, My one piece of advise though is the clearance number they give you. I can't remember the actual name of it. Hang onto it for awhile, write it down somewhere.

I had this is YQT, they came down and said that this plane wasn't cleared and they where coming to talk and file charges, well luckly I keep every documented, # and all. We called up customs gave them the number and actually got an apology from them for the attitude.

cheers

[Flybaby]

Good point, about the number, I always put it in the notes on the flight log, if I need to dig it up. For going south, make copies of all Eapsis forms. You don't know how many times US customs has told me I haven't filed any, and then I promptly hand them a full stack of paper, including the confirmation number that my eapsis has been filed. Also if you have all the passports and your license ready, with all of your paper work, they are as happy as a pig in poo, and 90% of the time will wave you on your sweet way.

[co-joe]

Hey guys and gals

Just landed a few hours ago ...Did I just get lucky or is this the standard... if it is, I have one concern. Whats not to stop someone with the wrong intentions from bringing illegal items into Canada if they know they just have to answer a few questions over the phone??

Regards



I feels weird eh? I've had that happen several times, but the first time it made me wish I'd brought a carton of Malboroughs, a case of canadian whiskey, or some illegal aliens or something. And I quit smoking years ago.

Don't worry, once you cross a few more times you'll start making dinner plans right after wheels down ETA then customs will show up for the full search. First time I got the full search by dog was on a quick turn in Spokane. We weren't even leaving the tarmac but US customs decided the pooch needed to sniff every inch of that bird.

[Brint]

I turn my phone on in the air so it's ready to go, call on the apron with the engines running and then taxi home once cleared. We usually write the clearance number right in the log book in case there are any questions down the road, the office can just reference the log book instead of tracking me down to get the info.

[IBPilot]

[quote="Everyone"][/quote]

Thanks guys for the insight. To be honest, I felt really awkward about leaving for the fear that maybe I misunderstood her and I actually wasn't supposed to leave but now I feel better.

And yes, the CANPASS sounds like something i should have in my flight bag for the future.

[TA/RA]

I used to do a daily scheduled cargo run across the border, it was standard procedure to clear over the phone on our return to Canada. One day we got back and I thought the guy I was flying with had called CANPASS and he thought I had called. Long story short I called CANPASS 3hrs after we landed from the patio at the pub.

I apologized perfusly to the agent who was very understanding and saw my long history of no problems with them and just asked me to please remember next time. Kudos CBSA!

[Cap'n P8]

In addition to writing down the arrival report number, it's a good idea to write down their badge number for your records. Then you have a record of specifically who you dealt with.

[engfirepull]

Along with keeping the CANPSSS clearance # they give you when you land (the number starts with the year 2010-xxxxxxx), also ask for the badge number of the agent who takes your initial call before you leave your departure point, and the one that clears you over the phone when you arrive in Canada. Keep it in a safe place with your clearance number. The system works exceptionally well, Canada Customs has done a great job with this program, and crossing the border hundreds of times in the last 10 years, I have only had 3 times where I have needed that badge number, because the agent who took the initial call basically forgot to hit "Enter" on the computer and when I made the call from the airplane on arrival in Canada, they had no record of my initial call. As always CYA!

[Sulako]

Along with keeping the CANPSSS clearance # they give you when you land (the number starts with the year 2010-xxxxxxx), also ask for the badge number of the agent who takes your initial call before you leave your departure point, and the one that clears you over the phone when you arrive in Canada. Keep it in a safe place with your clearance number.

+1

95% of my flights are trans-border, but I only see Canada customs about once or twice a year - of course they don't tell me which trip they will show up for. I love our Customs system - it feels like a privilege to be cleared over the phone, and I work pretty diligently to keep up my end of the bargain by not taking any liberties with it.

[IBPilot]

I love our Customs system - it feels like a privilege to be cleared over the phone,

I have only been through the system once and I love it already. It IS such a privilege and this is what makes Canada so great.

In fact, my flight plan that I filled with Grand Forks RDO never transfered over to Winnipeg FSS when I made my call up but it was no big deal. They just said that they'll file my class D for me for my arrival and to just enjoy the flight back into YWG.

Everything is awesome... the controllers, the Customs agents... I just love it!!

[Randleman]

Truth is, you could show up at the border going into Canada wearing a turban with a sign on it that says "I am going to blow up the CN tower" and all the border guards are going to ask is "How much money do you have on you, and how much are you bringing back?"

Total joke.