Hi! I'm driving down to the playa for my first burn with a few other folks, and I'm wondering if there's some advice regarding what I should be telling the border guard when I'm making the crossing.
For some reason, I think that saying "We're headed to Burning Man!" when asked for our reason for visiting, might end up with us watching our van being dismantled.
Does anyone have any particular advice regarding border crossing?
Border Crossings from Ontario into the USA
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caveatlector
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Stickygreen
- Posts: 307
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- Location: Vancouver
I've been to the burn 3 times, and I've never had a problem after saying "I'm going to BM" The main thing the US customs officer will be concerned about is, if you are bringing any kind of performance gear with you. you know, like if your into juggling or something, the border guard will be concerned that you are potentially taking away an americans job. You must make it clear that you are not a paid performer, and are actually paying to attend the festival. It's also a good idea to have your ticket with you, that proves that you will be returning to canada, another thing the customs officers seem to be concerned about? like we all want to live in the USA so badly....
also you can get the offical BM guide to crossing the CAN - US border here :
http://www.burningman.com/preparation/t ... o_brc.html
also you can get the offical BM guide to crossing the CAN - US border here :
http://www.burningman.com/preparation/t ... o_brc.html
)'(
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caveatlector
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- Camp Name: Frozone
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C187
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If using the Windsor/Detroit crossings..
- Tunnel is better then bridge.
-- Although the tunnel line can be longer then the bridge. Your less likely to get a secondary search. (Physical space restrictions and all.)
- Be ready to declare everything. Have a list ready.
- Have your passport/papers out and ready (not doing this can piss them off)
- Turn off your cellphone, remove any bluetooth earbud (this will piss them off)
- Don't bring your laptop unless you really need it. They can, and will search the contents of it. On that note, remove questionable content on your phone.
- Your on vacation, so tell them that. Even with the large(ish) burner pop in Detroit, you have better odds of getting the guard that knows jack shit about BM.
- Your not crazy if you think the white DHS truck/SUV is following you for a good while after your pass the crossing.
- Normal color hair is a good tip. But I've gotten more secondary inspections with normal hair then blue.
- They do walk the lanes with dogs, and grab people in line.
- You can not back up while at the gate at any of these crossings. (Well you can till you reach the end of the buffer zone.)
- Have a wrench at the right size to put your car doors back on... just in case.
- Be truthful..
- Enough people from both sides cross daily to go to work, school, bars that they just treat everyone like shit. So at least you wont get the whole "stealing american jobs bs."
These are the things I can think of right now, that might apply to you. I can tell you more about secondary searches, and the small room. If you want.
Come to think of it...
You honestly might be better off crossing in Saskatchewan.
- Tunnel is better then bridge.
-- Although the tunnel line can be longer then the bridge. Your less likely to get a secondary search. (Physical space restrictions and all.)
- Be ready to declare everything. Have a list ready.
- Have your passport/papers out and ready (not doing this can piss them off)
- Turn off your cellphone, remove any bluetooth earbud (this will piss them off)
- Don't bring your laptop unless you really need it. They can, and will search the contents of it. On that note, remove questionable content on your phone.
- Your on vacation, so tell them that. Even with the large(ish) burner pop in Detroit, you have better odds of getting the guard that knows jack shit about BM.
- Your not crazy if you think the white DHS truck/SUV is following you for a good while after your pass the crossing.
- Normal color hair is a good tip. But I've gotten more secondary inspections with normal hair then blue.
- They do walk the lanes with dogs, and grab people in line.
- You can not back up while at the gate at any of these crossings. (Well you can till you reach the end of the buffer zone.)
- Have a wrench at the right size to put your car doors back on... just in case.
- Be truthful..
- Enough people from both sides cross daily to go to work, school, bars that they just treat everyone like shit. So at least you wont get the whole "stealing american jobs bs."
These are the things I can think of right now, that might apply to you. I can tell you more about secondary searches, and the small room. If you want.
Come to think of it...
You honestly might be better off crossing in Saskatchewan.
I have a little bit of Savannah with me. Shhh...
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percussivepaul
- Posts: 106
- Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 3:58 pm
Last time I crossed in Vancouver I said I was going "camping" and the border guard said "Burning Man?" and I was like oh. correct. It was fine though, they pretty much waved us through.
Major advice is don't lie, deceive, or hide something, as the border guards can smell it. In fact, that's their job, all they do all day long. Just say you're going on a cross-country road trip, camping along the way, rattle off some of the places you're going to visit if they ask, and if they ask if you're going to Burning Man say yes. Don't be nervous, you have nothing to hide and have done nothing wrong.
Major advice is don't lie, deceive, or hide something, as the border guards can smell it. In fact, that's their job, all they do all day long. Just say you're going on a cross-country road trip, camping along the way, rattle off some of the places you're going to visit if they ask, and if they ask if you're going to Burning Man say yes. Don't be nervous, you have nothing to hide and have done nothing wrong.
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ygmir
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but, I think, that's the rub............percussivepaul wrote:Last time I crossed in Vancouver I said I was going "camping" and the border guard said "Burning Man?" and I was like oh. correct. It was fine though, they pretty much waved us through.
Major advice is don't lie, deceive, or hide something, as the border guards can smell it. In fact, that's their job, all they do all day long. Just say you're going on a cross-country road trip, camping along the way, rattle off some of the places you're going to visit if they ask, and if they ask if you're going to Burning Man say yes. Don't be nervous, you have nothing to hide and have done nothing wrong.
I was scheduled to perform a handfasting on the playa, for a couple coming from Canada last year, .
They emailed me after the event, telling me, they had gotten "tagged" at the border with pot in the truck, on their way to BRC.....so, got sent home.......at least, they weren't arrested.
So, if you do have something to hide.....well,..........you gotta figure how to deal with that one.
YGMIR
Unabashed Nordic
Pagan
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Ugly Dougly
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junglesmacks
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Best advice I can give is to of course A) Don't be stupid enough to being anything even remotely illegal with you and B) Rip your car apart making sure than you or someone else didn't accidentally drop or leave anything in your car that you wouldn't want them finding.
B happened to uh.. "someone I know". They are still banned from Canada for life to this day because some jackass left something on the floorboard in the back seat that the driver had no clue about and packed the car around it.
B happened to uh.. "someone I know". They are still banned from Canada for life to this day because some jackass left something on the floorboard in the back seat that the driver had no clue about and packed the car around it.
Savannah wrote:It sounds freaky & wrong, so you need to do it.
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Sail Man
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- Camp Name: Kidsville: Delicious
- Location: 20 Minutes into the Future
Visit the burning Man Tribe for James account of trying to get from Toronto to the burn last year. Better yet, here:
>>>>>Hi,
Well, I had a ticket for Reno this morning. I would have been entering my hotel room in Reno about now. However, I had a problem in customs. When they asked me what I was doing, I told them camping. When they asked where, I said Nevada. The woman's eyes went really big for a second, then she composed herself. She smiled at me and told me to go though the green doors.
When I got into customs, the very first thing they said to me was "RENO? BURNING MAN?" He turns to his friends and says "Have you heard of Burning Man? Oh, we know all about Burning Man!"
Then they told me to lean against a conveyor belt while they searched through my stuff. They asked if I had any marijuna on me, and I didn't. However, since I read on the packing list that rolling papers are hard to obtain in Nevada, I had five packs of rolling papers. I thought these would make good gifts.
(Turns out this is false. I called the hotel and apparently rolling papers are available for sale in Nevada. Since I am Canadian I know very little about the United States, so when people tell me that they don't sell rolling papers I believe them. I went to the Motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota last year and someone told me that they stopped selling rolling papers there).
I also brought all my Tobacco pipes with me. The guy was suspicious. "If these are tobacco pipes, where is the tobacco?" I told him I left all the tobacco at home because it was extra weight. He said something like "You sure do like to smoke all those tobacco pipes, don't you James?" I said "Sure."
He asked me what I do for a living, and I told him I was self-employed. I do airbrushing and silkscreening on T-shirts. I was bringing my airbrushes to Burning Man as well, as part of Sin Camp. I was supposed to do airbrushing on people as well as shirts. This made him suspicious.
He asked why I was bringing so much stuff with me. (two 50 lbs. duffel bags, carry on, and personal item). I told him I had to survive on my own in the desert for a week. He said 'There's going to be other people there, won't they all be able to help you out?" I told him that we had to be self-sufficient.
Last night as we were camping, everyone in my family were giving me things to give as gifts. The whole concept of 'giving gifts' seemed to make them suspicious. The border guy held up a bag of about fifty tiny red maple-leaf pins and called other people over to see it.. "Would you look at that? What do you make of that?"
He was pretty suspicious that I was getting a one way ticket to the event, and getting a ride back to Toronto in an RV. "You have a lot of gear packed, and a one way ticket. How do I have any assurance that you will be coming back into Canada?" "I own a house here (in Canada)" I told him.
However, the only thing they could deny me access was because I brought along a bottle of anti-depressant medication. I have been diagnosed with depression, and the doctor gave me these meds a long time ago. The Doctor who prescribed them has since quit her practice. I didn't think that there would be a problem with bringing legal prescription drugs across the border.
Now thanks to the Homeland Securities Department and the Patriot Act, they want me to get a note from MY DOCTOR as well as THEIR DOCTOR, attesting to the fact that my psychiatric condition does not render me a danger to myself or others. This is a problem for me, because I haven't seen a psychiatrist for two years.
I might be able to beg and plead and whine for my family Doctor to see me immediately on Monday, and he MIGHT cancel someone else's appointment and let me in to see him ASAP to fill out the form. However, I don't see the Doctor hired by U.S. customs being quite so friendly, or so lenient, or in a big hurry to see me.
Unless I get this form filled out, I will never be permitted into the United States again, at all, ever. Also, this form has to be renewed every five years. This is difficult for me. My best friend married an American woman, and now lives in the United States. He wanted me to come and meet him.
Of course, all the Doctor's offices are all closed for the weekend as well. My sister in law suggested I call my family Doctor and say it was an emergency, however when I call the number they say "In case of emergency call 9-1-1"
In the event that I can somehow manage to make a schedule to see my family doctor IMMEDIATELY, and somehow hope that the U.S. Customs Doctor can see me IMMEDIATELY, and fill out the forms attesting to the stability of my psychiatric condition, it looks like I might be able to get to Burning Man on Wednesday.
I really didn't see this coming. I don't even take the Paxil anymore, I just tossed it into my bag as a last minute thing. I didn't see a problem with it, since it is a legal prescription drug.
I think some of the problems were:
1) Going through Toronto airport, instead of Buffalo. I didn't think Toronto would be as much of a problem as Buffalo, since my name (not me) also happens to be on a 'No Fly' list.
2) Booking a one-way ticket: I had the choice of booking a two-way ticket, but a fellow Burner from Toronto was offering a ride back in his RV for about the same price. A cross country trip in an RV seemed to be more convenient, not to mention more fun. The customs guy seemed to think I was planning on staying, working and living illegally in Reno though.
3) Rolling papers: It was suggested on the Toronto local list to pack along rolling papers, since I was falsely informed that they are hard to get in Nevada. I brought five packs, since I thought they would be good for gifts. Customs didn't believe me that they were for tobacco, and they also said that you could buy rolling papers in any store in Reno (Which seems to be the case).
4) The pipes, although they are tobacco pipes, seemed to be a problem as well. Apparently, it is very unusual to smoke tobacco in a pipe anymore.
Bringing the paxil was obviously a very big mistake as well. For some reason, I was anticipating being depressed. I really wish I would have flushed all that pharmaceutical crap down the toilet a year ago like I wanted to do. The thing that stopped me was considering that it would end up in everyone else's drinking water.
I have about a dozen to twenty people down there expecting me to show up, and some that were even counting on me.
-I already have paid for a hotel room booked in Reno for two days. A woman (Kim) was planning on staying in this hotel room with me.
-I booked an RV to get up there with two other people, that was supposed to pick me and my gear up sunday. (Wille Wylie and Glenn)
-Some people from my camp were expecting me to show up. (Stag Camp). Especially John (Mzfit).
-There are about five people from 'Tribe' that I was looking forwards to meeting on Wednesday. (Rhino, Rockstar)
-'Sin City' camp was looking forwards to having an airbrush artist there. I would be airbrushing people's bodies as well as shirts. Besides himself, I would be the only other airbrush artist working to my knowledge.
-Also, there was someone from Toronto who I already gave $100 deposit to so that he would hold my spot on the RV, for the return trip to Toronto on Sunday evening.
If you should meet any of these people, could you please tell them what has happened and why I was detained?
There is the matter of the $1000 already invested as well. I suppose I can try to get the airplane ticket transferred to next year, if I can't make it this year. There is no refund for the Hotel, and no refund for the Burning Man ticket. Hopefully, two other Burners will be able to share the hotel room that is already paid for.
The ticket? Well, if I am VERY VERY lucky I might be able to get into Burning Man on Wednesday.
I think that BMORG has a form to fill out to report on Police conduct at Burning Man. This may have not happened at the Burning Man event itself, but as soon as I mentioned 'Camping in Reno' a big red flag went up. I suppose the only reason for camping in Reno is Burning Man. Could someone send me one of these forms so that I could fill it out please? I will give you my mailing address if you send me a private message. Thanks.<<<<
Here's the link if you want to follow the thread: http://bm.tribe.net/thread/e524d9d7-3b4 ... 74b49d1ed6
>>>>>Hi,
Well, I had a ticket for Reno this morning. I would have been entering my hotel room in Reno about now. However, I had a problem in customs. When they asked me what I was doing, I told them camping. When they asked where, I said Nevada. The woman's eyes went really big for a second, then she composed herself. She smiled at me and told me to go though the green doors.
When I got into customs, the very first thing they said to me was "RENO? BURNING MAN?" He turns to his friends and says "Have you heard of Burning Man? Oh, we know all about Burning Man!"
Then they told me to lean against a conveyor belt while they searched through my stuff. They asked if I had any marijuna on me, and I didn't. However, since I read on the packing list that rolling papers are hard to obtain in Nevada, I had five packs of rolling papers. I thought these would make good gifts.
(Turns out this is false. I called the hotel and apparently rolling papers are available for sale in Nevada. Since I am Canadian I know very little about the United States, so when people tell me that they don't sell rolling papers I believe them. I went to the Motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota last year and someone told me that they stopped selling rolling papers there).
I also brought all my Tobacco pipes with me. The guy was suspicious. "If these are tobacco pipes, where is the tobacco?" I told him I left all the tobacco at home because it was extra weight. He said something like "You sure do like to smoke all those tobacco pipes, don't you James?" I said "Sure."
He asked me what I do for a living, and I told him I was self-employed. I do airbrushing and silkscreening on T-shirts. I was bringing my airbrushes to Burning Man as well, as part of Sin Camp. I was supposed to do airbrushing on people as well as shirts. This made him suspicious.
He asked why I was bringing so much stuff with me. (two 50 lbs. duffel bags, carry on, and personal item). I told him I had to survive on my own in the desert for a week. He said 'There's going to be other people there, won't they all be able to help you out?" I told him that we had to be self-sufficient.
Last night as we were camping, everyone in my family were giving me things to give as gifts. The whole concept of 'giving gifts' seemed to make them suspicious. The border guy held up a bag of about fifty tiny red maple-leaf pins and called other people over to see it.. "Would you look at that? What do you make of that?"
He was pretty suspicious that I was getting a one way ticket to the event, and getting a ride back to Toronto in an RV. "You have a lot of gear packed, and a one way ticket. How do I have any assurance that you will be coming back into Canada?" "I own a house here (in Canada)" I told him.
However, the only thing they could deny me access was because I brought along a bottle of anti-depressant medication. I have been diagnosed with depression, and the doctor gave me these meds a long time ago. The Doctor who prescribed them has since quit her practice. I didn't think that there would be a problem with bringing legal prescription drugs across the border.
Now thanks to the Homeland Securities Department and the Patriot Act, they want me to get a note from MY DOCTOR as well as THEIR DOCTOR, attesting to the fact that my psychiatric condition does not render me a danger to myself or others. This is a problem for me, because I haven't seen a psychiatrist for two years.
I might be able to beg and plead and whine for my family Doctor to see me immediately on Monday, and he MIGHT cancel someone else's appointment and let me in to see him ASAP to fill out the form. However, I don't see the Doctor hired by U.S. customs being quite so friendly, or so lenient, or in a big hurry to see me.
Unless I get this form filled out, I will never be permitted into the United States again, at all, ever. Also, this form has to be renewed every five years. This is difficult for me. My best friend married an American woman, and now lives in the United States. He wanted me to come and meet him.
Of course, all the Doctor's offices are all closed for the weekend as well. My sister in law suggested I call my family Doctor and say it was an emergency, however when I call the number they say "In case of emergency call 9-1-1"
In the event that I can somehow manage to make a schedule to see my family doctor IMMEDIATELY, and somehow hope that the U.S. Customs Doctor can see me IMMEDIATELY, and fill out the forms attesting to the stability of my psychiatric condition, it looks like I might be able to get to Burning Man on Wednesday.
I really didn't see this coming. I don't even take the Paxil anymore, I just tossed it into my bag as a last minute thing. I didn't see a problem with it, since it is a legal prescription drug.
I think some of the problems were:
1) Going through Toronto airport, instead of Buffalo. I didn't think Toronto would be as much of a problem as Buffalo, since my name (not me) also happens to be on a 'No Fly' list.
2) Booking a one-way ticket: I had the choice of booking a two-way ticket, but a fellow Burner from Toronto was offering a ride back in his RV for about the same price. A cross country trip in an RV seemed to be more convenient, not to mention more fun. The customs guy seemed to think I was planning on staying, working and living illegally in Reno though.
3) Rolling papers: It was suggested on the Toronto local list to pack along rolling papers, since I was falsely informed that they are hard to get in Nevada. I brought five packs, since I thought they would be good for gifts. Customs didn't believe me that they were for tobacco, and they also said that you could buy rolling papers in any store in Reno (Which seems to be the case).
4) The pipes, although they are tobacco pipes, seemed to be a problem as well. Apparently, it is very unusual to smoke tobacco in a pipe anymore.
Bringing the paxil was obviously a very big mistake as well. For some reason, I was anticipating being depressed. I really wish I would have flushed all that pharmaceutical crap down the toilet a year ago like I wanted to do. The thing that stopped me was considering that it would end up in everyone else's drinking water.
I have about a dozen to twenty people down there expecting me to show up, and some that were even counting on me.
-I already have paid for a hotel room booked in Reno for two days. A woman (Kim) was planning on staying in this hotel room with me.
-I booked an RV to get up there with two other people, that was supposed to pick me and my gear up sunday. (Wille Wylie and Glenn)
-Some people from my camp were expecting me to show up. (Stag Camp). Especially John (Mzfit).
-There are about five people from 'Tribe' that I was looking forwards to meeting on Wednesday. (Rhino, Rockstar)
-'Sin City' camp was looking forwards to having an airbrush artist there. I would be airbrushing people's bodies as well as shirts. Besides himself, I would be the only other airbrush artist working to my knowledge.
-Also, there was someone from Toronto who I already gave $100 deposit to so that he would hold my spot on the RV, for the return trip to Toronto on Sunday evening.
If you should meet any of these people, could you please tell them what has happened and why I was detained?
There is the matter of the $1000 already invested as well. I suppose I can try to get the airplane ticket transferred to next year, if I can't make it this year. There is no refund for the Hotel, and no refund for the Burning Man ticket. Hopefully, two other Burners will be able to share the hotel room that is already paid for.
The ticket? Well, if I am VERY VERY lucky I might be able to get into Burning Man on Wednesday.
I think that BMORG has a form to fill out to report on Police conduct at Burning Man. This may have not happened at the Burning Man event itself, but as soon as I mentioned 'Camping in Reno' a big red flag went up. I suppose the only reason for camping in Reno is Burning Man. Could someone send me one of these forms so that I could fill it out please? I will give you my mailing address if you send me a private message. Thanks.<<<<
Here's the link if you want to follow the thread: http://bm.tribe.net/thread/e524d9d7-3b4 ... 74b49d1ed6
Excuse me Ma'am, your going to feel a small prick.
_______________________________________
Algorithms never survive the first thirty seconds of patient contact
_______________________________________
Algorithms never survive the first thirty seconds of patient contact
The current round of construction at the Detroit / Windsor Tunnel wrapped up end of June so there are now 10 inspection booths coming in to the US. Often better than crossing in via the Ambasador Bridge. Although depending on where you are coming from you might want to cross at the Blue Water bridge in Port Huron. Whichever you choose, I recommend checking Michigan Department of Transportations website for road and bridge construcion alerts:
http://mdotwas1.mdot.state.mi.us/public ... /index.cfm
Don't bring firewood and I recommend not bringing any fuel if you're bringing fire toys (poi, staff etc.)
You might want to avoid bringing much produce with you since there are sometimes odd restrictions on that.
Definitely have your passports out and ready. Have everyone in the car awake and ready to talk to the border patrol agent.
The suggestion of the right size wrench to put your car door back on is a good one just in case. It's only happened to me once in 35+ years crossing the border and but it did happen on my way back in to the US from the Windsor area.
Packing in clear bins might help since they can make a fast visual inspection that hopefully will help you not get more thoroughly inspected.
http://mdotwas1.mdot.state.mi.us/public ... /index.cfm
Don't bring firewood and I recommend not bringing any fuel if you're bringing fire toys (poi, staff etc.)
You might want to avoid bringing much produce with you since there are sometimes odd restrictions on that.
Definitely have your passports out and ready. Have everyone in the car awake and ready to talk to the border patrol agent.
The suggestion of the right size wrench to put your car door back on is a good one just in case. It's only happened to me once in 35+ years crossing the border and but it did happen on my way back in to the US from the Windsor area.
Packing in clear bins might help since they can make a fast visual inspection that hopefully will help you not get more thoroughly inspected.
No meat, produce or booze anything that can be resold. Besides its cheaper to buy the booze once you cross the border.
If possible [b]avoid the Blue water bridge,[/b] that location is where all the training of new border officers takes place. They tend to be extra careful and to the letter of the law. Had a tractor trailer of flowers sent back because they found a few bugs in it. Had the driver drive south to windsor and the truck went through no problem.
If possible [b]avoid the Blue water bridge,[/b] that location is where all the training of new border officers takes place. They tend to be extra careful and to the letter of the law. Had a tractor trailer of flowers sent back because they found a few bugs in it. Had the driver drive south to windsor and the truck went through no problem.