Customs & Immigration

itsallinthemind · Post by **itsallinthemind** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 5:54 pm

We are coming from Canada and will be flying into Vegas before heading to Burning Man. I've read the section on "Coming From Canada" on the main site and it is pretty informative but focuses mainly on driving, not flying and it also raised another question for me.

It talks about not even mentioning BM unless they directly ask you, which is fine...I'm going to Vegas. But if I do happen to get a random search either by airport security or customs and they see "crazy" customs and light strips (wires, electronics) and such, it is likely that I will be scrutinized and caused undue delay and loss of items if nothing else.

This stuff needs some preparation and don't know how much we could pull together locally in Vegas or Reno not being familiar with the areas.

Anyways, your thoughts on bringing costumes and lights, through Customs?

Thanks!

Trishntek · Post by **Trishntek** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 6:11 pm

Don't worry about it. We've had them pull out dildos and vibrators come on while their rummaging around in there. We've crossed both directions many times and you will likely get more grief in Vancouver than in Vegas.

Just leave the fresh fruit behind! Heaven forbid you bring an Okanagan Valley apple across! They go apeshit over that kind of stuff. But don't think you will shock them with anything you bring. Just have it well organized and don't try to hide it. Wrap your booze in a towel if you want to bring some with you. The duty free shops have some good deals sometimes.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 6:49 pm

This is the list of stuff returning americans are not supposed to bring into the country.
I'm guessing that it's not a good idea for you to bring them either. I forget whether it was on this board or on tribe.net that some on got stopped at customs in Montreal (? Ottawa?) airport and never made it to the burn. I forget what it was that triggered that, but it was something goofy (why am I thinking rolling papers--I'm pretty sure that's not it) and he compounded the error by trying to be clever or something.
How does it work with your luggage anyway? The guy (who now that I think about it might have been coming from Toronto) did U.S. customs at the Canadian Airport. Okay, I guess I can see some value in facilitating that.
See the thing that I think they will worry about is if you plan to blow up the plane with your electronics, I don't really expect the State Department/Homeland Security to have the imagination to worry about your trying to blow something up once you get here. Especially if you have the good fortune not to look middle eastern. (Of course, Canada has a diverse population, so that still might be a worry.) So my advice is to fly with that stuff in the cargo hold, properly wrapped, of course.
However, this is pretty much pulled out of a "hat" so if someone has actual experience, give more consideration to what he or she says.

MyDearFriend · Post by **MyDearFriend** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:12 pm

Remember to take any batteries out before you put the wired stuff in your checked bags. Batteries are heavy so it might be better to buy them in Vegas, anyway.

If you have a really special costume you've invested a lot of time in, you could wear it through the airport, all lit up

so everybody knows what it is and you always know where it is.

I'm flying in to Vegas, too

but fortunately will not have to pass through Customs!

C187 · Post by **C187** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:23 pm

I wouldn't worry too much about your outfits. People come to cons in Vegas with stranger outfits from around the world after all. Most of your electronics will be fine. They need to clearly see what it is when inspecting. Watch out for things like batteries and so on. Also check CBP / DHS / TSA lists for prohibited items coming in from far off lands (like Canada, lol) and onboard domestic flights. Lastly if all else fails, call CBSA or your departing airports CBP preclearance office (if it has one) and ask questions. Oh! FYI, the preclearance office can't hold or arrest you (but they can ask local law enforcement), and you can give up your flight.

itsallinthemind · Post by **itsallinthemind** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:06 pm

Thanks guys, all good advice. I took a look at the prohibited items list, won't bring any of that stuff. Never thought about batteries being an issue, will leave them as well.

I think outfits won't be an issue now, only the lights and stuff. We will be heading down a couple of days early too so might be able to shop around there a bit too and not worry about packing too much. How hard are these lights to find anyway, only looked online so far.

Most likely we will be flying out of Toronto, so would do the Custom's thing there unless we manage to find a direct flight from here to Newark. It probably won't be an issue, I do tend to over think things sometimes.

Thanks again for all your comments!

Trishntek · Post by **Trishntek** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:15 pm

Planning now saves wishful thinking on the playa. The more planning you do now, the better your burn experience will be.

E.L. lights are not all that common. I live in SoCal and still order lights online to get what I know will endure the elements. They won't be an issue,,,,, like mentioned previously,,,, just don't try to conceal it from customs. To them, that is more suspicious than what you carry.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 8:06 pm

If you're staying in a hotel and you've made reservations ahead of time you can mail those things to you (but check with your shipping company ahead of time, and customs as well) or you can mail order them and have them sent there. I wouldn't count on those sorts of things being easy to find right before the burn. Not in Reno or San Francisco in any case.

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 11:44 am

Usually the problem is getting into Canada, not the US. Canadians customs folks don't like hippie vagabond looking types coming into the country as if they're going to take construction jobs away from Canadians.

Just wear a seersucker 3-piece suit with shined shoes and a briefcase and you'll do fine.

You, my friend, are welcome!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:24 pm

So Canada is making room for political refugees by refusing to let any of their hippies who have gone to the states back across the border. Very sneaky. And inscrutable. The Great White Peril out thinks us at every turn.

itsallinthemind · Post by **itsallinthemind** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 12:07 pm

Well I'm pretty excited....thinking about it a lot, especially with the cold snow here now - the desert sounds pretty nice right now!

You all eased my mind a bit, these forms are great, all kinds of good reads and loads of people seem willing to offer up a comment to a question.

And thanks for welcoming me.......can't wait for August!!

Rice · Post by **Rice** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 12:31 pm

itsallinthemind wrote:We are coming from Canada and will be flying into Vegas before heading to Burning Man. I've read the section on "Coming From Canada" on the main site and it is pretty informative but focuses mainly on driving, not flying and it also raised another question for me.

It talks about not even mentioning BM unless they directly ask you, which is fine...I'm going to Vegas. But if I do happen to get a random search either by airport security or customs and they see "crazy" customs and light strips (wires, electronics) and such, it is likely that I will be scrutinized and caused undue delay and loss of items if nothing else.

This stuff needs some preparation and don't know how much we could pull together locally in Vegas or Reno not being familiar with the areas.

Anyways, your thoughts on bringing costumes and lights, through Customs?

Thanks!

Hi, I live in Saskatchewan and fly to the US frequently. Last burn 2010 I flew from Saskatoon to San Francisco with no real issue.

1. Get passports, they are needed to get into the US.
2. Pack all blinkey lights, El-wire etc in your check-in luggage without batteries.
3. Your luggage will probably be searched. Mine was checked both on the way down to the burn and on the return trip. Sensible packing will save you serious issues (ie: dont be stupid about what you are packing, if it is illegal at home or in Nevada, it will cause you no end of grief)
4. When travelling to the states, they will ask you about your destination. I had to tell them I was going to Black Rock City, since I had not booked a hotel prior to my departure, I suspect that encouraged TSA to give me extra-special attention. You will need to tell them a street address. Lying probably is a bad idea!!!
5. I had two hockey bags of gear. Since I could not fly with certain camping items (due to space and restrictions), I had to buy them in Fernley. Depending on your needs that could add a couple hundred to your trip cost. I believe I spent about $120 on gear (air matress, cooler, lawn chair, extension cord, small camp stove & fuel, etc...) Planing in advance makes the shopping trip quick and painless. Reno is probably a better city to buy gear since it is larger.
6. Be nice, polite Canadians at all times when dealing with TSA, customs, airport staff etc. and your trip will be painless. It helps to dress nice for the flights, double check your carry on bags against the disallowed list. I had to give up a eyeglass screwdriver and a couple other things, because I forgot I had them in my backpack...
7. When you are going to return home, go through all your bags and repack everything. You never know what will end up in your luggage and do NOT want to find something (um bad) when going through customs. Everything you have will be covered in Playa and that alone grants you special attention. Plan for extra time through all security checks.

Flying is a big time saver (6 hrs by plane vs a 30 hour drive), as long as you think things through it is fun.

See ya on the Playa!!

Love Rice.

Clar-i-ty · Post by **Clar-i-ty** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 12:46 pm

stretch80 wrote: 6. Be nice, polite Canadians at all times when dealing with TSA, customs, airport staff etc. and your trip will be painless. It helps to dress nice for the flights, double check your carry on bags against the disallowed list. I had to give up a eyeglass screwdriver and a couple other things, because I forgot I Love Rice.

In other words, reinforce our stereotypes of Canadians, and if you come to California at all, just use the word "dude" any time you would normally say "eh" and you'll fit right in!

Cheers!
Clarity

delle · Post by **delle** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 1:45 pm

theCryptofishist wrote:If you're staying in a hotel and you've made reservations ahead of time you can mail those things to you (but check with your shipping company ahead of time, and customs as well) or you can mail order them and have them sent there. I wouldn't count on those sorts of things being easy to find right before the burn. Not in Reno or San Francisco in any case.

Working in a hotel as I do, I have a few suggestions should you try to go this route:

First step would be to call and ask to speak with the Head of Reception (or equivalent). Explain to him/her what it is you wish to do. They may refer you to the hotel's Concierge. The Concierge is your BEST FRIEND and will do ANYTHING for you. (actually, you may just wish to ask to speak with them first! Much more likely to say "yes" to something out of the ordinary than most.)

Suggest that you could have your reservation number added to the parcel's addressing label, or ask if they have a better suggestion. Let them know you would keep them informed on ETAs of items, and what the contents would be.

They may or may not accept... but at least you would know whether you have clearance to do so You would also have the peace of mind of knowing that someone is overseeing the arrival and proper storage of your things.

We receive things all the time for clients who have not yet arrived. Frankly, sometimes we have no idea who these people are (i.e., the reservation is under the spouse's or the event's name rather than the person to whom the package was addressed). Trying to keep track of these things can sometimes be quite tricky, so it helps to have someone in charge of your things so that they'll all be there when you arrive.

Communication is key. Friendly communication doubly so!!!

Hope it works out for you! That really could be your easiest route.

You may also want to ask them, once there, if they have a FedEx account that could be used for shipping some of the stuff back. We have an account that we allow clients to use for forgotten items, or things bought in our boutique. An example of the price difference is that a small item sent from Quebec City to Toronto may cost the client over $20 using Canada Post, but can be sent on our account (and charged in their reservation) for under $5. USPS is less stupidly priced than Canada Post, but still, it may be an option that can save you both bucks and hassle.

GOOD LUCK~~

(Edited to add the reference to the almighty Concierge. Heheheh)

itsallinthemind · Post by **itsallinthemind** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 4:41 pm

Again, thanks for the tips. Will take all into consideration. My previous job entailed a lot of international travel, so not too worried now. I think the article on the main page got me thinking a bit...which is good I guess, better to prepare then not think things through.

We will be staying in a hotel for a bit when we first arrive, so we'll have an address. Also considering renting an RV for the week, so no need to lie at all, going camping. As you say, it is best to be "relatively" upfront, honest, polite and there shouldn't be any issues, if they have a problem with some of the luggage, they can take it away. Excellent idea about double checking the bags on the return trip, you never can be too sure....didn't even think about the dust being but now know!

Customs & Immigration

Customs & Immigration

Re: Customs & Immigration

Re: Customs & Immigration