International border crxings & passports

[shootingstar]

2 thoughts which often I do think of if I've made a recent international border crossing (which we did when going to Seattle):

1.How different the experience might be depending on the immigration/customs authorities personnel, geographic location of border crossing and ID checking.

2. And how glad I am to have my Canadian passport as my primary photo ID --both for ease of security clearance and also, I suppose with a tinge of patriotic pride, I do like flashing my Canadian passport.

It is a country passport that is highly coveted among thieves internationally. And in a way, I know how much effort, how many years it takes for some people (ie. my relatives from Communist China) from other countries try to immigrate to Canada by undergoing the normal process. I do not take my citizenship for granted. Otherwise my life would be have been VERY different if I was ie. born and raised in China. I am genuinely glad to be Canadian and ..to show it, to claim it when asked/challenged. And I have been challenged when overseas in Europe.

Even before the Canadian requirements for Canadians came into effect for passports, I always registered, renewed and used my passport for past few decades. I never felt comfortable carrying my Canadian birth certificate (flimsy, but valuable piece of ID). I don't have a driver's license. What would visually separate me from any visitor from Asia?

Have done enough travel outside of Canada that it does warrant the cost of renewing my passport every few years over time.

[ASammy1]

You are absolutely right! My ex-sister in law is Philipino (sp?) and was trying to bring her aunt who was a Dr in Dubai to the U.S. The last I heard was they were able to get her to Canada, but not the U.S. yet... This was about 2 years ago, so that may have changed, but I hear you!

[alpinerabbit]

mmm yeah. My most excruciating experience so far is getting into Russia. Sheehsh.

[shootingstar]

mmm yeah. My most excruciating experience so far is getting into Russia. Sheehsh.

Where did you go in Russia? And for how long? What did you think of what you saw?

Yea, ASammy, I got the impression the U.S. authorities are more strict than Canada on Filipino nationals. I have never worked the Canadian federal depts. of immigration nor for foreign affairs, but last year I spoke with a number of Filipino employees who were working on our construction project here in Canada. They had work visas to work in Canada. I understand, depending on the circumstances of the Filipino visitor, and which year, a Filipino national who merely wanted to visit the U.S. for a few days from Canada, had to get a travel visa issued by the U.S. authorities first. It appears that U.S. has different visa/visitor requirements for non-Canadian foreigners per country. It is the same for Canada.

That travel visa, of course is not required for anyone with Canadian citizenship AND the required Canadian passport, visiting the U.S. for a few weeks/months.

[alpinerabbit]

Where did you go in Russia? And for how long? What did you think of what you saw?
Moscow, Sheremetjevo Airport, in about 2000. 4 or 5 days.

I loved Moscow (we had awesome weather). The history, the architecture - the turrets on the churches, the museums, the subway stations are a true experience!!
We stayed with some people, and they showed us around and told us where else to go.
I rode a rickety roller coaster in Gorki park and had Georgian Shashlik after. The reason we went was for a wedding with the banquet in a baroque hall. It was awesome. Everyone was so cordial. Back then we were already appalled at the old grandmothers who were reduced to begging while the newly rich were on the ascent, it can only have gotten worse.

[shootingstar]

A wonderful way to see Moscow, especially with a personal connection. Moscow would be cool to visit. I also enjoy seeing the historic architecture, art museums, etc.

My dearie is not as interested as I, but it would be pleasant for us to bike down to Point Roberts, that interesting blob that belongs to the U.S. while the rest of mainland is Canada. Should be less than 45 kms. south from our place.

One of these wierd places which residents have to go through the international border multiple times to do certain daily external things.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0408/feature7/index.html

I spoke with another employee last year who lived in Point Roberts and commuted daily to our worksite ..probably about 15 kms. north of his home. He concurred sometimes it was a hassle ..for him to even buy his bedding flowers and plants from the local store in Canada, he had to go through the whole checking process with custome/dept. of agriculture on the U.S. side.

Even so, because it's hemmed in by the U.S.-Canadian border, the place is peaceful and not a whole lot of car traffic. At least that's what I heard. And I had no idea it was a good orca whale watching area.

[ny biker]

I visited Amsterdam about 17 years ago. The guy at immigration just waved me through without even making me stop and open my passport.

[Grog]

I visited Amsterdam about 17 years ago. The guy at immigration just waved me through without even making me stop and open my passport.

Doesn't happen that often these days, post 9/11.

But it does happen more often to white people.

I was so mad one day, entering Switzerland by train. The border guards waved everyone through, couldn't care less. Then this black guy came about. He was pulled away to an interrogation room. Who knows why, but it was pretty striking.

[malkin]

My worst customs experience was in Cincinati, because I foolishly admitted to an apple (purchased in Munich, travelled via London).

[shootingstar]

I had roommate from Malaysia who had 6 lbs. of fresh cherries confiscated at the airport when she went to home Malaysia.

I then realized at that time, cherries....are exotic in other parts of the world. Same with apples. Very expensive in the Philippines.

But back to border crossing checks.
a) When we took the Amtrak train to Seattle this past weekend, the U.S. authorities brought on their search police drugs on board to sniff out the whole 2 passenger cars with all passengers on board. All of us were asked to put all our luggage on the floor from overhead bins.

b) At another time, we were waiting at the border check station at one of the U.S. checkpoints about 2 yrs. ago ...I'm trying to remember if it was Port Townsend..it was town along the Washington coast where it was a ferry crossing point also between Canada and U.S. Anyway, I aimed my camera merely to the road/seaside, but one of the employees told me to put my camera away. No photos. I was not aiming camera at building.

c) when I mean challenged on my Canadian citizenship in Europe..that really means people yelling at us in a way, "Hello, you from Philippines?" Or "Are you from Japan?" It actually happened several different times in several countries on 1 European trip about 18 yrs. ago. To a point it got irritating.

Of course we yelled back: "We're from Canada." It wasn't a new experience to us. That experience has been here also in Canada in the past.

I don't remember real noticeable difficulties for checking us when taking train by ourselves through several different European countries. But our passports were looked at.

d) I believe my siblings each have their passports...for several decades. And they unlike me, also have driver's license with photo ID. But best to have the passport for the strongest proof of ID internationally.

e) I lost my wallet with my birth certificate, charge card on a local ferry to Nantucket Island. I did have my passport but with the loss of the birth certificate, I truly panicked. I felt very stripped and vulnerable...to prove where I was born. So the bike ride on Nantucket Island for me was overshadowed with this loss.

As soon as I returned to Canada, I reapplied for my birth certificate.
My wallet was returned by mail by the ferry company about 2 months later.
______________________________________________________________
As for the physical border between Canada and the U.S., I was a little surprised when I was with a good friend near Sarnia, Ontario. It was strange to see a river trickled down to nearly a stream, and just nearly a hop across was the U.S. There was no visible fence. Probably cameras and whatever other technology around.

[badger]

I hate border personnel. They think they hold some godly power over you. My mother and I recently went to Las Vegas, and the American immigration loser grilled my mother (she holds an Austrian passport).

What I found insulting was, here he was, an American of Asian descent, and he basically made fun of my mother's English (she's Japanese). I wanted to call him an *******, but obviously that would've gotten me into a heap of trouble so I didn't, but I'm still bitter about that experience.

[evangundy]

My dearie is not as interested as I, but it would be pleasant for us to bike down to Point Roberts, that interesting blob that belongs to the U.S. while the rest of mainland is Canada. Should be less than 45 kms. south from our place.

Even so, because it's hemmed in by the U.S.-Canadian border, the place is peaceful and not a whole lot of car traffic. At least that's what I heard. And I had no idea it was a good orca whale watching area.

Back in 1977 I lived in Tsawassen for almost a year. Friends used to come see us on a Sunday and we'd all go down to one of the bars/clubs in Point Roberts for some drinking and dancing - bars were not open on Sunday in Canada. That was my only experience being in the US until I met my now DH, who is American. I moved here to Portland to get married in Nov of 1978. We used to go back to Alberta or BC to visit my relatives or our friends once or twice a year, and the changes in the border crossing experiences over the past 30 years has been amazing.

It's been 2 years since I've been in Canada. Next week will be my first crossing using my new passport - we'll see how it goes - I'm guessing going up should be easy, we'll see what happens when I come back to the US.

Edna

[crazycanuck]

Just a few observations that I can think of from my meanders...

1-I thought i'd always be treated like crap when i venture through US customs.

In 97 when i took the train from Montreal to NYC, the US border gaurds were evil dictators & treated everyone like a criminal :mad:.

Last year, when we drove from Calgary to Seattle, we had to stop at the Montana border crossing & I was really upset about being fingerprinted/photographed. UGH. Well, oddly enough, that never happened! I had my NZ passport but birthplace noted as Canada & was told I didn't have to go through all that crap! Ian did :p

Never confuse a US border guard. They couldn't understand why a Canadian was travelling on a NZ passport but lived in Australia :rolleyes: nor a NZ citizen living in Australia.

2-Always always always!!! note an item on your customs card when entering a country even if you're not sure! Never think the cool MAF dogs at the NZ airport will miss something.

I had a banana on the plane on my way back from (?) to Auckland but the dog still picked it up a day later..

A well vacuum packed & stickered pacakge of Bison Jerky will not make it through NZ customs :( *sniff* My uncle had some packed up properly for me when i visited Canada a few years ago & thought it would be ok.. nope.. *sniff* I wanna some biiiison jeerrrrky...:( *sniff*

3-Seoul, Narita & KL aiports don't have as well armed soldiers as they do in Changi.

When you purchase toast at one particular vendor at Changi Airport..it comes in squares :cool:

5-In Manila, all the money changing vendors in the city have heaviliy armed guards :eek: That was an interesting introduction to the Philippines :o

Also in Manila, entering a mall, I didn't expect the guards!!!!:eek:

Kids who grow up on Mt Pinatubo will always zoom past & make it look so easy you when you're walking at a snails pace.

That's all i can think of...

[Tuckervill]

My most memorable border crossing was into Canada outside Detroit, both ways, in 1993. I was, oh about 7 months pregnant, and huge. Had the whole family in the car. The inane questions the border guards asked were unbelievable. Do you have any guns? What state are you from? Um, I just gave you my ID? I can't remember all the questions now, but it was clear we were no threat to anyone and the questions were pointless (except maybe to catch us in a lie or something). The worst part was waiting in the line of cars for 45 minutes both ways, when I was pregnant and had to PEE!

Karen

[shootingstar]

Last year, when we drove from Calgary to Seattle, we had to stop at the Montana border crossing & I was really upset about being fingerprinted/photographed. UGH. Well, oddly enough, that never happened! I had my NZ passport but birthplace noted as Canada & was told I didn't have to go through all that crap! Ian did :p

Never confuse a US border guard. They couldn't understand why a Canadian was travelling on a NZ passport but lived in Australia :rolleyes: nor a NZ citizen living in Australia.

2-Always always always!!! note an item on your customs card when entering a country even if you're not sure! Never think the cool MAF dogs at the NZ airport will miss something.

I had a banana on the plane on my way back from (?) to Auckland but the dog still picked it up a day later..

A well vacuum packed & stickered pacakge of Bison Jerky will not make it through NZ customs :( *sniff* My uncle had some packed up properly for me when i visited Canada a few years ago & thought it would be ok.. nope.. *sniff* I wanna some biiiison jeerrrrky...:( *sniff*

You know Canuck, my brain is trying to remember accurately. The first time I went to Hawaii was 2 years after 9/11, I believe we were all fingerprinted there on the U.S. side. Everyone in line, also had their luggage opened and searched.


It amuses me (in a dark, ironic way) how blithe some Canadians were about just using their driver's license to get across the Canada-U.S. border. My partner has always had a Canadian passport after he finished university..when he could afford it...which means since the early 1970's. He has a German first name, which he uses on his legal documents, signing of anything.. He just got tired of being delayed and overquestioned by the authorities when using driver's license ID at that time. Besides, he did alot of business travel in the U.S.

You sound like a real Alberta....bison jerky is good stuff by the way. :) Bison meat is lean meat.

Yea, Tuckerville when I take the bus between Vancouver and Seattle, I make sure I've gone to the washroom before we get to the border. When one takes the bus, all the passengers must unload their own baggage and have it x-rayed inside customs. Then bus comes round later after everyone on bus is cleared, then each passenger loads their baggage onto bus. It's a real long process that can be almost an hr. long. I'm not sure what it was like before 9/11 at the Peace Arch crossing for buses (White-Rock, B.C. & Blaine, WA border crossing). There is concern with the 2010 Winter Olympics that the Peace Arch crossing will be incredibly congested and time-consuming. It already is busy.

Guess everyone else in forum had pretty sedate border crossings? Thought we had a group of folks who did sufficient international travel.

[deeaimond]

Having a Singapore passport actually means that we get very little trouble wherever we go. My friends from other countries are also really envious when they learn that I don't need visas for a host of places, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, US or Canada just to name a few.

Recently it was in the news that some west african drug syndicates were targetting Singaporean women to carry drugs for them because the Singapore passport is seen a quite 'safe' as in we don't get checked as much as other Asian countries or African countries for that matter. Seems the men would promise love and money... silly women.

When I cross land borders in South east asia, i tend to get smiles and such from border guards, coz everyone's heard of us. hehe.

I've never had passport trouble before, but my boyfriend who is african american was pulled to some immigration office for an interrogation when he was LEAVING China. silly. fortunately he speaks Mandarin so it wasn't so bad coz he could talk himself out of the room. He gets very agitated about the bias against black pple entering asian countries. (It's true though)

[badgercat]

Granted, my border crossings are extremely limited, so I've never had any trouble. However, my boyfriend and our friend were hassled on the way back into the US from Canada once. Our friend happened to have a full dark beard at the time, and had Egyptian stamps in his passport from having done a study abroad thing a couple of years before. They held them for like 20 minutes while they searched all his bags, but didn't even touch my boyfriend's stuff, and took my boyfriend's word for it which bags were his and which were our friend's. I understand that border crossing guards have a job to do and it can't be a fun one, but sometimes the way things are handled certainly seem a bit fishy.

[Possegal]

My mother was Canadian, my father a US citizen who flew for the Canadian air force. They had one kid in Canada. Moved to the US, had two more. Moved back to Canada, had another.

One day in the 50s they were moving back to the US. They were told at the border that dad and the two brothers could cross, Mum and the sister and the baby brother could not. They tried again the next day, same thing. Third day, Dad left behind his wife and 4 kids and moved back home where his job was waiting. Long story somewhat short, Mum and my 4 siblings spent several years living with her parents in Canada while Dad lived with his parents and worked to pay an immigration lawyer to get the rest of them into the country. It was not very easy on any of them.

I always laugh when people assume crossing the US/Canada border is a piece of cake. Not always, has been the experience in my family, and we have made many many many a US/Canada crossing. :)

Once I was around, Mum had her green card to present to them. And if the guards at the border (both countries) asked the questions incorrectly, my Dad lied. They should ask you for your citizenship (this was pre-the need for a passport, which we all have now so no big deal). But growing up, guards on both sides would often ask where were you born. Well that doesn't work for my 2 sibs, who were born in Canada but US citizens due to Dad. That is why he would lie. :) He'd say - the kids and I are all born in the US, my wife was born in Canada, and hand over her card. We kids learned early to not say a word when Dad was talking to the border guards. We also learned early how to feign being asleep on top of the cases of beer we were smuggling. :)

My uncle worked for the Canadian customs and he would always get so mad when my Dad would tell him that yet again, we were asked where we were born.

I laughed out loud the first time the Canadian guard asked me if I had with me any guns, knives, or pepper spray. She didn't look too happy but I told her that it was the first time in many crossings that I was asked that. Another time the Canadian guards were totally baffled how I could be a US citizen, with a US passport, and my reason for travel was "family wedding". I thought it odd that he was so baffled by that. Another time I was crossing for the above Uncle's funeral and it was so funny that the conversation was
destination? - Hamilton
reason for travel? - funeral
Hey, I just had a guy come through here heading for a funeral in Hamilton!!
I told him - well keep your eyes open, there are at least two more on the road somewhere behind me also heading to that funeral. :)

My brother crossed during the Viet Nam war, to go to a suprise party for my Aunt and Uncle, in his US Navy uniform. He was held up for hours. He asked the guy - if I was trying to go AWOL, would I do it in my uniform? He told him that surprisingly yes, most of them do that assuming that the guards won't think they are fleeing. So it took hours to get his post commander on the phone in Virginia who could then verify that he had approved leave, that they knew he was going to Canada and in fact yes he did have family there and they had the addresses in case he didn't come back.

[msincredible]

I travel a lot for business and Canada is one of the most stringent countries to enter (I'm a US citizen & resident).

My most challenging border crossing, however, was from Singapore to Malyasia, on a bicycle. I saw signs for cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, and pedestrians to cross the border, but none for bicycles.

I thought I was a pedestrian. Apparently I was supposed to be a motorcycle. :o :p

[Grog]

My most "interesting" border crossing. Over 5 years ago. During a car crossing at Peace Arch (south of Vancouver), going to Seattle.

The US Customs officer cannot wrap his mind about me being from Quebec driving a BC rental car to go to Seattle, so I know I'm in a bit of trouble. Then he asks what I'm doing in Vancouver and I have to explain that I'm a visiting researcher at the university there. Oh yeah, what do I do research on? I hate that question. I do research on grad students. I tell the guy just that. He erupts in a thunderous laughter like this is the funniest thing he has ever heard. I just wait and smile, thinking: he's going to pull me over and I'm here for the day. But, no! He is still laughing and just waves me off, saying goodbye. I roll up my window and start to roll when he comes out of his cabin running after me and knocks on my window. That's it, he's back to his senses and will pull me over. I stop (!) and roll it back down. He's still laughing and asks: "You know what you should research? You should ask why all grad students have thick glasses! They all do!!" and I say, "Yes, sir, that's a good question."

Go figure.

[badger]

Sometimes even the obvious is a struggle for the border guards. My friend, who is whiter than toothpaste, from Manitoba got banned from crossing the border to visit her husband in Seattle. The reason? she married her long time boyfriend who has dual citizenship. They figured she married him to get a Green card. It took her 15 months to eventually get her Green card.

[Bron]

Coolest border crossing - by bike!
I used to live on Lake Constance which is bordered by Germany, Austria and Switzerland, so one morning I thought I would ride half way round and get the ferry back. The crossing from Germany to Austria was open - nobody there as the two countries are in the Schengen Treaty, so borders are open. Crossing into Switzerland (having cycled across Austria at it's narrowest point) was fun though with a proper passport check. Crossing back into Germany as I got off the ferry, I just got waved though.

[uk elephant]

Fun border crossings....for some reason when I was about 11, US embassy realized I was a US citizen and needed a US passport, we had no idea. So that summer, travelling to the US, I got to go through the ciziten side while my parents and brother were stuck in the looooong queues for immigration. I was very proud to be travelling through alone although the border guard looked a little puzzled when i pointed to my family over in the other line.

Slightly intimidating crossing....leaving Israel after a summer of fieldwork. Before you can even check in at the airport, they check your papers and your luggage. Apparently, single woman is a red flag to them. I got cross examined for half an hour by two different agents asking the same questions repeatedly and had to proove what I had been doing when with paperwork and schedules from the fieldwork.

I also regularly confuse border guards and airport check-in desks by travelling into the US on a US passport, then travelling out again on a Norwegian passport to get to Norway. Dual nationality is a difficult concept for many. But travelling anywhere else, I usually stick with the Norwegian passport which gets very little hassle from anyone.

[Crankin]

I have had much questioning at US-Canadian border crossings, too.
My most fun crossing was riding over the border from the Czech Republic to Austria. It was on a tour, but we were the only ones going through at the time. Basically, it felt like going from 1955 to the 21st century, since the part of the Czech Republic by the border is extremely rural. We had just seen a man about 80 years old pulling a wagon full of logs, up a hill with a grade of at least 15%.

[tulip]

I've never had a problem getting into or out of Canada, but I've only traveled to Quebec a few times, not the other provinces. I usually travel to Europe, and since I'm a dual citizen I use the most convenient passport depending on if I'm a-going or a-coming. Cuts down on the hassles considerably. It also cuts down on costs. When I went to Brazil, I entered on my French passport to avoid having to get a visa that is required of US citizens (and costs $100 back then). I returned on my US passport, but I did have to show the airlines both.

When I moved to France (and back) I had my parrot with me. He's a threatened species and needed all sorts of paperwork having to do with international treaties. Going to France, they didn't blink, and I had to essentially beg them to stamp the paperwork. When I returned to the US, I failed to arrange for a vet to meet me at customs, so I had to wait for hours while the staff vet checked out all sorts of animals, including two racehorses who had just arrived from Argentina. When he got around to me, he took one look at my parrot, asked me if he was healthy, and sent me on my way. I don't think he was too keen on birds--more of a dog and cat kind of guy.

Once I was returning from Sarajevo in the late 90s with about five pounds of scrumptious dried lamb and beef that my host family had given me. I wrapped it up in foil and plastic and then in my clothes, but I was sure it would be discovered. But I got waived through at Newark with barely a nod.

[Possegal]

Years ago, pre the use of my passport for my family visits, I was coming back into the US and handed the guard my ID. I'm a federal employee so I just handed her my gov't ID rather than my license (easier to get to than the drivers license). She looked at it and said to me - oh no, wait a minute, are you kidding me? I was like - oh no, what now. She then, through her laughter, pointed out that I was actually wearing a sweatshirt in the picture for my gov't ID, that said CANADA on it. She cracked up and said I should be required to get a new picture taken. The lanyard attached to it has maple leaves on it too. :) Then we had a lengthy discussion of all the US employees at that border who actually live in Canada and how they were making them all move back to the US (or something like that, it was a few years back).

I could type for hours about interesting US/Canada crossings, given how long my family has been doing that. When I was filling out the forms to get a secret clearance with the US gov't, one section asks you to list travels outside the US. I called my brother, a US federal judge, and asked him what did he do with that section. He said - how many lines? I said 6 or something. He said, put down the 6 most recent trips then. :)

[maillotpois]

I thought I was a pedestrian. Apparently I was supposed to be a motorcycle. :o :p

That's pretty funny! Especially since you of all people knew you were not on a motorcycle. :D

All this discussion is reminding me I need to renew DD's passport for our motorcycle trip this summer. :rolleyes:

[Grog]

For those of you who have two passports:

I've noticed this summer, traveling to Turkey, that German customs officer (I was flying from Canada through France and Germany) were very sensitive about seeing stamps showing which country I entered AND EXITED. I have only one passport so they're all in one spot, but the Germany officer was really annoyed that the French had not stamped my passport when I exited. (I don't know a lot of German but I understood that he was not kind to my French cousins.) When I left Germany on the way back - even just on a stop over - they were careful to stamp my passport. My feeling was that with the tightening concerns over illegal immigration there is more concern for those sorts of things. Maybe that's why they get confused if you use one passport to get in and another one to get out. What do you think?

[Irulan]

We cross a lot at these miniscule crossings on the WA/BC border. They used to practically wave you through but of course not any more.

I have two great border stories.

(pre 9/11)We have soem friend that used to have a rustic cabin about 1 mile S of the BC border into the US. DH went mountain biking and of course ended up in BC as there's no fence; the border is just a clear cut up there. Eventually he came back on the highway. A guy on a mountain bike shows up in lycra, shirt off (tucked unto the back of his shorts) no pack, no ID no nuthin. It took him about 45 mins to talk his way back in doing something like "We are staying at that cabin, RIGHT THERE!!!

(post 9/11)
Some good friends were doing wildernes rafting way up in the remote section of BC when "it" happened. They got to the border and literally did not understand what had just happened in the world. They had a big van, plus a trailer full of raft gear. Now, if any of you have ever done wilderness rafting you know about the groover or honey bucket.... ( you can see where this is going). A bunch of scruffy looking folks, and the customs agent says, sit down ,shut up and don't say a word. The guy pokes through everything. As he gets closer to the honey bucket ( rocket box used for human waste, cleaned out but the stink never goes away and it's really, really, really bad) they are whispering..."should we say something?" "No,he told us to be quiet".... Finally the guy gets to the rocket box which actually has a sticker on it that says, "Sh*t Happens", opens it, sticks his head in it to inspect it, gags, and retches and just starts screaming "what the hell IS that? Get the heck out of here...."

So of course they drove off.

[shootingstar]

The guy pokes through everything. As he gets closer to the honey bucket ( rocket box used for human waste, cleaned out but the stink never goes away and it's really, really, really bad) they are whispering..."should we say something?" "No,he told us to be quiet".... Finally the guy gets to the rocket box which actually has a sticker on it that says, "Sh*t Happens", opens it, sticks his head in it to inspect it, gags, and retches and just starts screaming "what the hell IS that? Get the heck out of here...."

So of course they drove off.

LOL -- he probably will change his inspection tactics in future.

Probably many many areas where you can walk through controlled wilderness between Canada and U.S. We did stroll across the border between 2 national parks, each in Canada and the U.S.with obvious signage and clearcut of trees/bush to signify the 49th parallel international border:

A well-know hiking trail in Waterton National Park in southern Alberta that immediately goes into Glacier National Park in Montana.
Round trip hike was at least 10-12 kms. and we didn't go deep/far into Montana because we were running out of time and didn't want to get stuck in the U.S. This was 2005.

To give those of you unfamiliar what a clear-cut international border looks like through forested areas, here I am if you scroll down half way and see me with an concrete obilesk and the line of cleared trees and bush.

http://cycling-touring.thecyclistwebhouse.com/Summer_2005_Cycling_Trip-Montreal_to_Vancouver/2005-07-31_Waterton_Lakes_National_Park-Shoreline_Walk.cfm

It'a beautiful area and the customs/immigration authorities are fine there. Of course we were only carrying some snacks and little else on us.

[tulip]

For those of you who have two passports:

I've noticed this summer, traveling to Turkey, that German customs officer (I was flying from Canada through France and Germany) were very sensitive about seeing stamps showing which country I entered AND EXITED. I have only one passport so they're all in one spot, but the Germany officer was really annoyed that the French had not stamped my passport when I exited. (I don't know a lot of German but I understood that he was not kind to my French cousins.) When I left Germany on the way back - even just on a stop over - they were careful to stamp my passport. My feeling was that with the tightening concerns over illegal immigration there is more concern for those sorts of things. Maybe that's why they get confused if you use one passport to get in and another one to get out. What do you think?

I've never had a problem using one passport here and another one there. You just have to know when to use each one. I've never been to Germany, though.

[Bron]

I like there and go in and out all the time. I'd say they are thorough but never unpleasant, but with an EU passport it's fairly quick.

One reason for checking carefully could be that with the Schengen Treaty in operation, once you get into one country then you can travel freely to all of the others.