fast card.....why??

Jack_Berry · May 26, 2009

this is the first time in a dozen border crossing i have had a problem.

had an interesting time last nite getting into canada. the canadien customs officer complained about my approach speed, my fumbling for my fast card and getting the invoices handed to him. he then wanted my birth certificate after i gave him my fast card. i tore the truck apart looking for it but couldn't find it. i offered the twic card but he did not know what it was. after his unpleasantness, he told me as i was leaving, starting next week i will also need a passport(he never asked for it. i had it but he only wanted a one way conversation). he also never asked for a drivers license.

so why did i shell out the money for a special card, reviewed by both governments, and approved by the us a and the rcmp, if i still have to carry passport and a birth certificate?

i feel that to have to carry extra id means i paid for nothing. if these are the rules, fine but why do i feel taken advantage of again?

redytrk · May 26, 2009

Every once in a while customs will go off on you for no apparent reason.I suspect it is just to see how you react. Generally the Canadians are nicer, but not allways. Been crossing that border for over twenty years.

P51bombay · May 26, 2009

redytrk said:
Every once in a while customs will go off on you for no apparent reason.I suspect it is just to see how you react. Generally the Canadians are nicer, but not allways. Been crossing that border for over twenty years.

I have found just the opposite - I get far more crap from (some) CBSA officers than CBP who seem far more willing to be friendly while still doing their job. My guess is you it was just one looking to flex his muscles in which case the best thing to do is just agree with everything they say and move on.

usafk9 · May 26, 2009

We've had it both ways.

Usually, the Canadians are nicer though.

Wife is Puerto Rican and was detained in late 2006 entering the US from Nuevo Laredo. Appears as if they wanted to call her a Cuban that day. I almost went to jail as well. Seems as if serving your military and state governments don't matter to some.

In fairness, one Canadian customs agent also detained her once, calling Puerto Rico "just a protectorate". While she is technicalyy correct, my wife is nonetheless a US citizen.

On a side note, there are no such border constraints entering Mexico (at least where we entered).

Border? What's a border?

Scuba · May 26, 2009

Fast card is for clearing fast loads period all it does is speed up the crossing. You will need the passport not to get into Canada but to get back into the USA fast card or not you will have to have a passport or no reentry.

P51bombay · May 26, 2009

A FAST (or Nexus) card alone is sufficient as you've already proven citizenship. See the link for WHTI complaint documents.

WHTI | Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative | USA

pelicn · May 26, 2009

We always hand the officer the paperwork, our passports, drivers licenses, Fast cards and the Rabies certificate for our dog. We've never had an officer say "whoa, that's too much stuff" . We figure that if they don't have to ask for anything, we'll get through quicker.

dabluzman1 · May 26, 2009

Scuba said:
Fast card is for clearing fast loads period all it does is speed up the crossing. You will need the passport not to get into Canada but to get back into the USA fast card or not you will have to have a passport or no reentry.

Not true.

The first quote is from the US Homeland Security web.

DHS | Crossing U.S. Borders

Beginning June 1, 2009

U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry are required to have documents that comply with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), most commonly a U.S. passport, a passport card, a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST, or an enhanced driver's license. See the complete list of WHTI-compliant documents

------------------------------------------------------------------------

This 2nd qoute is from the "Canada Border Services Agency"

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/fast-expres/using-utilise-eng.html
Travel documents
Under the U.S. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative regulations, your FAST membership card will be accepted in lieu of a passport when entering the United States by land only. In all other instances,your FAST membership card is not considered a travel document that authorizes your admission to Canada or the United States.
While your FAST membership is valid for five years, it is important to remember that your immigration status must also be valid at all times. You must possess appropriate immigration and identity documents in addition to your FAST commercial driver card. These may include your passport, permanent resident card, birth certificate, work permit/visa and other related documents.

Just an FYI.

OntarioVanMan · May 26, 2009

Fast card is NOT identification

While your FAST membership is valid for five years, it is important to remember that your immigration status must also be valid at all times. You must possess appropriate immigration and identity documents in addition to your FAST commercial driver card. These may include your passport, permanent resident card, birth certificate, work permit/visa and other related documents.

A fast card must be supported by proper ID when "Required"

piper1 · May 27, 2009

Spin the wheel and see if you win a prize!!!

Who knows why they do what they do (I'm sure they do)? Today, after crossing the border commercially into the US problem free for the last 2 years (and personally problem free for the last 20), I was sent around for an x-ray and a 2.5 hour sit and wait, go to dock, leave dock, sit and wait, leave your keys in the van, sit and wait, OK, you can go.

At least they didn't lock my keys in the truck like the guy beside me, or hold me up since 6am (this was around 3pm, poor guy still didn't know why he was not being let go).

Jack_Berry · May 27, 2009

i knw thew fast card is mostly to work with fast frt but i never seem to have fast frt just the regular, time is burnin, its already too late, why you still here kind of frt.

wonder what the terror alert is for today? maybe that has somethin to do with it.

piper1 · May 27, 2009

Turns out Janet nap-a-something the Homeland security big wig and her Canadian equivalent were there to sign some agreement or something, so they wanted to look busier maybe.

P51bombay · May 27, 2009

Well something is up, I cross every day and got pulled in (NB) as "one of your shipments needs to be inspected" So pull around, open up and put it on the dock - take my ID and two pars inside, (try staying away from the smelly, sweats wearing refer driver) and when they get to my truck he says;

we are going to have a look in the cab
- ok, here's the key

did you watch them load it?
- I load and unload

So you are aware of everything on the truck?
- yes

Is it your truck or a company truck?
- mine

Is there anything you want to remove from the truck?
- no

Are you concerned about us looking?
- not at all

Is there anything I need to know about?
- Just my donuts (we both laugh)

Comes back in and remarks........."someone's got a sweet tooth" Guilty as charged.

Never even looked in the box - either they are looking for something or looking to show off - CBP was sitting 50 yards from the line doing export inspections - blocking the FAST lane to boot. The did a cab search on this curtain side TT, found something they liked (or didn't like) and pulled him aside to look in back. Bad for him, good for everyone else - line started moving again - was only about 1.5 miles long.

Falligator · May 28, 2009

A couple of months ago while at the Peace Bridge border crossing on my way to Toronto, they pulled me in for inspection. I was there for almost 3 hrs. The inspection lasted only 1/2 hr on the van but they was running some kind of program on my laptop. and that took 2 1/2 hrs. then said I was fine and on my way. Must have been looking at my EO posse....LOL

bernieh48 · May 29, 2009

First off why in the world would you let them touch you computer? How do you know they didn't put a virus on it or something? Or look at your records and such?

greg334 · May 29, 2009

bernieh48 said:
First off why in the world would you let them touch you computer? How do you know they didn't put a virus on it or something? Or look at your records and such?

YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE

Customs/INS/whatever they are called has access to the entire vehicle and the contents of that vehicle without a search warrant. They can look at your computer, your cell phone and what ever electronic device that you have. You are entering the country, not in the country and they have a duty to inspect everything they need to inspect.

OntarioVanMan · May 29, 2009

bernieh48 said:
First off why in the world would you let them touch you computer? How do you know they didn't put a virus on it or something? Or look at your records and such?

Because you are there watching them! and beside they already know anything about your records......they are looking for kiddy porn....importation of child pornographic material is a federal offense.

The border officer asked me to start the laptop up and he instructed me what he wanted me to show him....that way there is no liability whatsoever of making a damage claim...

morningstar55ny · May 29, 2009

i find it that the US .. boarder are more jerks then the canadian ones...

OntarioVanMan · May 29, 2009

I used to find that as well.....until I became a resident of the US...then I was asked about guns and it felt cold....guess some think I am a traitor for going to the dark side.....*LOL*

pjjjjj · May 29, 2009

Maybe I'm the only one that wasn't aware of this, but last evening it came to my attention that if customs chooses to inspect your freight, and they arrange for everything to be offloaded and replaced, they bill the owner for the labour cost/use of forklifts/whatever (like to the tune of eight hundred and something dollars!)
Holy crap!
They could conceivably put a company out of business fairly quick if they 'arbitrarily' chose to inspect them all the time.
How can this be allowed? To be inspected at their whim, at your cost?