The US-Canada land border crossing

So, here I go... about to leave my very first impression on the blogosphere. Will it get lost or will someone actually find it? We'll see...

This month, I had the opportunity to cross the BC-WA border between Surrey and Blaine twice. In my experience, entering the US from Canada (or entering Canada from the US for that matter) via the land border crossing is a much more friendly affair. I suppose the bulk of the foreign population flies into North America, so the immigration and customs officials at the airports have rather stern and aggressive mannerisms. On the other hand, officials posted at land border crossings appear to be much more friendly and courteous. Both times, I was treated with a lot of respect which far exceeded my expectations.

Being a Pakistani citizen, I fall under the special registration category which means that I am thoroughly questioned about my purpose of entering the US and that I have to report my departure once I am ready to leave the US. In my experience, this has only been a minor inconvenience which I don't mind at all. All the officers dealt with me in a respectful and professional manner. It is an inconvenience because it adds to the border crossing time. While others simply wave their passports and cross, I have to add an additional half an hour to an hour when planning my trip to allow for delays.

The flip side of this is that things can get ugly if you don't follow the steps that are required of you. A couple of years ago, I was traveling from Seattle to Vancouver in a greyhound bus and had no idea where to stop to report my departure. The next day I went back to the border but the officer told me that I had violated the rule and warned me that I could be barred from entering the US if I had any more violations. The system is designed to be pretty friendly but puts the onus on you. So, do your homework before you travel so that you know what steps you have to take.