Association Forum - Will the passport laws affect you?

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Will the passport laws affect you?

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Page: of 2

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2009 : 09:54:43

I am lucky enough to be at Brand's Marina. I tie up and walk over to the phone, then I'm done.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2009 : 12:55:53

Thanks, Don. Unfortunately, that puts me in the 30-45 minute drive category unless I pull into Cedar Point on my way home, pay a transit fee for the time I'll be there, check in with INS and then cross the bay to my marina.

Edited by - on

Renzo
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2009 : 13:28:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Gang, this is much ado about nothing. Coming back into the US is not hard and carrying passports and other "papers" is very reasonable.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
"Oh what a brave new world has creatures such as these"
$35 each ($70 bucks annually for me and my wife), a two hour,round trip to the nearest port of entry office for both of plus the time to go through the application proceedure (if there is no one ahead of us) ammounts to a minimum of a half day wasted. This is not "nothing" in my book. Granted it's not the end of the world either but it is an extra cost and an inconvienience.

Randy it may not be a big deal for you in Eugene Oregon because you go to Canada, occasionally, by boat. But for those of us who sail constantly in close proximity to the US/Canadian border and where half of our (limited) ports-of-call are in Canada,it is at the very least a pain in the transom.

Edited by - Renzo on 02/13/2009 13:30:59

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2009 : 14:03:47

Are we talking about the same thing? This is from the [url="http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/travel/pleasure_boats/boats/cbbl.xml"]US Homeland Security site:[/url]

"The Form I-68, after an initial inspection, permits a boater to report their arrival into the United States telephonically without having to appear at a port-of-entry for an in person inspection. The initial inspection involves an interview, checking the individual in the Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) and possibly other law enforcement databases, completion of the form I-68, and payment of the fee."

According to the site the annual fee is $32 for a family, or $16 for an individual.

Sorry, but this does not count as a hardship in my book. If I visited Canada frequently I would be happy that this option was available and I'd go through the process to get it.

Now, if you want to talk hardship, when we sailed into Canada they made us throw away our only lemon on board. Damn Canucks!

And then upon re-entry to the US our government took our only apple. Go figure.

Seriously, border control is a important issue and I don't begrudge our country creating processes that are intended to keep us safe. If that results in an inconvenience - like we all experience at airports - then so be it.

Edited by - Nautiduck on 02/13/2009 14:06:53

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2009 : 14:16:44

Randy, you wanna talk tough?

I remember on a road trip as a kid, they told us we would have to dispose of a bag of Oranges Mom had packed in th ecooler for our lunch break. Well, Mom was a waste-not, want not type, so she told the guard we would pull into th einspection area instead.

We had to sit there until the entire bag was emptied. 2 small kids and 2 parents had to eat a full bag of oranges - I don't remember how big th ebag was but I think it was something like 3 oranges each, whether you were hungry or not. Now hurry up and eat!

When I was being a single Dad, I crossed fairly regularly at Buffalo. I know they don't profile at the border, but whenever I travelled alone with my daughter I got pulled over. If I was travelling without her I never got stopped. If I had a woman in the car with us, I sometimes got stopped, but whenever it was just me and the kid we got pulled in every time. I'm not complaining, just saying.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2009 : 14:29:25

LOL! I can picture your family eating those oranges!!

My brother, who lives in Wisconsin, has had that same experience crossing the border with one of his kids but without his wife. The border agents are on the lookout for parents "kidnapping" the kids during domestic disputes and taking them out of the country.

Edited by - on

Renzo
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2009 : 15:02:07

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">According to the site the annual fee is $32 for a family, or $16 for an individual.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You are right about the fee Randy. It cost us more because the photos we submitted were rejected by the agent and the only place nearby to get new ones charged us $16 apiece.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Sorry, but this does not count as a hardship in my book. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I didn't say it was a hardship. I said it was an inconvenience that I feel is unnecessary and useless and a duplication of effort on the part of the govt. I take the protection of our borders very seriously (especially since I live and sail so close to the border)and I am not adverse to suffering some inconvenience to keep our sovereignty. It is only that I don't see how calling on an unsecured cell phone, and speaking anonymously to an agent accomplishes anything. The I-68 procedure went into effect a number of years prior to 9/11 and was at the time seen by most as a means for the INS to generate revenue. Even the CG officers who issued the original forms spoke disparagingly about about it's effectiveness and purpose. Yes, I am glad that I don't have to report in person each time I return from Canada by boat, but then a smuggler,terrorist or illegal alien probably wouldn't report in at all, either in person or by phone.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 02/13/2009 : 20:37:51

Lorenzo, I can imagine the frustration of dealing with a bureaucracy, having to retake photos, etc. Those are not fun experiences and repeating the process each year adds to the hassle. It is kind of a kick to sail to another country though, it adds a certain extra adventure to it for us. We're lucky to have a great neighbor like Canada or the processes at the border would probably be even more stringent.

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

Members Avatar

844 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2009 : 12:01:02

The duplication of excessive and unnecessary paperwork is the hallmark of a successful bureaucracy, and nothing more. Unfortunately, it also costs extra, which is the real rub. As citizens, this nonsense should be free, especially if its simply some boondoggle. And it does not increase our security one iota, given how it's operated. The excessive and unnecessary lines at the Peace Arch Border Crossing is also an abomination - 1 1/2 hours to go through what used to be a 5 minute stop! With the "better" paperwork, one would think it would go faster. How long did it take them to add lanes? Five years! I agree with enhanced security, but enhanced doesn't seem to apply in this case.

Edited by - on

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 02/14/2009 : 13:03:31

If you think all of that is bad, you should try clearing into some countries or clear out so you can go somewhere else. $300 for Bahamas, $700 for St. Lucia, etc. for a 3 month stay max, PLUS crew charges, PLUS crew change charges, PLUS duty on the vessel if you have to stay too long, PLUS duty on excess alcohol in some places.... We have heard the horror stories and hope to experience them first hand soon!

sten

Edited by - on

Page: of 2

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.