Another "Crossing the Border" Question

[tjbaggott]

Driving down, planning on leaving around 3am. Some of our kids and perhaps me too, are likely to still be sleeping once we reach the border (putting everyone in the van straight from their beds to go back to sleep as we leave).
Will the border guards need to have everyone awake when we check through? Or can DH just hand over everyone's passports without waking whoever may be sleeping?

 

[disneydreamgirl]

I can't say from experience however I would be very surprised if everyone didn't have to be awake and responsive. I'm sure someone else will be able to say for certain, though.

 

[highland3]

We've woken everyone up for the crossing... just to be on the safe side.

Some of the US Border folks are pretty good, and likely wouldn't wake a sleeping kid... unless there was something suspicious. But, preventing child abductions is part of the job. It's only an hour from Ottawa to the border... a quick wake-up and they may (?) go back to sleep. Mine did.

 

[Alderbrook]

Everyone will have to be awake, & answer questions as to citizenship, especially if they're older children. Babies & toddlers can't answer anyways so they probably wouldn't say anything, but definately both adults & older children will have to be woken. We crossed with 4 adults & 2 babies & the border guard actually asked us to open our side van door & he looked in.

 

[polyhm83]

The last 5 or 6 times we have crossed the border they have opened our van
side door and asked the kids questions.

 

[michellev]

We have young kids (6, 4, 2) and they have been asleep several times when we crossed the border. Generally the border agent has us open the sliding door of our van and that's about it. Kids (so far) haven't been questioned or spoken to. Heck, as the passenger, I've never been questioned.

 

[m&n's mom]

We live near the border and cross over to the US quite frequently - actually again today for a hockey game for my youngest DS. I wouldn't worry about it - it will just depend on whomever you get (luck of the draw). More often than not my kids (16 and soon to be 13) are never questioned. They usually have head phones for DVD player or i Pod in there ears - or have been asleep without having to disturb them. We always just have the passenger window down so the border agent can see in the vehicle. Given the time that you will cross and the ages of your children I would not worry I would guess that you will get across without a problem ... zip zap zoop!!

 

[PEIMother]

We drove down to the US last June (2008) and at the border, my husband who was driving handed the guard our two passports and the 4 birth certificates of our kids (10, 8, 5 & 3). The guard didn't ask to see the kids or ask to roll down windows/open door. He just asked if all 6 of us were returning to Canada on the return trip. It was the same on the way back into Canada.

That crossing is probably isn't as busy as an Ontario one.

 

[rjan67]

Nothing to add to the OP just a funny anecdote. We drive to Florida and do many long distance drives so my kids have the works in the back of the van. Our motto is whatever gets us there in peace. The last time we were going to Florida, the guard opened the door and saw my kids playing video games with snacks and lots of magazines, dvd players, laptop computer etc. The border guard said to the kids 'hey move over I'm going come too, this looks like fun back here!" The kids thought that was pretty funny.

I think the reason they will want the kids awake is to just get there overall state of mind. Do they look scared, can they answer questions? They won't usually wake babies or toddlers. I'm pretty sure my 6 yr has slept through the border on the way back to Canada.

 

[Alderbrook]

It really does depend on the guard. Last time we crossed over he asked us to roll the window down in the back seat so he could see our son. I asked my son to say "hi" & he did, then the guard said to my husband "he really looks like you" & that was the end of it. We're were heading to Myrtle Beach in the middle of a hurricane & he joked around that we would be spending hte night in the Niagara Falls airport.

We've been questioned before a ton, like where do you work, does your job know you're away? & other weird questions & other times we get nothing. I cross over in Niagara Falls all the time to go shopping & most of the time we spend about 30 secs & are on our way.

I think they understand that kids sleep in the car, but they have to do their job as well.

 

[dancin Disney style]

My experiences have been similar to the PP's. It really depends on the guard and the alert level at the time. We have been waved through with only one or two questions but we have also been grilled and asked some really odd questions. Last year we were asked how much cash we were travelling with. That same guard wanted to see our Disney confirmation letter and then proceeded to ask me rather 'social chit chat' questions about the resort. He kept us there for about 8-9 minutes and the conversation had a mainly social tone to it. We have always crossed with passports and he did open the back door and ask which child was which. That also is odd since he had our passports in his hand and was looking at the photos. My kids are 9 years apart in age, so it's pretty easy to tell who is who. That was most likely the strangest crossing we have ever had and we cross a lot since we are only 45 minutes away from Niagara Falls. This took place at around 3:30am.

 

[Alderbrook]

A few weeks ago my girlfriend & I headed over shopping. The line was moving really, really slow & we couldn't get over how long the guard was taking with everyone in front of us. When we got up he asked for our passports, scanned them, looked at us & said "shopping for the day?" & that was it, really 30 secs long. I have no idea what he was doing with all the others in front of us?

 

[justjulie]

and the guard looked at the passport and made everyone verbally confirm - two adults, two kids - I guess it just depends on their "orders of the day". This time the driver was also asked "who's vehicle are you driving?" Note they mean who is the vehicle registered to ...