Hi,
I'd like to take a road trip from WA state to BC Canada. What is the customs protocol for exposed LF film when re-entering the US??? Any suggestions??
Thanks,
Bob
Hi,
I'd like to take a road trip from WA state to BC Canada. What is the customs protocol for exposed LF film when re-entering the US??? Any suggestions??
Thanks,
Bob
Thanks Bob!!
Got the passport, just want the film to be safe.
Cheers,
Bob
If you're driving and have a current US passport (and you don't say something dumb to the officer) you will be very little troubled. They don't care about the film.
I cross the border somewhat frequently and only once ever got subjected to the random search. I opened my trunk and the inspector said, "Wow. You carry a sh*tload of equipment, don't you?" The he told me I could go and to have a nice day.
I don't know why we were selected, but one time heading north with the family (including a then 3 year old) we got pulled into a secondary inspection line. The search was so thorough they opened a tackle box and looked inside the carboard boxes holding lures.
I made several border crossings on my long trip, and the US border folks were ALWAYS courteous, friendly, and professional.
I had trouble going into Canada each time, including having to pull over, park, and come inside to sit on a hard bench for 45 minutes until some guy in a bullet-proof vest came out and told me I could go. Weird.
My experiences with all US Federal employees was equally wonderful. My favorite was the guy at the entrance to Red Rocks near Lost Wages, who, in conversation, stretched his arms and said "Yeah, another day at the office," while grinning from ear-to-ear.
Bruce Barlow
author of "Finely Focused" and "Exercises in Photographic Composition"
www.brucewbarlow.com
I have always found both sides to be friendly, except for the time when I was 18 coming back from a camping trip in Vermont. I was crossing into Montreal and the Canadian staff pulled my car over and pulled out everything including taking the back seat right out of the car. I was left to put it back together on my own, thank you very much; and the time I was with my wife and young kids coming back from Buffalo at Niagara falls. The female Canadian Border Guard seemed in a tiff and escalated into a rage as she crawled through the back seat in one door and out the other. We were all goggled eyed, my children are still traumatised 25 years later. I think she may have had a temporary hormonal disorder bordering on personality disorder.
As long as you tell the truth, no bad.
I'm not Canadian but found the same thing once a long time ago. Seems like there was a toll to cross the border, say 50 cents. So we gave the person two Canadian quarters, and the were asked for 10% more due to the exchange rate. So we gave him a Canadian dime... and once again was asked for 10% more. So we gave him a Canadian penny. Fortunately he just gave us the stink-eye and told us go proceed.
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