[pct-l] Re: Entry to USA from Canada on the PCT

[griffin at u.washington.edu (Tom Griffin)]

Hi Inaki,

I am a U.S. citizen and think your plan to take the bus from Seattle to
Vancouver to Manning and then re-enter the U.S. via the PCT makes a lot of
sense. I just crossed the US-Canada border north of Seattle at Blaine last
weekend. This is the same crossing that Greyhound Bus uses. U.S. Customs
does NOT clear cars and buses leaving the U.S. They are too busy screening
vehicles entering the U.S. So you will NOT have to turn in your I-94 card.
> 
> Let's say I fly into Seattle and take a bus to Vancouver to get to
> Manning Park as soon as it's possible and then hike the PCT from the
> northern terminus back to the US so I'll be entering the US illegally,
> strictly speaking.
> 
> I've been trying to find out what would happen to my arrival/departure
> record (I-94 card) when I leave for Canada by road. I've been told (by
> individuals in the same situation as me) that as far as last year no
> check was made on the US-Canada border by US customs (when leaving for
> Canada) and I've also found on the web that visitors to the US do not
> need to hand their I-94 card to US customs officials when they're
> visiting Canada for less than 30 days (and planning to return to the
> US), rather they have to keep it until they leave the US definitely.

That's good to know.
 
> Apparently, US customs don't bother with visitors leaving for Canada and
> upon return to the US they just check, by means of passport and I-94
> stub, the visitor is still allowed to stay in the US (90 days under the
> visa waiver program for tourists in my case) and let him/her in. Given
> all these, I honestly see no problem in re-entering the US through the
> PCT. 

Since the U.S. doesn't know you left, it shouldn't be a problem. There are
no border guards on the PCT--you are in wilderness. The only rule you are
"stretching" is that you are not immediately reporting to U.S. customs once
you are back in the U.S., which is impossible for a thru-hiker in any case.

We take many risks when we go into the backcountry. In this case, you may be
taking a minor legal risk, but other hikers from around the world have done
the same thing. And you can always plead ignorance if for some crazy reason
some U.S. official questions you (but I can't imagine the scenario where
they would).

> Maybe Canada border control checks me into Canada and feeds US
> records with that data? or somehow stamp my passport with a Canada entry
> register that can somehow leave a blank somewhere if I leave Canada
> through the PCT instead of an official border post?

Nope, Canada doesn't screen people leaving the border at Blaine either, so
there is no exit stamp.

> Thanks in advance
> Inaki

Relax and enjoy your hike!

Tom Griffin
Seattle
PCT Pages at http://staff.washington.edu/griffin/pct.html