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Subject: [world-cruising] Canadian cruising couple barred from the U.S.
From: S/V Aramoana (Roger Chin & Eric Register) (aramoana@XXX.XXX)
Date: Fri Apr 18 2003 - 18:17:23 EDT
To any Canadian cruisers out there,
Back in 1998-99, we sailed with another cruising couple down to
Mexico. While we returned to BC, they continued cruising. Their boat is
now in Virginia as they waited out the winter. They flew back to BC to
visit family. So far, this sounds quite routine - cruisers going back home
while they wait out unpleasant weather seasons.
Unfortunately, when they tried to return to their boat to get ready to sail
to Europe, they were accused by US customs of trying to illegally immigrate
to the US. They could not prove Canadian domicile. Like most offshore
cruisers, their domicile was their boat. They wanted 3 months of utility
bills. If they try to enter again and fail, they will be barred from the
U.S. for 5 years.
I know an American living on his American boat in Canada for almost a year
now. So I know there are people who will use their boat to illegally
immigrate. But this couple has been cruising internationally for 5 years now.
While this subject is inherently political, I don't want this discussion to
degrade to a debate on the merits of war with Iraq from either a Canadian
or American side, nor the ramifications of Canada not supporting the U.S.,
nor the tariffs on BC softwood lumber.
What I'd like to know is... has this happened to anybody else? If so, what
subsequent steps were taken and how did it turn out? What agencies were
helpful?
Roger Chin
S/V Aramoana
Richmond, BC, Canada
www.geocities.com/sv_aramoana
aramoana@XXX.XXX
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