We (Roy and Ellen), go overlanding from North to South America! We have our 4×4 car picked up a few days ago from Halifax port Canada and packed all our stuff from the suitcases into the car. We drove to the American border with a few stops and stayed overnight a few kilometers before the border. Today we cross the border, the USA in!
We secretly find it quite exciting. It is our first border crossing by car. The car is packed with some haste and not everything has been given a permanent place yet, so we look pretty packed.
Also read: Shipping your car to Halifax, Canada | The real story
The Canadian Border Office
We stop at the Canadian border office just before the border crossing to the US state of Main. We have read everywhere online that you should have your TIP form unsubscribed here. While we had no TIP at all at customs in Halifax. We didn't even think about it for a moment, because we were way too excited to see our car again. We walk to the counter and ask the man behind the counter for the TIP. He looks at us crazy. Apparently this document has recently become obsolete.
So we'll be back outside soon. On to the counter of the United States! Below is a short video of what it looks like there.
The United States Border Office
We drive through a kind of drive-through booth where a lady wants to see our passports. She asks if we've been to the US before? No. We are allowed to park the car and enter the office.
We are referred to another customs officer. She asks an incredible number of questions. Many questions also double in a different wording, to check our answer. All the questions we've already filled in for our ESTA Authorization to get are also passing by. After more than half an hour she asks for the keys to our car to check it. The check of the car is shorter than the interrogation, because after about 10 minutes she is back. Our fingerprints are being taken. Everything seems fine. Only the payment for the customs 'service' of 6 dollars and we can go.
Also read: Overland in America & Canada | Everything about VISA, ESTA, B1/B2 & eTA
The United States
We get in the car and drive into the United States. With our own car! What a wonderful feeling. The tension is off us. We will be staying in the US and Canada for the next 3 months and will not get any more 'troublesome' questions as everything is already registered in the system.
United States, here we come!
Until the next,
Roy and Ellen
Also read: Overland in America and Canada | The ultimate roadtrip prepare route
