U.S. Customs And Border Protection Rejects Canadian Traveler And Questions Girlfriend Over Military Service

It would have been a routine trip to the United States for a Canadian citizen, but he found himself being questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers for hours during a recent crossing. Worse, he was denied entry due to alleged military service in Iran, despite his claim that he had left the country as a teenager and never served.

The Canadian citizen, who was born in Iran, took to Reddit, recounting his experience at the border with his Canadian-born girlfriend. The poster, who holds a NEXUS card, a trusted credential for pre-screened and low-risk travelers, said he was nonetheless pushed to secondary inspection, and was questioned for three hours, then was denied entry.

He has been working in the U.S. on a TN visa for more than five years, and has crossed the border more than 40 times without issues. When his girlfriend crossed the border again, with her friends this time, she was also questioned for hours before being admitted to the U.S.

CBP Rejects Canadian-Iranian Due To Alleged Military Service In Iran

The Canadian-Iranian said the routine question is asked whenever he crosses the border: if he ever served in Iran. He was never subjected to mandatory service in the country, as he had left Iran when he was 14. He also doesn’t have a valid Iranian passport.

As he got used to this question without issues in his previous border crossings, this time, he was shocked when the CBP officers denied him entry to the United States.

The poster said he was questioned for three hours about himself and his family background, why they moved to Canada, and searched his phone. He was told to provide proof that he did not serve in Iran.

However, he said it is “difficult to substantiate,” especially since he was only 14 when he left Iran, and “hasn’t left Canada for more than a week at a time since.” In a statement sent to TheTravel, the Canadian-Iranian said he was eventually admitted to the U.S. the following day after providing an expired passport.

“Regardless, I had my family send me a scan of an old passport that expired in 2012. I returned to the border the next day, went through another roughly three-hour secondary inspection, and was ultimately admitted,” he said.

Despite being admitted to the U.S. the next day, the Canadian-Iranian remains doubtful, and is concerned about the information CBP has placed on his record, and how it may affect future border crossings, especially after his girlfriend was also questioned about him for hours during a separate border crossing.

CBP’s Secondary Inspections Are Not Synonymous With Rejections (At All Times)

If CBP officers pull travelers into secondary inspections, “it doesn’t automatically mean someone has done anything wrong or that they will be denied entry,” says Ken Scott, a Senior U.S. Immigration Law Intelligence Analyst at U.S. Entry Waiver Services.

Scott told TheTravel in a statement that secondary inspections are often used to verify information and resolve questions before an officer makes a final admissibility decision.

However, if future trips continue to result in repeated referrals to secondary inspection despite the issue having been resolved, the Canadian-Iranian, or whoever undertakes a similar case, should ask CBP to review their case to determine whether any outdated or inaccurate information remains associated with their travel history.

“Cases like this demonstrate why it’s important for people to understand the difference between a temporary delay at the border and an actual finding of inadmissibility. They’re not the same thing, and many travelers mistakenly believe they are,” Scott told TheTravel.

When asked about the steps that the Canadian-Iranian can take to resolve issues like this, Scott explained to TheTravel that it’s vital to carry necessary documents when crossing the border, as “good documentation can often make the difference between a temporary delay and a much more serious immigration issue.”

“My suggestion would be for him to continue carrying copies of the documents that established his eligibility whenever he travels to the United States. CBP officers have broad authority to inspect travelers and request additional documentation when questions arise, particularly if there is something in a person’s background that requires clarification,” Scott said.

Scott added that travelers should “answer questions truthfully, remain calm and respectful, and be prepared to provide supporting documentation when requested.”

Nonetheless, the Canadian-Iranian still has his active NEXUS card, although he believes CBP’s main goal was not to deny him entry and ban him, but only to “mess with any Iranian-born man.”

This wasn’t the first time a Canadian-Iranian has been denied entry to the U.S. Recently, another Canadian-Iranian was also rejected by CBP over a banned Iranian passport, although he only used his passport in applying for a U.S. visa before he became a Canadian citizen.

However, it’s not just dual nationals who have experienced increased security checkpoints at ports of entry. Those who have past convictions, despite being pardoned in Canada, have also been denied entry, such as a Canadian retiree who was banned from his summer vacation home in the U.S. over a pardoned 38-year-old cannabis offense.

Even those who have a perfect record, such as the Canadian traveler who misspoke about his travel frequency to the U.S., experienced increased scrutiny at the border.

Public Reactions To Canadian-Iranian’s CBP Rejection Over Military Service

Security at border crossings has been noticeably tighter, and many Canadian travelers have become subjects of increased scrutiny at ports of entry.

Others were eventually admitted to the U.S., while several Canadian citizens, especially dual nationals, were either denied entry or banned for years, including a Canadian-Pakistani traveler who was held for 13 hours and was banned for five years due to alleged terrorism and immigrant intent, which he firmly denied.

Cases like this have also confused many travelers and have drawn widespread attention online, including the Canadian-Iranian’s case at the border.

On the Reddit thread, several commenters said that Canadian immigration records and travel history should have been sufficient, while others suggested consulting an immigration lawyer.

Social Media Reactions To The Canadian-Iranian Traveler’s Rejection At The Border

The Canadian-Iranian’s experience at the border serves as a reminder that even trusted travelers, like NEXUS cardholders, can still face extensive inspections at the border.

As Ken Scott said, carrying essential documentation is crucial when crossing the U.S.-Canada border, in case questions arise.