Hey Sarah,

I’m “Waiting’s” girlfriend. The plot is a tad bit thicker than my girlfriend may have led you to believe. It isn’t as simple as just having her birth certificate with her…that wouldn’t help. She was born in Spain, and while she is an American citizen (and has been for about three or four years now), to the best of my knowledge, she has no proof of this.

Anyway, I don’t assume this will clear up the issue for you, but I thought in case anyone else wanted to jump on board with suggestions, they should know the whole truth about the matter.

Waiting IN Canada

Dear Waiting 2: Electric Boogaloo,

If she has a passport, she has proof of her citizenship.The country of her birth has nothing to do with anything here.

Just so you know where I’m coming from, here’s what I’ve experienced when I’ve crossed the US/Ontario border: coming in by air, I’ve either presented a passport and gone through customs no problem; or I’ve presented a driver’s license, filled out a form, and gone through customs no problem. Coming by car, I’ve pulled up to the border stall, told them my citizenship, told them my business in Canada, given them the dates and locations of my stay, and driven on through.I drive a beater Honda, I have a nose ring and visible tattoos, and I sit in the front yelling at my friends in the back to hide the stash, and I still don’t get stopped.

The customs authorities want something, anything that proves that you have a permanent address in the States.That’s it.As long as she’s spending big bad American dollars in Canada and doesn’t look overly suspicious, the border patrol isn’t going to give your girlfriend any shit.

[11/20/00]

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