Entering Canada with my camera?

Question

Okay so I crossed the border yesterday as I always do every weekend and they actually gave me the interrogation, they hardly ever do that at this border crossing and usually let me go with out checking my id or anything...Anyways there were two new guys and they informed me that they can deny me entry if I have my camera with me because I am a photographer...I told them that I would get a business license in BC if I ever decided to work up there...As a photographer I take my camera with me everywhere...So my question is if I go up there to take pictures of like lets say a national park or something then come back down here and makes prints and sell them would that be doing business in Canada? I generally just take personal pictures when I am up there and have never done any work for any one up there...Secondly does any one know how I can get a business license in BC if I am not a resident or citizen...

Well they asked me my profession and I told them then they gave me that line...As far as I know as long as I am not conduction business in Canada then I don't see what is wrong with it...I have been in and out every weekend since March and never had a problem...

Answer 1

You were treated preposterously. You should complain to the local Canada immigration, unless you misunderstood and the officers only advised you and asked you if you were doing any shoot for a Canada client. (If you were to, there is provision under NAFTA but you would need a declaration from your client). Otherwise, any photos you do, if you sell them in the USA to non-Canadians, is obviously OK.

Answer 2

sadly nothing is going to happen if you complain .Things like this happen crossing over to the states as well. A few years back I had bought a small portable stereo and was visitting my family and it was a 17 year old nephews birthday and they gaved me on the AMerican side a whole big yahoo about it even though I had my receipt even on me that I paid for the gift !! Wow a cheap 50.00 gift and they decided it was worth interogagtion .It happens both ways . If you launch a complaint both sides will hold up its security reasons so you'll have to let it go .But it does not mean it will happen again ....I don't think you should be stopped in taking a camera with you .I mean that's what every tourist does...Never mind I have seen accidents where you would not believe how many people run out of their cars with their digital cameras alreay ready.It's something many people carry on them now ...even if they are not photographers.
By the way many immigration officers I hardly doubt really use their heads while speaking to people .Could it be the badge of power that overwhelms them with a smudge of authority ??
Here is a little storry .This occurence happened twice to me at the aeroport getting back from Mexico to Canada.
Yes I am born in a South American Country ...which Mexico is not even on the continent of South America! I have been a canadian citizen from my parents since the early age of 1 yrs old . My passport is Canadian !!! It says I am a canadian citizen but as many passports it shows where I was priginally born .The first time the fillipino guy (at immigration) read my passport looked at it and still asked me if I was Mexican touring Canada? lol
The second time my husband was just travelling with his Ontario drivers license no passport and the immigration officer this east indian lady ...looked at my canadian passport saw it also said the same last name and my marriage date on it and still asked me How I knew this man and am I coming to visit family from Canada from Mexico !
Lol ..it was 2 am in the morning and I yelled back at her if she did not read passports when they are handed to here.
My husband had less id being only a drivers license and she had o questions for him ..I thought a canadian passport in Canada was more proper for travelling .I guess tough although he is Meditaranian decent because he has blond hair and blue eyes they figure thats a typical canadian but then ....the reason I mentioned their nationalities being obviously they themselves or family were once immigrants that was pretty silly to stereotype on appearance when they had my passport in hand .
Then you wonder how crazy people get pass the borders its because their stopping innocent people like us ! lol

Answer 3

That's total bullshit. Nobody can take your camera from you or deny entry in a civilized country for that reason !!
I never heard of any law requiring customs to check what you have on your camera. Unless they have clear evidence / strong reasons to believe you have very illegal material in there (like underage porn, national security information or whatever else) they cannot do that to you. I came 4 times across the border with a laptop full of music and photos, I had my camera hanging on my belt, nobody ever asked anything about any object. And you have the right to take pictures everywhere in a public space, as long as the people that happen to be captured are ok with that. I'm think you were not pointing your camera to customs security devices, to their uniforms and such, so it's very strange what you say.
Oh, and there's no difference between taking pictures as an amateur or as a pro. Even selling them.
That's common sense...
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