Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with border

Drive to Mexico with just a drivers license?

eas98 — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:24:48 -0800

Can I drive in and out of Mexico with just my drivers license? I'm visiting a friend in California and we thought we might drive down to Mexico for the day. However, I have heard that the entry/exit rules have changed this year and you can no longer make the trip with just your drivers license. Is this true? Has anyone tried this in the last month or so? Are they adamant about this or is it strongly suggested but not required? If I manage to get into Mexico with only my DL will I be able to get back out?

Making a run for the Border?

ph00dz — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:24:37 -0800

How does the Mexican Border work? So... I was talking with a band last night who were on tour from Washington, and they were all like, "Dude, we crossed the Mexican Border for a minute out by the dunes on I-8, heading east from San Diego to Phoenix."

Are they right? Did they really cross into Mexico?

What I'm asking is this: is that truck fence that you see off I-8 really the Border? If a person jumps from one side to another, are they truly leaving the United States, or does the real border lie some distance from the highway?

This is what I'm talking about... (Although that's a different band / guy, for whatever it's worth.)

I spy with my little eye

wittgenstein — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:15:44 -0800

What do you look at/notice, as you wander through the world, that I probably ignore? The origin of this question was my teaching students how to recognize the seven border patterns (sometimes called "frieze patterns"). After I taught this the first time, I suddenly realized that there are border patterns all over the place; I just never noticed them.

This made me wonder what people who are different from me pay attention to as they wander around. If you are a designer, what do you see that I ignore? If you are a plumber, what do you see that I ignore?

I think this isn't chatfilter, but delete if you think it is.

NEXUS or NOT?

patr1ck — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:35:51 -0800

Should I get a NEXUS pass? (For US-Canada border crossing.) I'm Canadian and will be moving to the states next year for work. I plan on coming home at least twice a year, and the NEXUS pass seems like good idea. But I'm curious:

1. Will I really save that time at the border? (I'll be flying between SFO, San Francisco, and YYZ, Toronto, most often if that matters.)

2. Is it really a good idea to hand over my fingerprints and iris map (or whatever, "eyeball thingy", I say) to both the US and Canadian government? I've never committed any major crimes, nor do I plan to, but I still feel a bit paranoid regardless. Are there any assurances my data will be kept extremely safe?

3. What have been your general experiences with the program?

Thanks!

Can I get into America with this ID?

ITheCosmos — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 09:30:49 -0800

Can I, a Canadian citizen, get through the American border, by car, with the following pieces of ID: - Canadian birth certificate
- recently expired Candian passport
- expired Ontario driver's license
- Ontario health card.

I'm in the process of getting a new passport, hence the sketchy ID situation. I've poked around the American customs website to no avail, so I'd like to hear about others' experiences. I know that birth certificate + photo ID works: would a health card, which I know isn't enough to get you across by itself, work? Thanks!

Mild sedative for Pet dog

sandpine — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:14:55 -0800

Mild sedative for a border collie while a human recovers from an illness. My wife recently underwent surgery for breast cancer (sucess!) and probably will have chemo in the coming months.

Our's is a typical BC which we can normally deal with without much trouble. But with the upcoming therapy, my wife won't feel like dealing with Mr. BC.

Anyone have any suggestions on something to slooowww Mr. BC down a bit? Herbal or prescription drugs are okay. This isn't something we _really_ want to do but we don't have much in the way of alternatives. And no, we don't want to keep him in this state. But there may be times when he needs to be 'calmer' for a day or two.

Uncivil service?

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:55:34 -0800

What options does a Canadian have to report a negative experience with a Customs Canada officer? Here's the deal; my wife and I purchased a vehicle in the US, and while picking it up, we also did some shopping prior to her driving the truck back by herself. Coming back across the border, my wife had all the paperwork for the truck, and all was good until the customs officer handling the truck paperwork asked her what she was declaring. She requested clarification if he meant for her to include the value of the items we had shopped for. The officer repeated the question with out clarification. When my wife answered with the truck price, he demanded that she show all receipts for the shopped items plus the truck - as that was the answer he was actually looking for. Now she is on a watch list and has been issued a citation.

Admittedly, she mis-reported her purchases due to the confusion, but she did ask for clarification from the officer - who provided none and attempted to browbeat her through rudeness and obfustication.

Basically, the officer was a dick, and as paid civil servants, I feel that he has done a disservice to an otherwise reputable citizen. Not irrepairable damage, but certainly uncalled for.

So, what are my options? I have the officer's number, and I would like to follow up either to clear her citation, or to generally report extenuating circumstances to his superior.

As a citizen, I believe I have this right. Right?

Documents without borders?

special-k — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 08:28:29 -0800

How do I make a PDF print without borders? I have a document where the content extends right to the edge of the page. After I convert it to PDF, it looks great on screen but prints with a quarter inch border on all sides. I don’t want that. My searches suggest that I extend the “bleed” beyond the edge of the paper. I did that in the original document (resized the background image to be larger than the page) but when I print to PDF, it only ends up fitting the page. I’ve tried all the PDF settings but I can’t seem to find one to turn off the border. I’m using Acrobat professional. Help?

The lobby's in Illinois but the bathroom is in Indiana

SisterHavana — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 20:02:27 -0800

Besides this, this and these, what are some other examples of buildings that straddle state or international borders? I remember reading an article a few years ago about a gas station/convenience store that straddled the California/Nevada border but I can't remember exactly where that was. Are there any private residences like this? How are taxes, utilities, fire and police services decided - not to mention the mailing address?

Oh, Canada sigh

louche mustachio — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 00:22:05 -0800

I'm going to Canada this morning and cannot find my birth certificate. I applied for my passport in mid April, and of course, have not received it. So I'm left with nothing but my state ID, a chatty little statement that my passport is being processed, and a tremendous headache.

Are there any other documents I can bring with me to prove that I'm a US citizen? And... well, how screwed am I?

Please Help Me Find Border Points in Michigan

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 08:56:51 -0800

Traveling from Chicago, IL to Toronto, Canada. Wondering about border point routes other than the obvious ones, because the obvious ones are awful. I once traveled from Chicago through Detroit through the Sarnia checkpoint to Toronto, and that was the fastest. But I was carrying a bunch of used books I bought from a library that was closing, and that was enough to cause customs to stop me and thoroughly search everything I owned. Then I got the stink eye from the immigration people who accused me of not wanting to come back to the States because I'm a freelance writer and that's not a "real job".

Needless to say, I'd like to avoid that this time around, and I'm told if you use a different checkpoint your chances at being stopped lessen dramatically. Anyone know some possibly more personable checkpoints on the way from IL to Toronto? Is the Detroit Windsor tunnel better than Sarnia? How do I get to these places? I'd rather not go millions of miles out of my way, if possible.

Please no border advice, I just want to know about the different border crossings available to me.

Methods of semi-precise breaking of a cinder block in half lengthwise?

vanoakenfold — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 06:40:14 -0800

I want to use cinderblock halves for the border of an outdoor project, but my question -- how to break them along intended lines without cracking/fracturing the rest of it? I'd like to break a cinder block (two-hole) lengthwise, that is, down the center of the two holes, so that I'll have two wide "m" shapes. How can I break the cinderblock semi-precisely, without fracturing the rest of it? I'm going to be implanting them into the ground, so the exactness isn't necessarily perfect, as long as I have to flat surfaces on the edges of both halves (two flat tops on the "m" shape) to line up end to end to make a border. Any suggestions of how to accomplish this, without having to buy/rent a concrete chainsaw or drilling perforation holes? Solutions that are slow/tedious are just fine.

How do I get furniture across the Canadian border?

hazyspring — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 17:44:58 -0800

Does anyone have experience bringing goods ($1000+) across the Canadian border into the US? I am a US citizen and want to buy furniture in Toronto and bring it into the US. I am wondering what the cost would be (say for something that is $1000) and is this going to be a hassle? Would it be cheaper and/or easier to have it shipped? Are there shipping companies that do this professionally?

Immigrant experience?

SBMike — Thu, 17 May 2007 16:06:49 -0800

Any good books/movies/etc. about the immigration experience for Mexicans in America, particularly southern California? The account can be of legal immigration or otherwise, and can be real or fictional (although accurately portrayed of course). The more contemporary the account, the better. I'm more interested in their lives, communities, assimilation, and struggles after having arrived in the US than in border crossing stories, but anything that would give me a greater understanding of this community would be welcome.

I have enough to get a passport, isn't that enough?

bh — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 17:59:18 -0800

My wife is going on a cruise this weekend. Her birth certificate and passport are missing. Leaving from California, I'm in Virginia. The ship is stopping in Mexico for fuel. Options? The facts:

Documents are in disarray, partially due to a small fire. She is in California now, with my two kids, and would like to able to board her ship on Saturday.

She has just learned that she will need either a passport (expired or not) or birth certificate, in addition to photo identification.

She will not be leaving the ship and entering Mexico at any time, unless there is an emergency. The only other stop is Hawaii.

She was born on a Navy base in 1966.

I currently have in my possession tax documents, a social security card, driver's licenses from two states (expired), a baptism certificate, a voter registration card, and the services of a notary public.

She is going on a Celebrity cruise. From their web page:

• For domestic travel which includes: the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico, a passport (valid or expired) is highly recommended.
• In the absence of a passport, a birth certificate (original or a certified copy), plus a picture ID card issued by a federal, state or local government agency is required.
• A voter registration card or Social Security Card are not considered to be proof of citizenship.

From the Department of State:
January 1, 2008 – It is anticipated that on January 1, 2008, U.S. citizens traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid U.S. passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security.

Further reading reveals that at worst, she will be subject to some verification upon attempting to re-enter the US.

However, the cruise line is insisting upon the documentation before boarding.

She has an expired passport that I am unlikely to find in time to send overnight. Her birth certificate is likely not here.

Ideas? Thanks.

Canadian Geographyfilter - a curious border feature

upc_head — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 09:49:00 -0800

Canadian Geography-filter: What is with this divot in the border between Canadian territories?

Excel mindless list jumping

clarkie666 — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 12:53:54 -0800

Stop Excel from jumping to end of column when double clicking on cell border Man this is driving me crazy....is there any way of stopping Excel from jumping around when you accidently double click on a cell border, e.g. jumping to end of list when hitting the bottom border, to the top of a list when double-clicking on the top border.

This 'enhancement' is a pain in the ass when you are working on edits to a large list and one wrong double-click brings you to the end of the list whereby you have to find where you were working again.

In the absence of stopping - is there an event handler associated to it that can be macrozied, etc., or a go back to where I was shortcut...thanks!

Cross border shopping question.

Salmonberry — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 12:28:31 -0800

Is there anywhere that explains, in understandable english, what the duties & fees are for cross-border shopping? I'd like to know what to look for when shopping in the US. I know I'll pay our taxes at the border and NAFTA rules, but there's about a bazillion exceptions to the rules, and the Canada Customs site is...stupid. My googling skills aren't helping me. What if my sweater is made in Spain, of wool? Or cotton? What then, Customs agents, WHAT THEN?

What does a grey double border mean in Illustrator?

designbot — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 12:08:46 -0800

What is this mysterious double-bordered grey box that appears in Illustrator CS? Sometimes when I have something selected in Illustrator, a grey box will suddenly appear around the object. It has a distinctive thin/thick border, and it appears with some padding around the object. It looks like some kind of display glitch, but it usually doesn't disappear when I zoom or scroll. Deselecting the object doesn't make it go away, but eventually it does disappear as I continue to work.

In this sample image, the grey border is not part of my Illustrator artwork, and it appears in both Outline and Preview view modes. I'm using Illustrator CS2 under Mac OS X. Is this a bug or just a feature I don't know about?

I feel so break up...

kc8nod — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 12:08:10 -0800

What rights do I have when re-entering the US? Let's say that I, a natural-born US citizen, am returning to the US after a vacation. Does the bill of rights still apply to me when speaking to the nice man at Customs/Immigration? For the sake of argument, let's further say that I've got a valid passport with me and I'm not bringing anything back other than the clothes on my back and some postcards. I'm not smuggling any drugs, I have no criminal record or warrants and I haven't gone anyplace naughty like Cuba or North Korea.

There seems to be ample information on the web about what my responsibilities are:

I must declare anything I bring back.
I must identify myself as a US citizen.

But beyond those requirements, am I compelled to answer any question that I'm asked? Do I have the right to remain silent? Can I demand an attorney? Or are my rights on hold until I'm past Customs & Immigration?

Do I have a right to re-enter the United States? For what reasons can I be refused re-entry?

Just asking for curiosity's sake. I'm aware that the Border Dudes have wide discretion to ruin you day if you get uppity and uncooperative.

A day trip to Tijuana

rdr — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 10:09:33 -0800

I'm going to drive down to Tijuana from Los Angeles on Labor day. If I were on my own, I probably would not have chosen to go to Tijuana. If I were by myself I probably would not have chosen to drive on Labor day and once I arrived in Tijuana I might have dipped my toes into the town's seedier side. Since I will not be alone I was hoping the hive mind could suggest some inexpensive and mostly wholesome activities, restaurants, and tourist attractions in the border city. If someone could point me to an early evening concert it would be truly wonderful. There must be a civic life in Tijuana that isn't just about hustling.

Border crossings and driving side.

machaus — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 08:09:43 -0800

Have you ever experienced a border crossing somewhere in the world where you are required to drive on the opposite side after passing immigration?

Border crossing classification

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 13:42:58 -0800

Crossing the border for a job interview. Is this work, business, or personal? When you fly to the US from Canada, the little form has tick boxes for, as I recall, work, business and personal visits.

I'm flying to the US for a job interview. The interview is with Americans, but if I get the job, I would work in Canada, not the US, so I'm not going there to actually work. I currently volunteer for the organization I'm inteviewing for a job with, but I'm not sure that counts as business. Is it personal because I don't yet work for them?

I tried asking on the US Customs & Immigration site, but they haven't answered my email and I fly tomorrow. I'd rather not ask at the airport because I tend to get flustered around the customs & immigration people.

And for the benefit of those who always wonder about these things, this is anonymous because my current employers don't need to know I'm applying for a new job.

what laws are they breaking?

Paris Hilton — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 02:41:41 -0800

What specific laws are illegal immigrants breaking while being here illegally? What laws are broken if they hop the border, and what laws are broken if they over-stay a visa? Are violating these laws crimes, or civil infractions? Are there any state laws on immigration violations? I keep hearing Mexican workers called "criminals" but I'm not sure if that's accurate, it's certainly annoying.

Stroke my Photoshop, the same way every time

pithy comment — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 13:33:19 -0800

Can I set defaults in Photoshop CS2? Specifically, I want to change the Layer Style "stroke" default. Right now whenever I want to add a border using the stroke function, it defaults to 3pt, Red, Outside. I almost always use 1pt Black, Inside. How can I set that as the default?