Shooting a wedding across the border help.

Hello everyone, I am a Canadian photographer who has booked a wedding with a Canadian citizen who lives in Canada. The pre wedding events are all in Canada, the after events photos dinner etc are all in Canada. The ceremony however is on a private USA island at a castle. Apparently will will have to go through customs. Is there any issues shooting only the ceremony on US soil? I can't find anything online about this. Any help would be great.

spesmeadeus wrote in post #15904758
Hello everyone, I am a Canadian photographer who has booked a wedding with a Canadian citizen who lives in Canada. The pre wedding events are all in Canada, the after events photos dinner etc are all in Canada. The ceremony however is on a private USA island at a castle. Apparently will will have to go through customs. Is there any issues shooting only the ceremony on US soil? I can't find anything online about this. Any help would be great.

I don't know specifics regarding photography, but working in the US while being a Canadian citizen is a big deal. Lots of hoops to go through.

I've read about American photographers trying to work in Canada with similar justifications on professional forums, the answer was it's pretty much impossible since someone in Canada can do the job. I suspect the same will be true the other way around.

You may have to outsource the ceremony photography to another photographer, or jump through a LOT of hoops.

tim wrote in post #15905810
I've read about American photographers trying to work in Canada with similar justifications on professional forums, the answer was it's pretty much impossible since someone in Canada can do the job. I suspect the same will be true the other way around.

You may have to outsource the ceremony photography to another photographer, or jump through a LOT of hoops.

This is not true. I am an American citizen who visits Canada for photography work at least once or twice a year. I am 100% honest when interviewed by customs officials. Since I'm working for and paid by American companies Canada does not require me to pay Canadian income tax, and has no objection to my brief work-related visits. I suspect that a Canadian, working for Canadians and paid by Canadians, who does several hours of work for those Canadians while on American soil, will not have any difficulties. But, I can't give you a definitive answer to your legal question so if you want a definitive answer consult a lawyer.

I tend to agree with Steve. But be prepared to list your equipment with serial numbers for everything you are taking. There is some sort of form that may be required to be filled out.

I would equate this with a Canadian tour guide, guiding a tour to the U.S. and back. I don't see a problem with it, as earlier mentioned. They are not losing any income tax from you...

You will however want to be proactive about the issue and contact US customs before hand to make sure everything is in order. Remember to get names of anyone who helped you, document things clearly, and keep a copy with you.

How far away from the custom's station that you will be processed through are you? Might be worth calling well in advance to see if you can set up a meeting to have someone walk you through the paperwork ahead of time. Last thing you need on a wedding day is a custom's agent holding you up for 24 hours because you filled out TCNX10313412-B instead of TCNX10313412-B-1 (Form names made up and likely do not exist.)

I've often been told that some of the lower traffic stations tend to be more friendly and helpful, on both sides of the border.

Luckless wrote in post #15908198
You will however want to be proactive about the issue and contact US customs before hand to make sure everything is in order. Remember to get names of anyone who helped you, document things clearly, and keep a copy with you.

How far away from the custom's station that you will be processed through are you? Might be worth calling well in advance to see if you can set up a meeting to have someone walk you through the paperwork ahead of time. Last thing you need on a wedding day is a custom's agent holding you up for 24 hours because you filled out TCNX10313412-B instead of TCNX10313412-B-1 (Form names made up and likely do not exist.)

I've often been told that some of the lower traffic stations tend to be more friendly and helpful, on both sides of the border.

And that wouldn't hurt either

If you are Canadian Citizen, you cannot shoot in the US for money. You will need a visa in order to shoot (work), in the US.

rejay14 wrote in post #15907396
I would equate this with a Canadian tour guide, guiding a tour to the U.S. and back. I don't see a problem with it, as earlier mentioned. They are not losing any income tax from you...

It's not income tax...it is taking away a job that an American can do. I deal with this daily, be it in a different industry, and there are miles of red tape that need to be processed before my guys can do any work in the US.

Fair enough. I've never dealt with the problem and obviously you have.

Hogloff wrote in post #15908791
It's not income tax...it is taking away a job that an American can do. I deal with this daily, be it in a different industry, and there are miles of red tape that need to be processed before my guys can do any work in the US.

A big +1 to this. It is not Customs the OP needs to be worried about it is Immigration.

The OP can travel to the USA to talk to a client about a shoot they will do for the client in Canada. The OP can't do a shoot in the USA without a work visa (unless there is a specific law that allows US/Canadian citizens to work across the border for short periods without a work visa). Work visas are hard to get because you need to prove that there are no US citizens who could do the work - not likely to happen with wedding photography.

The OP need to speak to immigration and get this cleared up before they rock up at the border.

Steve, you've been lucky. All the information and experience of many professionals on a private forum says it's illegal and people are often detained for it. You need a work visa to work in another country, and they're difficult to get.

OP, have a read of these. Don't take the advice of random strangers on the internet, read official resources yourself.

http://www.cic.gc.ca …special-business.asp#ftas
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca …SOR-2002-227/page-77.html
http://www.state.gov …regs/fam/09fam/​c22752.htm

Get a visa! Speaking from experience...

My wife and I had a near disaster at our wedding last year due to a similar issue. We invited a good friend of ours to attend our wedding as a guest...he is from Ireland and a professional photographer. We were on a tight budget and not hiring a photographer for our entire wedding, were just going to get a session done post-ceremony by a local photographer. Our irish friend offered that he would do the post wedding shoot as a wedding gift to us, just a short 1-2 hour deal and we happily agreed, leaving it at that. Our friend landed in Canada with a bit of gear and on the way through immigration was questioned about a)profession b)purpose of trip in Canada c)why camera gear with him? End result was him being detained and scheduled to be deported back to Ireland because he didn't have a work visa. Only through hours and hours of desperate phone calls all the way to the top of the administration in Canada immigration did we get the deportation order reversed....which is apparently impossible to do. They let him stay as a guest for the wedding, and at least didn't seize his gear or put anything on his record.

So get a VISA!!!

sheawyatt wrote in post #15913305
So get a VISA!!!

If only it were that simple.