The Pacific Northwest region includes Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington in the USA and the Canadian province of British Columbia in Canada. Visitors to the Pacific Northwest might encounter the laws and practices of both the USA and Canada , as when the USA city of Seattle, and the Canadian city of Vancouver are on the same itinerary. You will want to be prepared when crossing the international border. Generally crossing this border is straight-forward and will include going through immigration customs both ways. The biggest hassle is usually the length of the queues, so consider avoiding peak times such as public holidays and the start and end of the working day.
Border guards do have the power to ruin a vacation.
If you come under strong scrutiny for any reason, answer questions directly and politely. Tempting though it may be, wise-cracking and rudeness will only be to your own detriment. When crossing the border on public transportation such as ferries, trains and buses, you will if necessary, be reunited with your luggage in order to take it across yourself. Transport companies take the inspection time into account in their schedules, and while mass transit is usually treated efficiently, the companies have no power over delays. Vehicles may be searched at the discretion of the customs officials, whether or not the traveler feels that he or she has complied with customs requirements.