The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reminds travellers who will cross the Canadian border of the following:
Carry appropriate
identification - All travellers entering Canada are required to provide proof of citizenship. A passport is ideal and necessary
to return to the United States.
Carry identification for all children travelling with you, regardless of their age - Our officers
watch for missing children and may ask detailed questions about the children who are travelling with you. If you have legal custody
of the child(ren) or if you share custody, have copies of relevant legal documents, such as custody rights. If you are not the custodial
parent or not the parent or legal guardian of the child(ren), carry a letter of permission or authorization for you to have custody
when entering Canada. A letter would also facilitate entry for any one parent travelling with their child(ren). This permission should
contain contact telephone numbers for the parent or legal guardian. If you are travelling as part of a group of vehicles, be sure
that you are in the same vehicle as your child(ren) when you arrive at the border.
Keep all of your receipts handy - Officers
may ask you to show receipts for the goods you’ve purchased and your hotel receipts to verify the length of your stay outside Canada. To avoid unnecessary delays, keep receipts together and readily accessible.
Duties and taxes must be paid – You are required
to declare all goods purchased or received while outside of the country when you return to Canada. You will be required to pay
any applicable duties and/or taxes at that time. U.S. or Canadian funds, Travellers Cheques, Visa, Mastercard or debit are accepted
methods of payment. Depending on the length of your absence from Canada, you may be entitled to certain personal exemptions. For more information on personal exemptions, visit: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4044/rc4044-e.html.
Certain plant and
animal products are prohibited from entering Canada - Many travellers are unaware that products such as meat, live birds, plants and
fruit can harbour diseases and pests, which can harm Canada’s agricultural industry and environment. The requirements, restrictions,
and limits that apply to importing meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other food from around the
world into Canada are complex. You can avoid problems by not bringing such goods into Canada. You can import some meat and dairy
products from certain states in the United States. It is recommended that you contact a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Import
Service Centre web site at www.inspection.gc.ca. before you bring them with you.
Travelling with family pets – Your cat or dog travelling
with you should have a veterinarian’s certificate, issued in the last 3 years, identifying the animal in detail. The certificate
should list which vaccinations the animal has received and if it is over 3 months old, it must have a valid rabies inoculation. Your
pet must also appear to be in good health. For information about importing other animals, please visit: www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/import/petse.shtml.
Firearms -Canada's firearms laws will help make Canada safer for both residents and visitors. You must declare all firearms and weapons,
including mace and pepper spray, at Customs when you enter Canada. If you do not declare all firearms and weapons, we will seize them
and you could face criminal charges and a monetary fine. You will be required to present documents to prove that you are entitled
to possess and transport a firearm in Canada, and you will have to transport it safely. The best advice is to leave your firearms
at home while visiting Canada. For information about importing a firearm, visit: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4227/rc4227-e.html.
Plan
your trip and be patient - Wait times at border crossings may be longer in the summer months than average wait times. Try to
plan your trip to avoid arriving at the border at peak times, such as one and half hours before and after the lunch hour, between
4 and 7 p.m. on weekdays, and 12 to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. For the latest information on border wait times, visitwww.cbsa.gc.ca before you leave.
Admissibility to Canada - Canada’s Immigration laws prohibits the admission of people who pose
a threat to public health, safety, order, and national security. Prior to attempting a border crossing, individuals who have
had a criminal conviction in the past, including impaired driving convictions, must contact the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate
well in advance to determine their admissibility as visitors to Canada. If found inadmissible, you will be advised whether a
waiver (Minister’s Permit) is possible for temporary admission to Canada. For more information, call or visit the Canadian consulates
in Buffalo, Detroit or Minneapolis.
Americans travelling to Canada – In addition to the information provided above, U.S. residents
visiting Canada may also want to consult the U.S. Department of State’s web site at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/regional/regional_1170.html,
which offers a wide range of helpful travel tips as well as U.S. Consulate locations.
For more information about these travel
tips, call 1-800-461-9999 (toll free), or visit CBSA’s web site: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel/south-e.html.
