Northwest Travel
Planning
Canadian and U.S.
Border
Disclaimer:
This information is provided as a service to our visitors and no
guarantee is made as to its completeness or correctness. All
information should be independently verified with the relevant authorities.
  The
Pacific Northwest (as defined by Go
Northwest!) has the distinction of encompassing two countries. The Pacific
Northwest region includes
Idaho,
Montana,
Oregon and
Washington in the USA and the 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.
The following information is presented to
assist you in your travels. For additional information, please
visit either of the following web sites:
Canada
Border Services Agency (CBSA)
U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP)
Visitors to the United
States from other countries also may want to visit our
US-VISIT page and acquaint themselves with policies and procedures
recently introduced by the US Department of Homeland Security for entering
and visiting the United States. These policies deal with enrollment
requirements, how the program works, current ports of entry and privacy
information. US-VISIT currently applies to all visitors (with limited
exemptions) holding non-immigrant visas, regardless of country of origin.
US-VISIT does not apply to U.S. citizens.
Crossing
the Canadian / United States of America border
 Rules governing the entry of foreigners are subject
to change and you should check with the relevant authorities close to the time you will be
making a crossing. 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.
Ensure you have the necessary
papers.
Identification papers such as a passport or birth certificate are
recommended. Visit the
US
Customs and Border protection Agency web site for more information about identification requirements. You
also may be asked to show a return
air ticket or proof of sufficient funds. Know the rules and make sure your appearance is
not cause for suspicion (probably not a good day to be wearing your "legalize
marijuana" t-shirt!). Customs inspectors 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.
Standard questions you might be asked by a border
guard include: "Where are you from?", "Where are you going?",
"How long will you be in Canada?" (sound like you know for how long, even if
your plans are flexible, and ensure the intended length of your stay is within the legal
limit), "What is the purpose of your trip?", and "Are you bringing anything
with you that you intend to leave behind?"
Driving across the border
Border officials are on the lookout for stolen cars, or people
attempting to avoid paying duties on bought cars. So you will want to be carrying
documentation to show you are not perpetrating such scenarios.
Driving a rental car across the US-Canadian border is usually not a problem, so long as
you have made this arrangement with the car rental company. Make sure you have a
copy of the rental agreement with you, and that is states you have permission to take the
vehicle across the border.
If you are driving a private car which isn't
registered in the name of someone going on the trip, bring written proof that you have the
permission of the owner to take the car into the other country.
Close to the time you intend to cross, it might
be worth asking locals about the comparable prices of gas/petrol in each country
(factoring in exchange rates), in order to make a budget-conscious decision as to which
side to "fill up".
Going
through U.S. Customs
Visitors who are at least 21
years of age may bring the following into the USA: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 2
kilograms (4.4 lbs.) of tobacco; 1 liter of alcohol; gifts to the value of $100.
Different restrictions will apply to returning US residents and citizens.
Travel Information from U.S. Customs & Border Protection
More details are available in the "Traveler Information" section of the official
U.S. Customs web site. The "Visiting the US" and the "FAQ" links
are a good place to start.
Immigration and Naturalization Service
The official INS web site has a page called
How do I get legally admitted to the United States?, describing
procedures at a port of entry. Another page is called,
How do I extend my stay in the United States?
Canadian
Citizens Traveling to the US
More information for Canadian citizens crossing into the USA can be found on the
Travel
Information Report for the United States of America at the web site of the Department
of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Going
through Canadian Customs
Visitors may bring the
following into Canada: 200 cigarettes (= 1 carton), 50 cigars, and 14 ounces of tobacco;
1.1 liters or 40 imperial ounces (= 1 bottle) of liquor or wine, or 24 x 355-milliliter
(12-ounce) bottles or cans of beer for personal consumption; gifts up to the value of C$60
per gift. To import tobacco products a person must be 18 years of age or
over, and to import alcoholic beverages the importer must have reached the legal age
established by authorities of the province. You can bring in a small amount of food
for your own consumption. Different
restrictions will apply to returning Canadian residents.
USA
Citizens Traveling to Canada
Citizens of the United States do not need a passport or visa to enter Canada, unless they
are arriving in Canada from somewhere other than the USA. They do
need to have on them proof of citizenship plus photo identification, although this is not
often asked for. More information for U.S. citizens crossing into Canada can be
found on the
Consular Information Sheet for
Canada at the web site of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, of the U.S. Department of
State.
Americans in particular will need to be aware
that Canada has strict gun laws. Generally, all weapons without legitimate sporting
or recreational use are prohibited, and guns used for hunting or competition may be
brought in with a permit. (Contact below). Undeclared firearms will be
confiscated, and criminal charges may be made.
For more information about going
into Canada, phone the border-crossing
post directly. For answers to Canadian customs enquiries, or to
locate the nearest Canadian customs district office, call the following
telephone numbers: From within Canada, call: (toll-free) 1-800
461-9999. From outside Canada, call: 204-983-3500; or, 506-636-5064
(long-distance charges apply).
The following links also will be
helpful.
Canada
Customs and Revenue Agency.
The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency site has information for Visitors to Canada,
including the Tax Refund for Visitors to
Canada pamphlet. Canadian residents may be interested in browsing
the pages about Canadian
residents traveling abroad and obtaining more information about exemptions for returning
Canadians in the pamphlet
I Declare.
The Canadian customs
FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions) page also can be quite helpful in answering
questions.
More
Related Web
Sites Borderlineups.com
Webcams of four border crossings for lower mainland British Columbia, plus
tips for Canadian travelers. (Web site by aacb.com.)
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