Tips for Crossing the Border

What you need to know before you leave.

In order to make your trip to Canada as smooth as possible, we have gathered important information regarding traveling to Canada and crossing the border that you need to know before you leave. This information is intended to help you while you make your travel plans, but may be incomplete in some areas. You should Visit the Canada Border Services Agency for more complete information and publications before you make travel arrangements.

Required Identification Documents

Upon entering Canada you may be asked by a border services officer to see a passport and a valid visa (if you are arriving from a country from which one is required). United States citizens are strongly advised to acquire a US Passport. Passports are not required to enter Canada, but are required to return to the US. If you are flying you are required to have a valid US Passport.

Travellers are encouraged to visit the US Custom and Border Protections Web site for detailed information regarding the US Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and its traveller requirements for entering or returning to the United States.

Criminal Records

Anyone with a criminal record (including misdemeanors or Driving While Impaired (DWI) may be barred from entering Canada and must obtain a special waiver well in advance of any planned travel. To determine whether you may be inadmissable and how to overcome this finding, please refer to the Canada citizenship and immigration website.

Read more about Criminal Inadmissability

What you can bring with you

As a visitor, you can bring certain goods into Canada for your personal use as "personal baggage." Personal baggage includes clothing, camping and sports equipment, cameras and personal computers. It also includes vehicles, private boats and aircraft.

You must declare all goods when you arrive at the first CBSA port of entry. Border services officers do conduct examinations of goods being imported to verify declarations. If you declare goods when you arrive and take them back with you when you depart, you are not required to pay duty or taxes.

Alcohol and Tobacco

Visitors my import the restricted amounts of alcohol and tobacco products as long as they are in your possession when you arrive in Canada.

Alcoholic beverages are products that exceed 0.5% alcohol by volume. If you meet the minimum age requirements of the province or territory where you enter Canada, you can include limited quantities of alcoholic beverages in your personal entitlement.

You are allowed to import only one of the following amounts of alcoholic beverages tax free:

• 1.5 liters (53 imperial ounces) of wine; or
• a total of 1.14 liters (40 ounces) of alchoholic beverages; or
• up to 8.5 liters of beer or ale

You are permitted to bring all of the following amounts of tobacco into Canada free of duty and taxes:

• 200 cigarettes;
• 50 cigars
• 200 grams (7 ounces) of manufactured tobacco; and
• 200 tobacco sticks

Firearms and Weapons

You must declare all weapons and firearms at the CBSA port of entry when you enter Canada. Failure to do so could result in prosecution and forefeiture of goods.

For detailed information on importing a firearm into Canada, see the publication called Importing a Firearm or Weapon Into Canada.

An individual must be at least 18 years old to bring a firearm into Canada. Those younger than 18 may use a firearm in Canada in certain circumstances, but and adult must remain present and responsible for the firearm.

All non-resident guests must complete the Non-Resident Firearm Declaration (Canadian government forms JUS 909 and JUS 910) and present them in triplicate and unsigned at the Canadian border, along with your firearms and a $50 Canadian payment.

Further information and the forms can be downloaded from the government website at: Canada Firearms Center.

Vehicles and Private Boats

As a visitor, you are permitted to temporarily import passenger and recreational vehicles for your personal use. These include snowmobiles, boats and trailers, ATVs, and outboard motors.

You cannot leave temporarily imported goods in Canada between visits without proper permits.

Insurance

Vehicle Insurance is compulsory in Saskatchewan. US visitors are advised to obtain a Canadian Non-Resident Inter-Provincial Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card, which is accepted as evidence of financial responsibility in case of accident. This card is available in the USA through US insurance companies.