By Adelle Loiselle, May 20, 2022, 10:02 AM
Victoria Day weekend is traditionally the start of the summer travel season, and if your trip involves crossing the border, the Canadian Border Agency has some tips to make sure your crossing goes as smoothly as possible.
Whether this is the first time in several years that you have crossed the border or not, the agency manages border crossings a little differently this weekend due to the changing requirements of COVID-19. These changes may mean a delay.
Avoiding delays can be as easy as choosing to travel at off-peak hours, such as early in the morning. Keep in mind that the holidays on long weekends are the times when the traffic is usually the busiest.
Completion of the ArriveCAN application within 72 hours of return to Canada is mandatory, regardless of vaccination status. Make sure your version of the ArriveCAN application is up to date. Print a copy or take a screenshot of your ArriveCAN receipt and bring it. If you don’t have a smartphone or don’t use mobile data, send your information to another computer device, such as a laptop, desktop, or tablet.
There are still some measures for COVID-19 and to what extent it depends on who is traveling. The rules vary whether you are a Canadian citizen, a foreign national, fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or unvaccinated. Those who are fully vaccinated no longer have to take a negative COVID-19 test before entering Canada or a quarantine plan, but those who are not do so. If you have a medical discharge, you will need a note from your doctor.
If you plan to shop during your trip, be prepared to declare your purchases. This means keeping all income and expenses within the exemption. Residents can spend up to $ 200 without paying taxes on trips up to 24 hours and $ 800 on trips longer than 48 hours.
The list of products that must be declared, no matter how much you spend, includes food, plants, animals, wood and wood products and the entire currency worth C $ 10,000 or more.
Finally, remember that smuggling cannabis in any form across the border is not legal. Anyone who does so could face serious criminal charges.
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