Canadian Border Services Agency gives tips for holiday border crossings
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ONTARIO. — The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is reminding travellers of what to expect when crossing into Canada this holiday season.
In 2024, the CBSA says it saw more than 93 million travellers and confiscated tens of thousands of prohibited goods.
The CBSA encourages you to read and follow these travel tips before arriving at the border to ensure a smooth crossing.
Have your travel documents readily available: U.S. citizens must carry proper identification to enter Canada, such as a valid passport or NEXUS card when travelling by land or air. This will speed up processing times at the border.
When travelling with children who are not your own or for whom you don’t have full legal custody: Officials recommend you have a consent letter from the parent or legal guardian authorising you to travel with the child. Officials are always watching for missing children, and in the absence of the letter, officers may ask additional questions.
Be prepared to declare: Declare everything you are bringing with you, including gifts and food, upon entry into Canada. If arriving by land, you are responsible for everything inside your vehicle.
Bringing poultry products, including turkey: Be sure to review current restrictions on poultry and birds from the United States before bringing these products across the border. Homemade food or leftovers containing poultry cannot be brought into Canada.
Review the restricted and prohibited goods list: This helps avoid the possibility of penalties, including fines, seizure or prosecution. Make sure you have the information you need before attempting to bring certain items into Canada. The list can be found here.
Leave your firearms and weapons at home: You are encouraged not to travel with firearms. If you choose to do so, be sure to check the rules on importing firearms.
Cannabis, Don’t bring it in: While cannabis is legal in Canada, bringing it across the border in any form, including oils containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), without a permit or exemption authorised by Health Canada is a serious criminal offence subject to arrest and prosecution. A medical prescription from a doctor does not count as a Health Canada authorisation.
Flying into Canada: Use Advance Declaration and make your customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours in advance of your arrival into Canada (at participating airports).
Driving into Canada: Check border wait times to plan your route. Early mornings are the best time to cross the border to avoid wait times. The Monday of holiday long weekends tends to be the busiest. Consider an alternative port of entry with shorter wait times or less traffic. Check the port of entry’s hours of operation on the official CBSA Directory of Offices and Services. If you are using a GPS application (such as Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze) to direct you to a port of entry, consider checking different navigation options (such as fastest and shortest routes) to determine the preferred route of travel.
