Entry Requirements & Customs

Passports & Pass Cards

Since January 2007, all air travelers traveling between the U.S. and Canada have been required to present a valid passport. This is a change from prior travel requirements and was implemented as part of The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.

If you're traveling by land or by sea between the U.S. and Canada, the rules are a little fuzzier at press time. A passport or other document is likely to soon be required; implementation of this second stage was originally scheduled to take place on January 1, 2008, but concerns about tourism and subsequent legislative changes have made that date a possibility instead of a certainty.

The U.S. and Canada are developing a limited-use Passport Card, also called PASS Card, for land or sea travel between the two countries. At this writing the card is not available. Up-to-date information about passport requirements and the PASS Card is available at the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov.

Alien permanent residents of the U.S. must have their Alien Registration Cards (Green Cards) with them.

If you are driving into Canada, be sure to have your car's registration. U.S. citizens do not need an international driver's license; a U.S. license is fine. Note that if you have ever been convicted for driving while impaired, you may be denied entrance to the country. A waiver of exclusion may be obtained for a fee from a Canadian consulate in the U.S. Radar detectors are prohibited in Québec province and can be confiscated, even if they're not being used.

An important point for teenage travelers: Anyone under 18 and traveling without a parent needs a letter from a parent or guardian authorizing the trip to Canada. The letter must state the traveler's name and the duration of the trip. The teenager must have a photo ID -- otherwise, the letter from Mom and Dad is useless at the border.

An important point for parents: Because of international concern about child abduction, if you are divorced, separated, or traveling without your spouse and are bringing your children to Canada, you will need proof of custody or a notarized letter from the other parent giving permission for foreign travel. Also note that passport requirements apply to children of all ages.

Citizens of Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Ireland need only carry a valid passport. Citizens of many other countries must have visas.

Visas

Citizens of the U.S., U.K., Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand do not need visas to enter Canada. Citizens of many other countries must have visas, applied for well in advance at their nearest Canadian embassy or consulate. Phone numbers and addresses are listed at the website Citizenship and Immigration Canada (www.cic.gc.ca).

Customs

What You Can Bring Into Canada: Regulations are flexible in most respects, but visitors can expect at least a probing question or two at the border or airport. Normal baggage and personal possessions should be no problem, but plants, animals, and their products may be prohibited or require additional documents before they're allowed entry. For specific questions about Canadian rules, check with the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 506/636-5064 from outside the country or 800/461-9999 within Canada; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca).

Tobacco and alcoholic beverages face import restrictions. Individuals 18 years or over are allowed to bring in 200 cigarettes, 200 grams of loose tobacco, 50 cigars, and either 1.14 liters of liquor, 1.5 liters of wine, or a curiously generous case (24 cans or bottles) of beer. Additional amounts face hefty duties and taxes.

It is very important to keep in mind that if you do not declare goods or falsely declare them, they can be seized along with the vehicle you brought them in.

A car that is driven into Canada can stay for up to a year, but it must leave with the owner or a duty will be levied. Note that the use or even possession of a radar detector is prohibited, whether or not it is connected. Police officers can confiscate it and fine the owner C$500 to C$1,000 (US$435-US$870).

What You Can Take from Canada into the U.S.: For specifics on what you can bring back, download the invaluable free pamphlet Know Before You Go from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website at www.customs.gov. It is a 56-page PDF. Or contact the agency at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 877/CBP-5511).

Returning U.S. citizens are allowed to bring back $800 duty-free as "accompanied baggage." Be sure to have your receipts handy. There are strict rules about the number of cigarettes and volume of alcoholic beverages you can count toward your exemption: 200 cigarettes, 100 cigars, 1 liter (33.8 fl. oz) of alcohol. You'll be charged a flat rate of 3% duty on the next $1,000 worth of purchases. Consider registering expensive items you're traveling with (laptops, musical equipment) before you leave the country to avoid challenges at the border on your return. If you try to bring back large amounts of alcohol you may be suspected of importing them for resale and be required to obtain a permit.

On mailed gifts, the duty-free limit is $200. With some exceptions, you cannot bring fresh fruits and vegetables into the United States. Large quantities of unpasteurized cheeses (cru lait in French) are likely to be confiscated, while small amounts for personal use are usually permitted.

U.K. citizens should check with HM Customs & Excise at tel. 0845/010-9000 or 44-2920-501-261 from outside the U.K., or www.hmce.gov.uk. Citizens returning from a non-E.U. country have a Customs allowance of 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of smoking tobacco; 2 liters of still table wine; 1 liter of spirits or strong liqueurs (over 22% volume) or 2 liters of fortified wine, sparkling wine, or other liqueurs; 60cc (ml) of perfume; 250cc (ml) of toilet water; and £145 worth of all other goods, including gifts and souvenirs. People under 17 cannot have the tobacco or alcohol allowance.

Australian citizens should get the helpful brochure Know Before You Go. It's available as a PDF online from the Australian Customs Service at www.customs.gov.au, or call tel. 1300/363-263. The duty-free allowance in Australia is A$900 (for those under 18, A$450). Citizens 18 and older can bring in 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of cigars or tobacco products, and 2.25 liters of alcohol. If you're planning to take over valuables such as computers or cameras, register them first by using the "Goods Exported in Passenger Baggage" form in the brochure.

New Zealand citizens can get most questions answered at the New Zealand Customs Service (tel. 0800/428-786) website at www.customs.govt.nz. The duty-free allowance is NZ$700. Citizens 17 and older can bring in 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco (or a mixture of all three if their combined weight doesn't exceed 250 grams); plus 4.5 liters of wine or beer and 1.125 liters of liquor. If you're planning to take over valuables such as computers or cameras, register them first by presenting them at a Customs office before leaving the country and filling out a Certificate of Export.