Entry Requirements & Customs

If you're driving from Seattle, you'll enter British Columbia, Canada, at the Peace Arch crossing (open 24 hr.; often there's a 30-min. or longer wait) in Blaine, Washington. If you're flying directly into Vancouver International Airport or Victoria International Airport from another country, you'll go through immigration and Customs (passport control) in the terminal. Visitors arriving by train, ferry, or cruise ship from the U.S. have their entry documents checked before departure and upon arrival.

Entry Documents for U.S. Citizens

There is a great deal of confusion regarding entry documents for U.S. citizens. The confusion stems from the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative devised by the Bush Administration and the Department of Homeland Security. Under this legislation, all U.S. citizens returning to the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean are required to have a U.S. passport (this includes children under the age of 18). The regulations took effect for air travelers in January 2007, and were to go into effect for land and sea travelers in January 2008. But the U.S. passport office was unable to keep up with the demand for passports (taking 10-12 weeks instead of 2-3 to issue the document) and implementation of the new border regulations was delayed until September 2007 for air travelers, and until mid-2008 for travelers entering Canada by land or sea.

In other words, if you are a U.S. citizen traveling to Canada by air any time in 2008, you must have a valid U.S. passport in order to get back into the U.S. And if you're traveling to Canada by land or sea (car or cruise ship), you must have a valid U.S. passport by mid-2008 (the date was not specified as of press time). Until that time, land and sea travelers can enter Canada and return to the U.S. by showing a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license) and proof of U.S. citizenship (such as a birth or naturalization certificate).

I urge all U.S. citizens traveling to and from Canada in 2008 to check the current entry requirements at the Web page of the U.S. State Department at www.travel.state.gov. You'll find current information on the Canada Border Services Agency website, www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca.

U.S. citizens do not require visas to enter Canada.

Permanent U.S. residents who are not U.S. citizens should carry their passport and Resident Alien Card (U.S. form I-151 or I-551). Foreign students and other noncitizen U.S. residents should carry their passport, a Temporary Resident Card (form 1688) or Employment Authorization Card (1688A or 1688B), a visitor's visa, an I-94 arrival-departure record, a current I-20 copy of IAP-66 indicating student status, proof of sufficient funds for a temporary stay, and evidence of return transportation.

Visitors arriving by ferry from the U.S. must fill out International Crossing forms, which are collected before boarding.

Entry Documents for Commonwealth Citizens

Citizens of Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand don't need visas to enter Canada, but they do need to show proof of Commonwealth citizenship (such as a passport), as well as evidence of funds sufficient for a temporary stay (credit cards work well here). Naturalized citizens should carry their naturalization certificates. Permanent residents of Commonwealth nations should carry their passports and resident status cards.

Foreign students and other residents should carry their passport, a Temporary Resident Card or Employment Authorization Card, a visitor's visa, an arrival-departure record, a current copy of student status, proof of sufficient funds for a temporary stay, and evidence of return transportation. Note: With changing security regulations, it is advisable for all travelers to check with the Canadian consulate before departure to find out the latest in travel document requirements. You will also find current information on the Canada Border Services Agency website, www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca; follow the links under "FAQ."

For Residents of Australia: You can pick up a passport application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For Residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525) or at most main post offices.

For Residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from their website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand, or 04/474-8100, or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

For Residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-year passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0870/521-0410 or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

Customs Regulations

You'll pass through Canadian Customs (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500) upon arrival, and U.S. Customs (tel. 360/332-5771), if you are traveling through the U.S., on your departure.

If you're driving, you'll go through Customs when you cross the border into Canada and show your passport.

Arriving by air, you'll go through Customs at the airport once you clear passport control. (Even if you don't have anything to declare, Customs officials randomly select a few passengers and search their luggage.)

Visitors arriving by train, ferry, or cruise ship from the U.S. pass through U.S. Customs before boarding and Canadian Customs upon arrival.

Your personal baggage can include the following: boats, motors, snowmobiles, camping and sports equipment, appliances, TV sets, musical instruments, personal computers, cameras, and other items of a personal or household nature. If you are bringing excess luggage, be sure to carry a detailed inventory list that includes the acquisition date, serial number, and cost or replacement value of each item. It sounds tedious, but it can speed things up at the border. Customs will help you fill out the forms that allow you to temporarily bring in your effects. This list will also be used by U.S. Customs to check off what you bring out. You will be charged Customs duties for anything left in Canada.

A few other things to keep in mind:

If you plan to bring your dog or cat, you must provide proof of rabies inoculation during the preceding 36-month period. Other types of animals need special clearance and health certification. (Many birds, for instance, require 8 weeks in quarantine.)

If you need more information concerning items you wish to bring in and out of the country, contact Canada Border Services (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca).

What you can take home from Canada -- Returning U.S. citizens who have been away for at least 48 hours are allowed to bring back, once every 30 days, US$800 (about C$950) worth of merchandise duty-free. You'll be charged a flat rate of 4% duty on the next US$1,000 (about C$1,200) worth of purchases. Be sure to have your receipts handy. On mailed gifts, the duty-free limit is US$200 (about C$240). With some exceptions, you cannot bring fresh fruits and vegetables into the U.S. For specifics on what you can bring back, download the free pamphlet Know Before You Go from www.customs.gov; click on "Travel," then click on "Know Before You Go Online Brochure." Or, contact the U.S. Customs Service, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 877/287-8867), and request the pamphlet.

The duty-free allowance amount in Australia is A$900, or A$450 for those under 18. Citizens 18 and older can bring in 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of loose tobacco, and 1,125 milliliters of alcohol. If you're returning with valuables you already own, such as foreign-made cameras, you should file form B263. Know Before You Go is a helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263 (www.customs.gov.au).

The duty-free allowance for New Zealand is NZ$700. Citizens over 17 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 and beer, or 1.125 liters of liquor. New Zealand currency does not carry import or export restrictions. Fill out a certificate of export, listing the valuables you are taking out of the country; that way, you can bring them back without paying duty. Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).

Citizens of the U.K. returning from Canada have a Customs allowance of 200 cigarettes; 50 cigars; 250 grams of smoking tobacco; 2 liters of still table wine; 1 liter of spirits or strong liqueurs (over 22% volume); 2 liters of fortified wine, sparkling wine, or other liqueurs; 60cc (ml) perfume; 250cc (ml) of toilet water; and £145 (about C$320) worth of all other goods, including gifts and souvenirs. People under 17 cannot have the tobacco or alcohol allowance. For more information, contact HM Customs & Excise at tel. 0845/010-9000 (from outside the U.K., 020/8929-0152; www.hmce.gov.uk).

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Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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				Frommer's Vancouver & Victoria 2008 Author: Donald Olson Pub Date: December 26, 2007 Price: $17.99				Related Titles: Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies For Dummies, 2nd Edition Frommer's Algonquin Provincial Park, 2nd Edition Frommer's Banff & Jasper National Parks, 4th Edition