Are you planning a trip outside of Canada in the near or not-so-distant future?
Regardless of how you plan to return to Canada, there is one thing you need to do: enter your information into ArriveCAN.
What happens if you do not send your trip information to ArriveCAN before entering the country?
You may be denied boarding on a plane or cruise ship or you may be denied crossing the border by land; you could also be fined $ 5,000.
Canadians planning to travel should download the app before leaving the country; there are several steps you need to follow to complete the process and you may not have some of the information while abroad.
The mobile app is free and available in English, French, and Spanish (shown in the language of your device). You must submit your final information within 72 hours prior to your arrival in Canada.
If you are selected for random coronavirus testing at the airport, you must keep your ArriveCAN electronic receipt number until the end of the test. If you arrived by plane, you must also keep the email notification.
Here’s everything you need to keep in mind about your ArriveCAN app.
You must enter your updated contact information
You will need to submit your full name and date of birth based on your passport, passport number and contact information (ie email address, home address and telephone).
You must provide your complete travel itinerary
ArriveCAN will ask you for the purpose of your trip and you will need to indicate which countries you have visited. It will also include the date and time of arrival in Canada, your flight number and the airline.
This information should include the countries where you stayed or visited 14 days before your arrival in Canada, but not if you only stopped there by connecting flights.
You must have a vaccination certificate
You will need to have a physical copy of the vaccine records to demonstrate that you have received a full course of a Health Canada approved vaccine (i.e., two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine). The app will ask you to submit a photographic test of the record and will also ask you to fill in where and when you received each dose.
If you do not qualify as a fully vaccinated traveler, but are allowed to enter Canada, you will need to submit a pre-entry test result.
You must have a quarantine plan
Regardless of your vaccination status, all travelers must have an appropriate quarantine plan for their arrival in Canada.
This means that you should be able to stay there for 14 days and have access to the necessities of life (such as food, water, medicine, heat, etc.) and avoid other people who were not traveling with you.
What if I don’t have a smartphone?
No smartphone, no problem. ArriveCAN is available on a desktop computer and you can print a receipt confirming your presentation.
Print your receipt and take it with you when you travel.
You can also ask someone to send you information about your trip on your behalf.
Do I need to use the ArriveCAN app if I am going through Canada to another country?
No. Travelers who stop in Canada and do not leave the airport should not send this information as long as:
- are transiting through:
- Vancouver International Airport
- Toronto Pearson International Airport
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
- Calgary International Airport
These passengers must be accommodated in safe traffic areas that separate them from other passengers and goods. If they leave this area, they should send their information to the application and see a CBSA officer to examine it.
Information for travelers at Vancouver and Toronto airports
Travelers arriving at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) can save time by using the new optional “CBSA Early Statement” feature on ArriveCAN.
Passengers at these two airports can file their customs and immigration return prior to arrival, reducing the time they spend at the airport.
The optional CBSA Early Statement feature is available in the ArriveCAN app and web version.
To use it, enter your required travel and health information, then follow the indication on the receipt page.
To send an advance CBSA statement to you or your group before the trip, you must:
- confirm the travel document information
- answer customs and immigration questions truthfully
- submit the return within 72 hours of arrival in Canada
You will receive confirmation of your CBSA Early Statement by email, including your reference number.
When your flight lands, you must:
- scan your travel documents at the airport kiosk or eGate when available (note that up to 5 travelers can use one kiosk at a time, and one traveler can use one eGate at a time; travelers using eGates must have 16 years old). or more)
- the kiosk / eGate will retrieve the information from your statement
- review and edit your return (if necessary) and then submit your final return to the CBSA
- bring the kiosk or eGate receipt to a border service agent for further processing
Another tip to save travel time
Transport Canada encourages frequent travelers to take advantage of the “saved passenger” feature at ArriveCAN. In this way, a person’s travel documents and vaccination proof are saved in the application for reuse.
The next time you need to book a trip, your information will be filled out in advance, making it faster and more convenient.