Regardless of how you plan to return to Canada, there’s one thing you need to do: enter your information in ArriveCAN. What happens if you don’t submit your travel details to ArriveCAN before entering the country? You may be denied boarding on a plane or cruise ship or denied land border crossing. you can also be fined $5,000. Canadians planning to travel should download the app before leaving the country. there are many steps you need to follow to complete the process and you may not have some of the information while you are abroad. The mobile app is free and available in English, French and Spanish (displayed in the language of your device). You will need to 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 e-receipt number until your test is complete. If you arrived by air, you should also keep the email notification. Here’s everything you need to consider about the ArriveCAN app.
You must enter your updated contact information must be filled
You will need to submit your full name and date of birth according to your passport, your passport number and your contact details (eg email address, home address and telephone number).
You must provide the full itinerary of your trip
ArriveCAN will ask you the purpose of your trip and you will need to state which countries you visited. It will also include your date and time of arrival in Canada, your flight number and airline. This information must include the countries you stayed in or visited in the 14 days before your arrival in Canada, but not if you stopped in them only via connecting flights.
You must have proof of vaccination
You will need to have a physical copy of your vaccine records to prove that you received a full Health Canada approved vaccine schedule (ie two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19). The application will ask you to submit photo proof of 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 must submit a preliminary 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 you must be able to stay there for 14 days and have access to the necessities of life (eg 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 desktop and you can print a receipt confirming your submission. Print your receipt and take it with you when you travel. You can also have someone submit your travel details for you.
Do I need to use the ArriveCAN application if I am passing through Canada to another country?
No. Travelers with a stopover in Canada who do not depart the airport are not required to submit this information if:
pass through: Vancouver International Airport Toronto Pearson International Airport Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport Calgary International Airport
These travelers must stay in secure transit areas that separate them from other passengers and cargo. If they leave this area, they must submit their details to the application and see a CBSA officer for review.
Information for travelers at airports in Vancouver and Toronto
Travelers arriving at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) can save time by using the new optional CBSA Pre-Declaration feature on ArriveCAN. Travelers at these two airports can submit their customs and immigration declaration prior to arrival, reducing the time they spend at the airport. The optional Advance Declaration CBSA feature is available in the ArriveCAN app and web version. To use it, enter the required travel and health information, then follow the prompt on the receipt page. To submit an advance CBSA declaration for yourself or your group before your trip, you must:
confirm the travel document information answer customs and immigration questions honestly send the statement within 72 hours of your arrival in Canada
You will receive confirmation of your CBSA Advance Statement, including your reference number, by email.
When your flight lands, you must:
scan your travel documents at the airport kiosk or eGate where available (note that a maximum of 5 travelers can use a kiosk at a time and one traveler can use one eGate at a time – travelers using eGates must be 16 years old or more) the kiosk/eGate will retrieve your statement information review and edit your return (if required) and then submit your final return to the CBSA hand over the kiosk or eGate receipt to a border services officer for further processing
Another travel time saving tip
Transport Canada encourages frequent travelers to take advantage of the “saved traveller” feature on ArriveCAN. In this way, a person’s travel documents and proof of vaccination are stored in the application for reuse.
The next time you need to book travel, your information will be pre-populated, making it faster and more convenient.
