Returning to Canada from international travel often involves passing through customs and immigration, a process that can be time-consuming and stressful. Here are three tips to help streamline your journey and get you home faster.
1. **Complete Your Customs Declaration in Advance**: Rather than filling out your customs declaration upon arrival at the airport, consider completing the form online up to 72 hours before reaching select Canadian airports. This allows you to use express lanes upon arrival. However, you will still need to verify and confirm your declaration at an airport kiosk.
2. **Know Your Duty-Free Allowances**: If you've been outside of Canada for more than 48 hours, you're entitled to bring back goods valued at up to $800 without having to pay any duty or taxes. However, there are limits on certain items, particularly food products. These restrictions vary depending on the type of product and its country of origin. Additionally, some items may not meet Canadian standards or regulations, particularly concerning ingredients, labeling, or production practices.
3. **Be Aware of Prohibited Items**: Certain souvenirs or items obtained during your travels may be prohibited or require permits due to their use of endangered or threatened species. It's crucial to check the regulations before attempting to bring such items back into Canada. The country you're returning from may also have its own export requirements for these items.
For example, some products made from endangered animals or plants may require permits or be completely prohibited from entry into Canada. Similarly, certain foods, such as pork products, are prohibited to prevent the spread of diseases like African swine fever (ASF) to Canadian livestock. ASF is a viral disease that poses no risk to human health but is highly contagious and often fatal to pigs. To avoid the potential introduction of ASF or other diseases, it's essential to leave prohibited items behind and declare any food, plant, or animal products to customs officials upon arrival. Failure to declare such items can result in penalties of up to $1,300.
By following these tips and being mindful of customs regulations, travelers can expedite their return to Canada and ensure compliance with import restrictions designed to protect public health, safety, and the environment.
Having an 'Identity Verified' badge or being 'Identity Verified' simply indicates that an individual has submitted information to complete our identity verification process or we have conducted internal verification using various authorized websites. While this process includes safeguards, it does not guarantee that the person is who they claim to be.
If you encounter any issues with this profile, please report them here. While all consultants who are verified have RCIC ID, we may not have the latest data in terms of their renewal/cancellation/discontinuation of their RCIC ID.