Traveling from Canada to the United States by land

U.S. Customs - Voyages Sportifs MB

What you need to bring

If you travel with a canadian passport

a valid passport
an ID card

For non-Canadian passport

a valid passport
an ID card with photo
a ESTA visa that you have to get 72 hours before entering USA
Get visa here ESTA

For people under 18 years old

Canadian citizens under the age of 18 who are travelling with a school or an organized group, under adult supervision and with the consent of their parents or guardian, will only be required to present proof of citizenship: the ORIGINAL birth certificate or the COPY OF THE ACT OF BIRTH (blue and white certificate on watermarked paper signed by the Directeur de l’état civil) or a valid PASSPORT.

** It is strongly recommended that the minor bring a letter of parental consent

If you have a criminal record, regardless of the nature and date of the offence, you may be denied entry into the United States.

What's going to happen at customs?

Upon arrival at the U.S. Customs, all travellers must get off the bus with their passport. Each traveller will be required to report to the security counter (as at the airport) for verification. While everyone is out the bus, a custom agent will inspect the bus and the bagages.

Bringing food to the United States

Certain foods are prohibited from being carried into the United States. For more information on current restrictions, visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.

Entering the United States with cannabis

It is illegal to cross the border with cannabis in your possession
It is a substance that is illegal to possess under U.S. federal law
These regulations apply to medical cannabis and recreational cannabis
It is illegal to cross the border with cannabis in your possession even if you are crossing the border to a state where cannabis has been legalized
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should a person cross the border in possession of cannabis or products containing cannabis

When to use a consent letter

A consent letter should be used for all cross-border travel when a child is travelling:

alone
with only 1 parent or guardian
in the care of friends or relatives
with a group, such as a sports, school, musical or religious group

This includes day trips and travel where a child will be with only 1 parent for part of a trip. For example, a child will leave Canada with both parents but will return with only 1 parent.

A consent letter is not a legal requirement in Canada, but it can simplify travel for Canadian children as it may be requested by immigration authorities when entering or leaving a foreign country or by Canadian officials or airline agents when re-entering Canada.

The person who is accompanying the child should bring the original signed letter rather than a copy. Officials may be less likely to question the authenticity of an original document.

If you are travelling with a child for whom you have always been the sole parent or guardian, you can bring a document that shows you are the child’s only parent or guardian, such as a copy of a long form birth certificate that identifies you as the only parent.

If the other parent is deceased and you have full custody of your child, you should bring a copy of the death certificate of the deceased parent when accompanying the child on a trip.

The definition of a child varies from country to country, so any child under 19 years old should carry a consent letter.

Using a letter of consent outside Canada

Countries have their own entry and exit requirements for children. The consent letter may not be considered sufficient by a country’s immigration authorities and there is no guarantee that they will recognize it. In some countries, your child may be deemed to be one of its citizens if you or the other parent is a citizen of that country. As a “deemed citizen,” your child may be subject to the same entry and exit requirements as other citizens of that country.

For more information, check the entry and exit requirements in the Travel Advice and Advisories for your destination country or contact the nearest embassy or consulate of the destination country before travelling.

(source : https://travel.gc.ca/)

Travelling from the United States to Canada

Customs - Voyages Sportifs MB

Documents to be presented

a valid passport
an ID card

Going through customs

At customs, all travellers must get off the bus with their passport. The customs officers will ask each traveller questions about their trip and may search their luggage. While everyone is out the bus, a custom officer will inspect the bus and the luggages.

Entering Canada with cannabis

It is illegal to cross the border with cannabis in your possession
These regulations apply to medical cannabis and recreational cannabis
These regulations apply even if cannabis is legal in Canada
A person may UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES cross the Canadian border with cannabis or products containing cannabis

Duty and taxes

Duty is a tariff payable on a good imported to Canada
Personal exemptions do not apply to same-day cross-border shoppers
For an absence of more than 24 hours, you can claim goods worth up to CAN$200
For an absence of more than 48 hours, you can claim goods worth up to CAN$800

Alcoholic beverages limit

If you have been away from Canada for 48 hours or more, you are allowed to import one of the following amounts of alcohol free of duty and taxes:

Up to 1.5 litre of wine
Up to 1.14 litre of alcoholic beverages
Up to 8.5 litres of beer

This table is for information purposes only. Please consult the Canada Border Services Agency website for more information.

Tobacco products limit

You can speed up your clearance by having your tobacco products available for inspection when you arrive.

If you have been away from Canada for 48 hours or more, you may import all of the following quantities of cigars and stamped tobacco into Canada free of duty and taxes.