What Do I need To Visit Canada
I have tried to wade through the info in the links for traveling to Canada and I am more confused than when I started. It seems all the FAQ's deal with others than U.S. citizens. We will be crossing i...
Forum Discussion
From another post:
For Canada crossing the big 5 are guns (very limited and by permit only), alcohol (limited), firewood (not allowed), cash ($10,000 limit per person) and criminal/DUI record (you won't be allowed to cross). Passports or equivalent are required. Regulations on what is allowed each way are constantly changing so remove your hat and sun glasses and directly answer the questions, don't chit chat or volunteer information. Questions that don't seem necessary may be used to determine if you are being truthful. We've had a couple of refer checks but never a full rig search. US wanted our tomatoes and green onions one year. Restricted fruit/tomatoes with the small labels indicating US or Canada may be allowed. Unopened store wrapped meats are more likely to be OK than opened packages. Always be polite and respectful. Never had an issue, but there are random searches. Passports or equivalent documentation is required to return to the US.
We take a little US cash and charge everything on Visa. Our Capital One has a fair exchange rate with no foreign transaction fee. Amex has a foreign transaction fee of 2-3 percent. Canadian fuel is more expensive so fill before the border and after you return.
Some incidents: US Border agent took 6 tomatoes while I ate one. He had us cut the tops off of green onions, he kept the tops. Petted the cat and never asked a question about her. The tomato and onion restriction started that day. Canadian customs at Skagway stood in the door so she could see us for the questions. In Victoria we boarded the ferry to the US and observed agents carrying many armloads of alcohol from a rig that just arrived, we guessed that person was not a happy camper. Another time arriving in Victoria from the US I sailed through customs in the motorhome. The agent grilled DW in the car for 30 minutes with questions like: where are your clothes, why don’t you have hotel reservations, etc. With each question she answered “I’m with that motorhome that just went through, we’re camping with no reservations.” Finally they let her through. A fellow camper had $19,000 in cash (2 people) and said he had to remove the cash from the safe and count it with 2 Canadian agents watching. At the Port Townsend, WA ferry I asked the US custom agent what I could do with my firewood. He pointed to a truck with firewood and said that when it’s full they auction it off to the employees and donate the money to children’s charities.
For Canada crossing the big 5 are guns (very limited and by permit only), alcohol (limited), firewood (not allowed), cash ($10,000 limit per person) and criminal/DUI record (you won't be allowed to cross). Passports or equivalent are required. Regulations on what is allowed each way are constantly changing so remove your hat and sun glasses and directly answer the questions, don't chit chat or volunteer information. Questions that don't seem necessary may be used to determine if you are being truthful. We've had a couple of refer checks but never a full rig search. US wanted our tomatoes and green onions one year. Restricted fruit/tomatoes with the small labels indicating US or Canada may be allowed. Unopened store wrapped meats are more likely to be OK than opened packages. Always be polite and respectful. Never had an issue, but there are random searches. Passports or equivalent documentation is required to return to the US.
We take a little US cash and charge everything on Visa. Our Capital One has a fair exchange rate with no foreign transaction fee. Amex has a foreign transaction fee of 2-3 percent. Canadian fuel is more expensive so fill before the border and after you return.
Some incidents: US Border agent took 6 tomatoes while I ate one. He had us cut the tops off of green onions, he kept the tops. Petted the cat and never asked a question about her. The tomato and onion restriction started that day. Canadian customs at Skagway stood in the door so she could see us for the questions. In Victoria we boarded the ferry to the US and observed agents carrying many armloads of alcohol from a rig that just arrived, we guessed that person was not a happy camper. Another time arriving in Victoria from the US I sailed through customs in the motorhome. The agent grilled DW in the car for 30 minutes with questions like: where are your clothes, why don’t you have hotel reservations, etc. With each question she answered “I’m with that motorhome that just went through, we’re camping with no reservations.” Finally they let her through. A fellow camper had $19,000 in cash (2 people) and said he had to remove the cash from the safe and count it with 2 Canadian agents watching. At the Port Townsend, WA ferry I asked the US custom agent what I could do with my firewood. He pointed to a truck with firewood and said that when it’s full they auction it off to the employees and donate the money to children’s charities.
