Canada is Now Allowing More Travelers to Complete Customs and Immigration Forms Ahead of Time

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will now allow travelers at seven more airports to submit their customs and immigration declaration forms digitally, through the ArriveCAN app, up to 72-hour prior to arrival.

CBSA had been allowing it for international travelers arriving to three of Canada’s busiest airports—Toronto Pearson, Montreal Trudeau, and Vancouver International—but will now expand it to seven other airports “in the coming months.”

Those airports are Winnipeg, Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton, Billy Bishop, Ottawa, and Quebec City international airports.

CBSA said that giving travelers the option at the three already-announced airports has led to a cut in the amount of time a traveler spends at a CBSA kiosk by roughly one-third and that “with the thousands of travelers arriving in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal airports each day, the use of the optional Advance CBSA Declaration has the potential to save hours in wait time.”

Travelers aren’t required to submit those forms digitally, they are still able to complete them the same way they were prior to the CBSA announcement, but doing so will save them time getting through customs upon arrival.

“By submitting their customs and immigration information in advance, travelers spend less time at primary inspection kiosks (PIK) or eGates when they arrive at the airport, resulting in shorter line-ups in arrivals hall,” the CBSA said.

Travelers are still able to continue using ArriveCan to fulfill other COVID-19 protocols prior to traveling to Canada.