Canada Entry Requirements
Having received my trip documents (formerly known as the green book), I've been working on my Canadian entry documents and other requirements. Based on what I've learned, I'm passing on my information, especially since some of the Tauck information was misleading (out of date?). Be aware that all of this is subject to change and you should check the requirements for yourself.
Before Starting
Make sure you have an electronic copy of your vaccination card and passport (jpg, pdf, etc.). You will need to upload these when filling out the forms.
Provincial Requirements
These are the easiest. Follow the Tauck links to the websites for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward island (PEI). For PEI, Tauck (in the green book) says that you need to wait until you are within 14 days of arrival and that it can take up to 10 days to process. Neither of these statements is true, from my experience. I was able to submit the form a month in advance and received the approved e-mail in a few hours. You will need to know the date of your first day in PEI - check Day 5 in your green book. Nova Scotia is even easier. When your form is complete, you can print the final page as your registration form. They will also send it in an e-mail within 24 hours. There is no longer a entry requirement for New Brunswick.
Canadian Federal Requirments
These are more complicated. A checklist of requirements for vaccinated travelers can be found here:
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada
As Tauck says, you need to use the ArriveCAN app or website to apply for entry. What they do not tell you is that you can only apply within 72 hours of your flight departure (the one that crosses the border, not any connecting flight in the US). Since I can't apply yet, my knowledge is limited at this time. Apparently, there is a $65 (US) fee per passenger, per Tauck. It appears that when done you will get a receipt to show at immigration. Not sure if this is e-mail, print the screen or what.
COVID Test
Be aware of the requirements for the COVID test. It must be done within 72 hours of your scheduled flight departure (again, the flight that enters Canada). Antigen tests are not accepted. Only molecular tests (PCR, NAAT, etc.) are accepted. Plan your test in advance. We leave on a Monday and plan to get a NAAT test with short turn around on Saturday afternoon (costing $199 each). We could get the free test at our pharmacy with a 2 day turnaround. However, with a Sunday in between that is just too risky for us. Also by getting it Saturday we will be covered if our flight is cancelled and we have to go the next day.
Quarantine Plan
Canada also requires you to submit a quarantine plan, should you test positive on arrival or fail to meet their requirements in some way on arrival. There is a quiz (take the "Assess your Quarantine Plan" link from the webpage referenced above). I told the quiz that I would stay in a hotel with my wife and order food for delivery. The quiz said that my plan was "likely considered suitable." I'm not sure if any more detail is required. I was hoping that Tauck would offer to some sort of assurance of a plan (like "our TD will arrange for your quarantine') or additional informaton. I've asked twice and was told they were looking into it, but so far it has dropped into a black hole.
I will post an update, if I get more information or anything changes. Again, I recommend that you look into this yourself and start as soon as you get your travel documents.
Comments
Geeeezzz!!! Travel is sure complicated these days. I am still going to wait until things calm down, hopefully it won't take 5 years.
Thank you so much for this. We've been thinking of going, now re-thinking. Very helpful!
Quarantine plan- buy a canoe, paddle back to the US, catch a bus home.
My husband did the ArriveCan. There isn’t a fee. He did it on the website, but there is also an app. You upload your CDC vaccine card and a picture of your passport. You will be asked if you have a negative Covid PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival, but you don’t upload a copy. You are asked to bring the test results with you. The final page is a receipt. He printed that, but he did get an email with the receipt. If you use the app, it’s recommended that you screen shot the receipt page. You are asked for a quarantine plan. He said hotel. There are several questions you will be asked about your plan. He answered No for each one. A friend said yes for one and on final page instead of a receipt got a Q- meaning quarantine plan wasn’t approved. He just reapplied and answered No to all and got his receipt. On arrival it all went smoothly. They entered by land, but the procedure is the same for arriving by air.
Would that be on Schitt's Creek?
P.S. to kfn - Flag me; make my day.
Itskr-
Thanks for the helpful info on ArriveCAN.
Spouse and I are Leaving September 11 to fly to Halifax for the Canadian Maritimes trip that begins September 12. Paperwork and Covid test all completed. Lots of hoops to jump through, but we are really looking forward to traveling again after so long. This trip just fell into our laps when Canada opened the borders after two other trips had been cancelled.
Is anyone else going on this trip?
Nancy
Dixiechick - I'm on the tour two days after yours. Any issues with the ArriveCAN app or website, whichever you used?
By the way, I got an email and text today with info about our airport pickup. The contact number was different than in our pretrip info. So look out for that.
I have this trip planned for 2022, so I look forward to reading your experiences, Dixiechick and Ken from Vegas. I have heard that the food is wonderful and plentiful. Safe travels.
It sounds like the Canadians have built a ‘full employment’ bureaucracy program that would be envied in India. Getting into Malta was difficult, but Canada sounds worse.
Got our COVID test today and filled out ArriveCAN on the website. As itskr said there is no fee. They will ask you if you have a negative COVID test (or if you tested positive at least 2 weeks ago and got over it). No need to upload the test results, though. Regarding the quarantine questions, I told them that we would quarantine in Prince George Hotel (they ask for an address). We won't have cell service in Canada, so I listed the hotel as my contact number. Basically, you want to tell them that you will stay in a hotel for 14 days, can avoid human contact (send out for meals) and that there aren't any at risk people around. The receipt gave me status "V' meaning I would have to show my Vax card and my wife status "I" meaning she would just have it with her. Not sure why the difference. Neither of us got status Q which would indicate that they want to discuss our quarantine plan.
To go to Canada? I would have to lose my mind to go through that to go to Canada. I have been all over Canada, and none of it is worth spending fourteen days in a hotel and sending out for meals. The people who made those rules are nuts. We need to make similar rules for Canadians going to Florida … that might get their attention.
You don’t have to quarantine to go to Canada. They randomly test people on entry. They want a quarantine plan in case you test positive on the random entry test.
I think my quarantine plan would be to go back home. I wonder if that is an acceptable response?
“Basically, you want to tell them that you will stay in a hotel for 14 days, can avoid human contact (send out for meals) and that there aren't any at risk people around.”
I’m afraid that the posted Canadian requirements were not very clear to me. I would rather go to Lake of the Woods, and pretend that I was in Winnipeg.
Alan, you can't go home since a negative antibody test is needed to get home (true of any foreign travel). Once you test positive, you are required to quarantine or face heavy penalties. You are subject to checks by the local health authorities.
Not officially. Just "walk" home.
We thought we would do a Canadian trip as an alternative to postponed European trips until we saw all the rules and things that can go wrong. Decided on 3 US road trips before we go on our next Tauck trip in March 2022 to Peru. Fingers crossed!
Alan said,
Then the border patrol will escort you to their "special" quarantine facility. You'll do more time and pay more in fine. Better off staying in Canada.
By the way, Tauck has improved their instructions for the COVID requirements of this trip. The only knock I have now is that they say answer "yes" to all the quarantine questions. Use your common sense to answer the questions.
You need to answer No to all the quarantine questions. Even one yes will get you a Q on your receipt which means your quarantine plan isn’t approved. At least this was the case 3 weeks ago when my husband did the ArriveCan website.