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Canadian
Travel tips from Border Services Vancouver,
B.C.: To make your holiday travels more pleasant
this year, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
provides the following advice: Be
prepared to pay duties and taxes on goods that were
purchased outside of the
country - including gifts - You are required to
declare all goods purchased
outside of the country when returning to Canada and
you must pay any
applicable duties and/or taxes. If you are not sure
what to declare when
you arrive at the border, declare all items first
and then discuss them with
an officer of the CBSA. Depending on the length of
your absence from Canada,
you may be entitled to certain personal exemptions.
If
you bring gifts back from your trip, do not wrap
them - Officers may unwrap
gifts for inspection. If you have friends or
relatives coming to visit
you in Canada, remind them not to wrap their gifts.
Declare
currency over $10,000 - On January 6, 2003, the
Cross Border Currency
and Monetary Instrument Reporting Regulations took
effect. The regulations
were the final element of the Proceeds of Crime
(Money Laundering)
and Terrorist Financing Act to be put in place. The
legislation requires
all persons and entities to report to an officer of
the Canada Border
Services Agency the import and export of currency
and monetary instruments
of $10,000 or more. Keep
all of your receipts handy - Officers may ask you
to show receipts for the
goods you've purchased and your hotel receipts to
verify the length of your
stay outside Canada. To avoid unnecessary delays,
keep receipts together
and readily accessible. Certain
plant and animal products are prohibited from
entering Canada - Many travellers
are unaware that products such as meat, live birds,
plants and fruit
can harbour diseases and pests, which can harm
Canada's agricultural industry
and environment. Carry
appropriate identification - All travellers
entering Canada are required
to provide proof of citizenship. A passport is
ideal, however we will
accept the following documents if presented with
valid photo identification:
birth certificate, permanent resident card, record
of landing,
or Certificate of Indian Status. Carry
identification for all children travelling with
you, regardless of their
age - Our officers watch for missing children and
may ask detailed questions
about the children who are travelling with you. If
you have legal custody
of the child(ren) or if you share custody, have
copies of relevant legal
documents, such as custody rights. If you are not
the custodial parent or
not the parent or legal guardian of the child(ren),
carry a letter of permission
or authorization for you to have custody when
entering Canada. A letter
would also facilitate entry for any one parent
travelling with their child(ren).
This permission should contain contact telephone
numbers for the parent
or legal guardian. If you are travelling as part of
a group of vehicles,
be sure that you are in the same vehicle as your
child(ren) when you
arrive at the border. "The
holiday season is a busy time for our officers.
Travelers can speed-up their
border clearance by making sure they understand
their rights and obligations
before they begin their travels," said Blake
Delgaty, CBSA's Regional
Director General. For
more information on what you need to know if you
are traveling outside Canada
consult CBSA's publication I Declare, call
1-800-461-9999 (toll free) or
visit the web site:
www.cbsa.gc.ca |
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