Canada Customs: The Needed and the Banned

This is it! Finally, you're going to Canada to visit the Niagara Falls next month. In utter excitement, you have already packed your bags. Not just that, you have already booked your flight, made hotel reservations and set your itinerary. In your excitement, however, you almost forget to complete the entry requirements?

Every country has its own customs agency that sets the standards and implements rules that people entering and leaving the country must follow and respect. Canada is no exception. Before picturing yourself being stunned by the Niagara Falls, or climbing to the top of the CN Tower, you have to know the customs policies of Canada.

Required Documents

Next to your passport, the most important document that you should have is a Canadian visa. While many travelers are required to have a visa, some are not. For example, citizens of the United States and most countries in Europe do not need a visa to visit Canada. Persons who are lawfully admitted to the US for permanent residence who possess a Green card are also exempted from needing a visa, as are persons with a valid Special Administrative Region passport issued by the Hong Kong government.

If you have resided in a designated red-flagged country or territory for six consecutive months or more within a year prior to your visit, you will also need a medical examination. These countries and territories include Afghanistan, Brazil, Ethiopia, Guam, India, Iraq, Mexico, and many others.

Prohibited Items

You also have to be acquainted with several customs regulations in Canadian airports and seaports. As in many other countries, there are numerous items that are prohibited. These include child pornography, hate propaganda, illegal drugs, meat, fruit or plants that could contain harmful pests and diseases, and firearms and other offensive weapons.

Alcohol and tobacco are also restricted. You have to meet the age requirements set by the territory or province that you are visiting. You can bring up to 52 ounces of wine, 40 ounces of liquor, or 24 containers of beer. You can also bring up to 50 cigars, 200 cigarettes, 200 tobacco sticks, and 200 grams of manufactured tobacco.

Unlike some countries, Canada will allow you to bring as much money as you like, provided that you report all exports and imports of currency and monetary instruments equivalent to or greater than 10,000 Canadian dollars.