Travel to the USA and back by Car – going to the USA by car
How do I make a Day Trip to the USA? or Short Visits to the US less than 72 hours.
Answer: *The less than 72 hour rule is all ended Tuesday December 21 2021 at 9pm PST.
Going down to the US by Car?
You need to be fully Vaccinated to go to the USA, and you need to carry proof of that with you. The United States customs official may ask you if you are vaccinated. You must be able to prove it. The new rules announced December 2 2021 requiring a covid test within 24 hours of flying to the USA do not apply to the land border.
US Embassy Website for Canada states,- “Travellers who enter the United States at land POEs and ferry terminals do not require proof of a negative test; in addition, U.S. citizens and LPRs do not need to provide proof of vaccination status at land POEs and ferry terminals.”
How to return home to Canada.
All Canadians returning to Canada have to have a Molecular Covid Test prior to entering the Country. You are required to present their vaccination status when entering the country, and must upload any required information, including proof of vaccination, and proof of molecular covid test through the ArriveCan app. You must take a molecular test in the United States within 72 hours of your planned entry into Canada
If you don’t have a smart phone, you can access it online through the ArriveCan website.
In the app you’re going to submit your vaccine information and your covid test results. You’re going to submit information about who you are. And it’s going to ask you some questions about a quarantine plan and questions that you’ll have to fill out about your trip.
Before you leave Canada
- Make sure you download and register an ArriveCan app on your smartphone. Or Sign into ArriveCan online
- Follow the instructions for creating an account if you don’t have one. If you have an account sign in. Make Sure you have the most Up to Date version of the ArriveCan app. There are frequent updates to the ArriveCan app. Check and make sure you have the most up to date version.
- Check the Border Cameras and Wait Times
- If you know when you will be returning to Canada. Plan how and where to do your return Covid Test in ADVANCE.
Before you come back home to Canada
- Open the ArriveCan app and fill in the information asked including uploading your molecular covid test results. You have to do this in the United States within 72 hours of arrival back at the Canadian Border. You CANNOT do this in Canada before you leave
As the primary traveller, you may provide travel information for yourself and for:
- your spouse or common law partner
- your children (or children for whom you have legal guardianship), aged 18 years or younger
- any other adult for whom you’re a legal guardian
You can provide information for up to 8 travellers, including yourself, in a single submission.
You need to do everything above before you get to the border. It’s a requirement. If you don’t complete the requirements you will cause yourself addition delays and stress. Remember the CBSA Officer at the border has to process hundreds of vehicles daily. Make it easy on them and yourself by filling out ArriveCan and fulfilling the entry requirements.
Random Testing
Upon your entry to Canada at a land border crossing, the border services officer may notify you that you have been selected for a mandatory randomized arrival test.
If you are selected for a mandatory randomized test:
- You Must take the arrival test as directed on the day you enter Canada. If you are not tested at the border crossing you may receive a self-swab kit to complete within 24 hours of entering Canada. If you are provided with a self-swab kit, use the instructions in the kit to complete it within 24 hours of entering Canada, and arrange for it to be picked up or drop it off as directed.
- You don’t have to wait for the results, you can travel on to your final destination, including taking connecting flights
- You don’t have to quarantine while waiting for your results
- You are not required to pay a fee for the arrival test
The above Information pertaining to “Random Testing” is from the Government of Canada Website at https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada
Addition resources ie. our source of information: going to the USA by Car
Government of Canada – Travel Restrictions
Don’t forget to Check Border Webcams and Delays
