CANPASS will take the place of having to report to a customs official following border crossing but there are a number of requirements that must be met first. Not everyone is eligible, but if you are, it greatly simplifies entry and exit.

— James Albright

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Updated:

2020-12-29

The system is remarkably easy once you've been through it a time or two. The Canpass website will prove helpful.

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CANPASS will take the place of having to report to a customs official following border crossing but there are a number of requirements that must be met first. Not everyone is eligible, but if you are, it greatly simplifies entry and exit.

  • The CANPASS – Private Aircraft program makes clearing the border easier for private aircraft carrying no more than 15 people (including the crew) and traveling to Canada from the United States. This program allows members to access more airports and provides expedited clearances for low-risk, pre-screened travelers
  • If you are a CANPASS – Private Aircraft member, your private aircraft can have the following privileges:
    • It can land at any airport of entry (AOE) in Canada;
    • It can land at an AOE any time the airport is open for landing, regardless of the hours of business of the local CBSA office;
    • It can land at a CANPASS-only airport, which may be nearer to your destination;
    • It receives expedited clearance; and
    • It can proceed to the final destination if there is no CBSA officer waiting for the aircraft by the reported time of arrival, without the pilot having to make a second call to the CBSA after landing.
  • To be eligible for CANPASS – Private Aircraft, you must meet these criteria:
    • Be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada or the United States and have lived in Canada and/or the United States continuously for the last three years;
    • You are admissible to Canada under applicable immigration laws;
    • You have provided true and accurate information on the application;
    • You have not been convicted of a criminal offence for which a pardon or rehabilitation has not been granted;
    • You have not had a customs seizure within the past six years; and
    • You are not in violation of any customs or immigration legislation.
  • Private aircraft that meet the requirements of the CANPASS – Private Aircraft program can land at any airport of entry any time the site is open, regardless of the hours of operation of the local CBSA office. The aircraft can also land at a designated CANPASS-only airport.
  • The pilot is in charge of the aircraft and he or she must report all passengers and their goods on behalf of the aircraft. Pilots are responsible for reporting themselves, their crew and passengers to a telephone reporting centre (TRC) by calling 1-888-CANPASS (1-888-226-7277) at least 2 hours before but no more than 48 hours prior to the aircraft's estimated time of arrival in Canada.
  • The TRC allows individuals who enter Canada by private aircraft, corporate aircraft or private boat to report their arrival and make their declarations to the CBSA by telephone.

Source: CANPASS Website

Participation in CANPASS is voluntary, but it expands where you can go and when you can go. For more details and the forms needed to apply, see: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/canpass/privateair-eng.html