Question on ArriveCan customs declaration (US resident flying into Canada)

[Greg G]

So I am in the process of filling out the Advance CBSA Declaration online using ArriveCan for traveling into Canada from the US (US resident)
I'm assuming I need to declare all the following but wanted feedback from those with experience with this to make sure I'm not overly thinking this our would be unnecessarily incurring more time due to declaring something I didn't need to (I'm also doing some web searches as well)

My questions are:

1) I assume I need to declare my name brand (MuscleTech) protein shake powder I will be taking with me (for breakfast each day). It has whey in it which is made from a dairy product so not sure?

2) I assume I need to declare some snacking almonds I'm taking with me (Fleet Farm California unsalted not roasted almonds).

3) I have a small hunting knife for hiking that will be in a checked bag (plan on doing some hiking). I assume I definitely need to declare that.

 

[geist1223]

In driving to Canada we have never declared these type items.

 

[bizaro86]

I would absolutely put "yes" on the question about nuts, seeds, vegetables and dairy. They'll ask you what it is, and you tell them. It takes 5 seconds, and those items will almost certainly be fine and they wave you through. If you select no and are selected for a random search and are found to have lied (and almonds clearly fit that category) you would be fined or deemed inadmissible. They don't randomly search many people, but why take the risk.

The knife is trickier. Assuming it isn't a switchblade or similar (which are illegal in Canada) it should be allowed. But if you check the yes for weapons box it will likely be a longer than 5 second conversation with the officer...

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

@Greg G - ArriveCan use is no longer required

I agree with @bizaro86 on your declaration of food & knife

 

[bizaro86]

@Greg G - ArriveCan use is no longer required

I agree with @bizaro86 on your declaration of food & knife

The government merged their pre-existing customs app into arrive can so they wouldn't have to write off the costs of arrivecan, which was pretty unpopular by the time it ceased being mandatory.

So now it has nothing to do with its original purpose, but you can submit your customs declaration in advance and skip the machines at the airport. I generally don't bother as I find the lines in Calgary where I clear are almost always very short to get a machine (2 minutes at most).

 

[jabberwocky]

I’d agree on everything mentioned so far. I don’t see an issue with the items you’ve described. Just declare them and you’ll be on your way.

I don’t think I’ve really observed many people using the app. Machines are probably just as fast. I use Nexus. It takes maybe a minute clear customs. I handed the slip to the agent. He asked where I was flying from, I answered “São Paulo” and he waved me through.

Dress neatly, cover your tattoos, be polite and you should be good to go with the border agents

I hope you enjoy your trip!

 

[moonstone]

I don’t think I’ve really observed many people using the app. Machines are probably just as fast.

When you use the ArriveCan app the system remembers all your answers to the questions. You don't need the app at the airport (it needs to be filled out within 24 hrs of your arrival time) and still need to go to the machine, but as soon as you scan your passport the computer knows you have answered all those questions and it immediately spits out the slip of paper with a code on it. No answering any questions on that machine. You can then proceed to a special line with the paper and, in my 8 flights to Toronto this past winter/spring using the ArriveCan app, I walked right up to an agent with the slip of paper, he looked at the code on it and I was directed to the exit. For most of my flights I was less than 5 minutes in the YYZ Customs Hall. If I had known a year ago that I was going to be making that many flights back and forth to Toronto I would have applied for Nexus, but I think I did pretty well without it.

PSA: For anybody arriving at YYZ that hasn't done so recently, there are some of those machines in the hallway between where you get off the plane and the Customs Hall. Do Not Stop at those ones unless there is no line up. There are many dozens more down in the Customs Hall. I saw so many people lining up in the arrivals hallway meanwhile when I got downstairs to the Customs Hall there were tons of empty machines.


~Diane

 

[youppi]

When you use the ArriveCan app the system remembers all your answers to the questions. You don't need the app at the airport (it needs to be filled out within 24 hrs of your arrival time) and still need to go to the machine, but as soon as you scan your passport the computer knows you have answered all those questions and it immediately spits out the slip of paper with a code on it. No answering any questions on that machine. You can then proceed to a special line with the paper and, in my 8 flights to Toronto this past winter/spring using the ArriveCan app, I walked right up to an agent with the slip of paper, he looked at the code on it and I was directed to the exit. For most of my flights I was less than 5 minutes in the YYZ Customs Hall. If I had known a year ago that I was going to be making that many flights back and forth to Toronto I would have applied for Nexus, but I think I did pretty well without it.

PSA: For anybody arriving at YYZ that hasn't done so recently, there are some of those machines in the hallway between where you get off the plane and the Customs Hall. Do Not Stop at those ones unless there is no line up. There are many dozens more down in the Customs Hall. I saw so many people lining up in the arrivals hallway meanwhile when I got downstairs to the Customs Hall there were tons of empty machines.


~Diane

Last year, the machine asked me if I wanted to change the declaration I did in the ArriveCan app before printing. It doesn't ask this question now ?

 

[moonstone]

Last year, the machine asked me if I wanted to change the declaration I did in the ArriveCan app before printing. It doesn't ask this question now ?

Yes, I believe it still does.

~Diane

 

[Greg G]

Last year, the machine asked me if I wanted to change the declaration I did in the ArriveCan app before printing. It doesn't ask this question now ?

Yes, I believe it still does.

~Diane

It did ask me yesterday. Customs officer asked me about the food and firearms /weapons declarations I made and accepted my explanations as stated above. Took just a minute to do so and be waived on

 

[Maple_Leaf]

PSA: For anybody arriving at YYZ that hasn't done so recently, there are some of those machines in the hallway between where you get off the plane and the Customs Hall. Do Not Stop at those ones unless there is no line up. There are many dozens more down in the Customs Hall. I saw so many people lining up in the arrivals hallway meanwhile when I got downstairs to the Customs Hall there were tons of empty machines.

Thanks for the advice. A Pearson Airport employee was playing confuse-a-traveler with us in the hallway, telling us we were required to line up at those specific machines. I finally convinced my wife to proceed directly to the Customs Hall and use Nexus. It saved us at least a half hour.

 

[goaliedave]

So I am in the process of filling out the Advance CBSA Declaration online using ArriveCan for traveling into Canada from the US (US resident)
I'm assuming I need to declare all the following but wanted feedback from those with experience with this to make sure I'm not overly thinking this our would be unnecessarily incurring more time due to declaring something I didn't need to (I'm also doing some web searches as well)

My questions are:

1) I assume I need to declare my name brand (MuscleTech) protein shake powder I will be taking with me (for breakfast each day). It has whey in it which is made from a dairy product so not sure?

2) I assume I need to declare some snacking almonds I'm taking with me (Fleet Farm California unsalted not roasted almonds).

3) I have a small hunting knife for hiking that will be in a checked bag (plan on doing some hiking). I assume I definitely need to declare that.

Yes declare food and weapons