CANPASS – Private Boats

• About CANPASS – Private Boats
  • Benefits
  • Eligibility
• Using CANPASS – Private Boats
  • How CANPASS – Private Boats works
  • Where to call
  • Boat owner/operator responsibilities
  • Proof of presentation
  • Travelling with non-members
  • Declaring goods
  • Privacy
  • Security measures
• JOIN CANPASS – Private Boats
  • Cost
  • Application process
  • Proof of citizenship or permanent resident status

About CANPASS – Private Boats

Do you frequently travel to Canada directly from the United States on a small private pleasure boat? If so, the CANPASS – Private Boats program could be for you! The program provides expedited border clearance for low-risk, pre-screened persons entering Canada by private pleasure boat.

Benefits

Members can call the CBSA to report their estimated time of arrival at least 30 minutes before but no more than 4 hours prior to their expected arrival in Canada.

Members may also be entitled to use telephone reporting marine sites not available to other boaters.

Eligibility

To be eligible for CANPASS – Private Boats, you must meet these criteria:

• You are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada or the United States;
• 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 has not been granted;
• You have not had a customs seizure within the past five years; and
• You are not in violation of any customs or immigration legislation.

Using CANPASS – Private Boats

How CANPASS – Private Boats works

The boat owner/operator is in charge of the boat and he or she must report all passengers and goods on board the vessel to the CBSA. Boat owners/operators 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 30 minutes before but no more than 4 hours prior to the boat's estimated time of arrival at a designated marine reporting site in Canada.

TRCs allow 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.

Where to call

The 1-888-CANPASS (1-888-226-7277) toll-free line is only available in Canada and the United States. If a trip originates outside the United States, the 1-888 number is not available and the boat owner/operator should call the appropriate TRC directly (see table below).

There may be instances when, due to high call volumes, individuals will experience problems contacting the 1-888 number. If the 1-888 number is not available, the boat owner/operator must call the appropriate TRC directly (long-distance charges may apply).

TRC	Telephone	Fax	Service areas
Lansdowne, Ont.	613-659-4576	613-659-4311	Northern and eastern Ontario
Hamilton, Ont.	905-679-2073	905-679-6877	Central Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada
Windsor, Ont.	519-967-4320	519-967-4336	Southern Ontario
Victoria, B.C.	250-363-0222	250-363-0759	All provinces and territories west of the Manitoba–Ontario border

Boat owner/operator responsibilities

The boat owner/operator must ensure that all passengers have the appropriate travel documents for entering Canada. He or she must also call the TRC at least 30 minutes before but no more than 4 hours prior to the boat's estimated time of arrival at a designated marine reporting site in Canada.

During that first telephone call to the TRC, the boat owner/operator must provide the following information to the CBSA:

• persons on board.
• the estimated time of arrival (ETA);
• the vessel licence or registration number and boat name (if applicable);
• the full name, date of birth, citizenship and CANPASS membership number of all persons on board.
• the proposed initial docking site in Canada (must be a designated marine reporting site) and the final destination of the boat in Canada;
• passport and visa information of passengers (including the crew), if applicable;
• the destination, purpose of the trip and length of stay in Canada for non-residents;
• the length of absence for each passenger who is a returning resident of Canada;
• a declaration of all goods being imported, including firearms and weapons;
• a declaration of all currency and other monetary instruments of a value equal to or greater than CAN$10,000; and
• for returning residents of Canada, a report of all repairs or modifications made to goods (including the boat) while outside Canada.

If the ETA changes by more than 30 minutes or if there are any changes to the point of arrival, the list of passengers or their declarations, the boat owner/operator must advise the TRC prior to arrival in Canada.

The boat owner/operator must remain at the point of arrival until the ETA reported to the TRC has elapsed. No second call to the TRC is required. If there is no officer waiting to meet the boat when it arrives at the reported ETA or actual time of arrival, whichever is later, the boat may proceed to the final destination and passengers may disembark.

Proof of presentation

As proof of presentation, the boat owner/operator will be provided with a report number. The owner/operator shall retain the report number for the entire trip in Canada and present the number when requested by a border services officer.

• If a border services officer is not waiting to meet the boat when it arrives at the reported docking site at the ETA or actual time of arrival (whichever is later), the boat may then proceed to the final Canadian destination. If requested by an on-site border services officer, the owner/operator shall present the conveyance, along with all goods and persons, for examination.

Travelling with non-members

CANPASS – Private Boats membership privileges only apply when all persons aboard are program members. If a non-participant is aboard, the boat owner/operator must follow the procedures for Telephone Reporting – Private Boats.

Declaring goods

All travellers aboard must declare any personal goods they are importing, including firearms and weapons, and report currency and other monetary instruments of a value equal to or greater than CAN$10,000. For more information, see Cross Border Currency Reporting. If duties or taxes are payable, the border services officer at the TRC will ask for the traveller's mailing address and Visa or MasterCard number and expiry date.

Although the boat owner/operator is solely required to call the CBSA with the information on each person on board the boat, which includes the declarations of goods, each individual is ultimately responsible for complying with customs and immigration legislation.

Privacy

Once an applicant has completed and signed the CANPASS application form, the CBSA is authorized to collect personal information such as name, date of birth, address, citizenship, proof of citizenship and residency information.

The information will be used for background security checks and is not shared with a third party. All information is stored in a secure central database, which in turn is protected by various methods, including firewalls. Access to client information by employees is also controlled and monitored.

All personal information provided is protected under the federal Privacy Act.

Security measures

Participation in the CANPASS – Private Boats program is restricted to pre-approved travellers. Applicants undergo a detailed security clearance check before being enrolled. Every time CANPASS – Private Boats members enter Canada, their membership information is verified against customs and immigration databases to ensure their compliance with the program's regulations. Each member's eligibility is re-assessed annually.

JOIN CANPASS – Private Boats

Cost

The non-refundable processing fee is CAN$40 for each applicant 18 years old and older. The fee is waived for those under the age of 18. You can pay using Visa, MasterCard or American Express. You can also send a certified cheque or money order in Canadian funds payable to the Receiver General for Canada. Do not send cash.

Application process

Your participation in this program is strictly voluntary. The information that you provide will be used to determine your eligibility. If you are accepted into the program, your membership will be valid for five years.

If you are under the age of 18, written consent from a parent or legal guardian is also required.

How to apply

1. Complete and sign the CANPASS application form: Form E672 (PDF, 221 KB).
2. Send the following to a Canadian processing centre:
   • the completed application form;
   • the non-refundable processing fee of CAN$40 for each applicant 18 years old or older; and
   • a photocopy of your proof of citizenship or permanent resident status.
3. If you are accepted, your application will be processed in approximately four to six weeks.
4. Applications that are incomplete or do not include all the necessary documents and the non-refundable processing fee will not be processed. The CBSA will send a letter asking you to submit the missing information.

Western Canada
28 176th Street
Surrey BC  V3S 9R9
Telephone: 604-535-9346 or 1-866-631-3334 (toll-free)

Ontario
PO Box 126
Niagara Falls ON  L2E 6T1
Telephone: 905-371-1477 or 1-800-842-7647 (toll-free)

Quebec and Atlantic Canada
400 Place d'Youville
Montréal QC  H2Y 2C2
Telephone: 514-350-6137

Proof of citizenship or permanent resident status

Applicants must provide acceptable proof of citizenship or permanent resident status in Canada or the United States. Please send photocopies of the documents with the completed application form. These photocopies will not be returned.

If you are a Canadian or U.S. citizen, please provide one of the following:

• birth certificate and photo identification;
• valid passport;
• citizenship certificate or card;
• certificate of naturalization;
• certificate of retention of Canadian citizenship;
• certificate of Indian status in Canada; or
• certificate of registration of birth abroad.

If you are a permanent resident of Canada or the United States, please provide one of the following:

• Canada
  • valid Canadian permanent resident card; or
  • record of landing – IMM 1000, also known as a Confirmation of Permanent Residence – IMM 5292.
• United States
  • valid U.S. permanent resident card