Canadian Customs

Bedwell Harbor (South Pender Island) 5/1-8/30 8am-10pm; 9/1-30 -9am-5pm. On standby 10pm-midnight, Closed after Sept 30. From midnight-8am there is a $54 fee. Phone (888)-226-7277
Victoria and Sydney manned 24 hours, all year.
Victoria (250) 363-3339 Sydney (250) 363-6644
White Rock manned 24 hours, all year. fax(604) 531-7581  Canpass 604-226-7277
Nanaimo manned 24 hours, all year. (250) 754-0341

Procedures

Please note it is important this year to have with you your passport.

For questions go to the Customs & Border Protection website; http://www.getyouhome.gov/  If boating to or from Canada next summer, apply for your Passports now.The Passport Office will get very busy and the process takes several weeks. Beginning June 1, 2009 Passports, a Passport Card or an Enhanced Washington Drivers License will be required for travel to and from Canada by boat. A regular drivers license and a birth certificate will no longer suffice. While a Passport Card or Enhanced Drivers Licenses are smaller, more convenient and cheaper they do have limited application.  Passports on the other hand are good worldwide with no restrictions as to mode of Travel. At The present time a new passport cost one hundred dollars ($100) and is good for ten years. When applying for a passport, for an addition twenty dollars, a passport card can also be obtained. A passport Card by itself cost forty five dollars ($45) and is good for ten years. It is not known what the cost would be for someone who already has a passport, but except for smaller size there really isn't any advantage in getting one if you already have a passport. CBP and the State Department are urging everyone who thinks they are going to need one of these documents to apply as soon as possible as this is their slow time of the year. Both organizations feel that as June 1' 2009 gets closer and the traveling public realizes the change in requirement, delays in processing applications could be very long. I-68s and NEXUS passes issued prior to June 1, 2009 using a birth certificate or similar document will be valid after June 1, but CBP would appreciate a call advising after one of the new approved documents has been obtained. For questions, call 1-800-562-5943 (Washington State only) and ask for the Small Boat Program. As for now I-68 will continue to be issued after June 1, 2009. Canada has put in place measures in order to reduce parental or other forms of abduction. Consequently, travelers should:

• carry identification for children of all ages, similar to those mentioned above;
• have a letter of permission from the child's parent or legal guardian when traveling with children who are not legally their own;
  
• carry copies of legal documents regarding custody rights if they share custody; and
  
• have their own children in the same vehicle if traveling with a group of vehicles, when they arrive at the border.

From other countries via the United States
All persons other than U.S. citizens or legal, permanent residents of the United States, require a valid passport or an acceptable travel document. Some persons require a visa to enter Canada. Visitors should direct their inquiries regarding visa requirements and valid travel documents to the Canadian Embassy, High Commission or consulate in their home country before departure for the United States. Applications for visitor's visas made to the Canadian Embassy or Consulates in the United States may result in delays.

Typically, a Canadian Customs officer will ask travelers to provide the following information for each person on board. It is suggested that you write the following information on a sheet of paper and take it, along with your charter agreement to the Customs office or phone.

• purpose and length of stay in Canada
• full name
  
• address
  
• birth date
  
• citizenship
  
• vessel make, length, type (power or sail)
  
• U.S. documentation number or State registration number

After docking your boat in the canadian gulf islandshave your crew remain on board until you receive clearance Log the Canadian clearance number for later reporting to US customs.

Personal baggage
Visitors may bring into Canada certain goods as personal baggage free of duties, provided all such items are declared to Canada customs on arrival and are not subject to restriction.

Common things to avoid

• apples, peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries
• more than 1 liter of wine, or 1 liter spirits, or 24 -12 ounce cans or bottles of beer or ale or their equivalent per adult.
  
• more than 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 2 kilograms of tobacco.

Additional quantities of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products--up to the provincial limit--may be imported into Canada on payment of duties plus provincial fees and taxes, at the port of entry.

Source: Travel Information (for visitors from the U.S.A.) 1995-1996, Canadian Tourism Commission, ISBN 0-662-23639-4, Cat. No. C86-44/1-1995E

On December 12, 2003, the Customs Program of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency was transferred to the new Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

Therefore, all charter boat operators and pleasure cruisers using the information on the Canadian waters webpage must use the new boaters rules at CBSA.

Re-Entry Into The USA
Official U.S. Customs and Border Protection website

Procedures

Please note it is important to have with you your passport or birth certificate. This year you must report into Custom in person,no phone in's, the master or designee may go ashore only to report arrival. Customs are more formal and you should plan to arrive for clearence between the normal business hours 8am-8pm, if after hours phone 1-800-562-5943 for instructions.

Masters must report their arrival to U.S. Custom and Border patrol if having been engaged in any of the following activities

• After having been at any foreign port or place
• After having contact with any hovering vessel
• After having anchored or engaged in fishing

After docking your boat have your crew remain on board until you receive clearance Bring the number from the Customs User Fee sticker attached to the boat to confirm the previous payment of the fee. Also bring the Canadian clearance number.
Log the release number given you by Customs for your protection. If you own a charter boat, see specific requirements for charter boat owners.

Personal baggage
Visitors may return with articles valued up to $200 if returning within 48 hours (family members may not combine their exemptions). If returning after 48 hours, each person may bring in articles valued up to $400, including 1 liter of alcohol beverages, 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars. (family members may combine their exemptions) Duty is based on the value exceeding the $400 exemption. Avoid agricultural products.

U.S. ports of entry are responsible for daily port specific operations for boaters and pleasure travelers. There are 317 official ports of entry in the United States and 14 preclearance stations in Canada. Port personnel are the face at the border for most cargo and visitors entering the United States. Here CBP enforces the import and export laws and regulations of the U.S. federal government and conducts immigration programs. Ports perform agriculture inspections to protect the USA from potential carriers of animal and plant pests or diseases that could cause serious damage to America's crops and the environment.