ArriveCAN Advance Declaration (Canada)

What Is ArriveCAN Advance Declaration?

ArriveCAN launched on April 29, 2020, as a tool for collecting travelers' contact and health information during the COVID-19 pandemic. That health-data function ended in October 2022 when Canada lifted its border health requirements. But the app didn't disappear — it was repurposed around a feature CBSA had already built into it: Advance Declaration.

Today, that's ArriveCAN's entire job. It's a digital customs and immigration declaration that air travelers can complete before their flight lands in Canada, instead of filling it out at a kiosk or with an officer after touching down. If you're searching for what the ArriveCAN app actually does in 2025 and beyond, this is it — nothing more, nothing related to vaccines or quarantine anymore.

Is ArriveCAN Mandatory?

Here's the distinction that trips up a lot of travelers: declaring is mandatory, but ArriveCAN itself is optional. Every single person entering Canada is legally required to make a customs and immigration declaration. That part never changes. What's optional is how you do it. CBSA built Advance Declaration to let you "prepare your declaration at your own pace" and access express lanes at the airport — it's a convenience, not a legal obligation. Skip it, and you're not turned away at the border. You just complete your declaration the traditional way: at a Primary Inspection Kiosk, an eGate, or verbally with a border services officer. Worth noting: this optional status is specific to the current version of ArriveCAN. During the pandemic (2020 through October 2022), using ArriveCAN to submit health and contact information was mandatory, with fines for travelers who didn't comply. Some older articles online still describe that pandemic-era system, so if you're seeing conflicting information about whether ArriveCAN is "required," you may be reading outdated content. As of today, the declaration is required — the app is not.

Where to Access ArriveCAN

ArriveCAN is available as:

• A mobile app, on the Apple App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android)
• A web version, hosted directly by CBSA for travelers who'd rather use a computer\

Official information always lives at canada.ca, under the Canada Border Services Agency section. Before you enter any personal information, double-check that the URL ends in .gc.ca or .canada.ca — this is the only way to confirm you're on the real government site and not a lookalike.

Is ArriveCAN Free?

Yes. There's no government fee to download ArriveCAN, create an account, or submit your declaration. It's entirely free, every time. Any cost you might come across is for an optional assisted-filing service — like the one further down this page — where someone reviews your declaration for you before you submit it. That's a choice, not a requirement, and it's separate from anything CBSA charges (which is nothing).

Who Can Use Advance Declaration

Advance Declaration is open to all air travelers — Canadian citizens, permanent residents, visa holders, and eTA holders alike — as long as you're arriving at a participating airport.

Participating Airports

Advance Declaration currently works at:

• Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
• Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ, Terminals 1 and 3)
• Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
• Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG)
• Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)
• Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB)
• Calgary International Airport (YYC)
• Ottawa International Airport (YOW)
• Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
• Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ)\

Flying into somewhere else? You'll declare the traditional way on arrival — no ArriveCAN needed.

Air Travel Only

Advance Declaration is built specifically for air travel. If you're crossing by land or arriving by private boat or cruise ship, you won't use it — land crossings involve a verbal declaration with an officer, and marine arrivals follow their own separate reporting process. And if you're simply connecting through Canada to another international flight without leaving the secure zone, you don't need to declare at all for that leg.

NEXUS and Trusted Traveler Programs

If you're a NEXUS member, take note: NEXUS kiosks aren't currently compatible with Advance Declaration. That's worth confirming again closer to your travel date, since this kind of detail can change, but as things stand, NEXUS travelers use their standard NEXUS kiosk process rather than Advance Declaration.

When to Complete Your Declaration

The 72-Hour Window

You can submit your declaration starting 72 hours before your flight's scheduled arrival in Canada. That gives you a few days of flexibility to fill it out whenever suits you, rather than rushing through it in the airport.

If Your Flight Is Delayed

Flight pushed back past your 72-hour window? Don't worry — there's no penalty. Your submitted declaration simply expires, and you complete it again at the airport kiosk when you land. It's a non-issue, not a problem to solve in advance.

What You Need to Get Started

Before you sit down to fill out your declaration, have these ready:

• A mobile device or computer
• An email address (you'll get a 6-digit verification code, valid for 24 hours)
• Your travel document — passport, or permanent resident card if applicable — since the same one must be presented at the airport kiosk
• Your flight details: flight number, date, and arrival airport
• Information on any goods you're bringing into Canada

Creating Your Account and Submitting Your Declaration

Setting Up Your ArriveCAN Account

Download the app or head to the web version, review the privacy notice, and create your account. You'll choose a password and confirm everything with the 6-digit code sent to your email.

Adding Travelers to Your Group

Traveling with family or a group? You can include up to 8 travelers in a single submission, as long as you're all arriving together. You can also save a traveler profile for future trips — a voluntary feature that stores basic details securely so you're not re-entering everything next time. Trip-specific details still need to be added fresh for each journey, and you can remove a saved profile at any time.

Entering Your Trip and Customs Details

Next, you'll enter your flight information, your purpose of travel, and answer the customs, immigration, and agriculture questions — covering things like currency, commercial goods, food or plant products, gifts, and any controlled items.

Submitting and Receiving Your Confirmation

Once you submit, you'll get a confirmation or receipt in the app or by email. Hold onto this — you'll need it at the airport.

At the Airport: Kiosks, eGates, and Express Lanes

Look for the Advance Declaration express lane when you land, then use a kiosk or eGate to retrieve and certify your declaration. If anything's changed since you submitted — say, you picked up an extra souvenir along the way — you can update it at this stage. From there, it's the standard process: primary inspection, baggage claim, and a final checkpoint before you're on your way. A quick note: exactly how the kiosk retrieves your declaration (whether you need a printed receipt or it's scanned directly from your passport) can vary, so it's worth confirming the current process for your airport before you travel.

Editing Your Declaration

Guidance varies slightly on how late you can make changes — some sources say updates happen at the kiosk or eGate, others suggest you can edit online any time before your flight lands. Either way, the practical takeaway is the same: if something changes, you can always correct it at the kiosk on arrival, so there's no need to stress about getting every detail locked in early.

Other Canada Entry Requirements

Identification and Travel Documents

A valid Canadian passport is your safest bet for international travel — it's the only document universally accepted, and airlines can deny boarding to travelers presenting alternatives like an Enhanced Driver's License in some cases.

Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

If you're a visa-exempt foreign national flying to Canada, you may need an eTA. This is separate from both Advance Declaration and any visa, so double-check whether it applies to you before you fly.

Permanent Residents

You'll need a valid, unexpired PR card to return to Canada. A Certificate of Canadian Citizenship won't work as a travel document.

Traveling with Children

If you share custody, bring your legal custody documents. And if a child is traveling with just one parent, another adult, or a group, a signed consent letter is strongly recommended.

Customs and Duty Allowances

There are thresholds for declaring cash and for duty-free gifts, though exact figures can shift — it's worth checking current CBSA guidance closer to your trip so you know exactly what applies to you.

Frequently Asked Questions