By Jim Hawkins and Ellie Adams The border between Canada and the United States is one of the most fluid and easily crossed in the world. If you're planning to sail to Canada any time soon, you'll want to know about the CanPass—Private Boats program, which may be very useful to help you plan your passage.
Since the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York, many things have changed, the CanPass procedure among them; nevertheless it remains a program that makes clearing customs easier for owners of private pleasure boats and their passengers traveling on waterways between Canada and the US.
The program provides expedited customs and immigration clearances for low-risk, pre-screened boaters. It is a joint initiative of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
As of 2003, boaters could still call a 1-800 number upon entering Canada and, after answering a series of questions satisfactorily, be admitted entry. But if you visit Canada often or if you expect to visit once or twice a season over several seasons, you should consider obtaining a CanPass.
As a member of the CanPass—Private Boat Program, you can call ahead up to four hours of your arrival, recite your CanPass numbers, and in most cases you’re done. Immigration already knows a lot about you having decided in advance that you are a low risk visitor.
However, the application process has become more cumbersome. The form asks many more questions and must be notarized. A form must be filled out by each member of the crew expected to be aboard when entering. If you have someone aboard who is not entered in the CanPass program, you simply use the old system of checking in and your CanPass is temporarily moot. (Note: Much of the information about the CanPass on the internet is out of date. A lot of things changed in 2003 when the new procedures were finalized.)
The information you supply is now verified by Immigration. They no longer simply take you at your word that you are who you say you are. We sent in our applications almost six months before our planned departure from the U S, but the passes did not arrive until after we had left.
About six weeks after we sent in the applications, we called to see if they had been received. The agent quickly found our names in the computer and noted they were in the verification cue. She had no idea what the turnaround time would be. Still, we were comforted by knowing that our application had not simply drifted into the detritus of some bureaucratic backwater.
When we arrived in Canada and called in our arrival, they again found us—still in the verification queue. By now you're probably wondering what is the advantage of all this. However, once you have it, the Canpass is good for five years.
Another change brought about by 9/11 is that the CanPass now costs more.
Still, you could argue that you can see your money at work since the on-site enforcement has certainly increased. In the past, we have never been queried as to our arrival number. In 2003, we were asked twice by immigration officials to produce it. Once, when we could not locate the number quickly, they took our hull number so they could check the computer later promising to be back if they did not find us.
So what to do now?
First, make your application as early as possible prior to your expected entry into Canada in hopes you will get your pass beforehand. But even if you are late in applying, do it anyway, since you will be in the computer and this will make life easier for you in the long run.
Make sure to supply a credit card number to Immigration so that it can conveniently charge you. It appears they do not enter a charge until the pass is actually issued.
You can download applications forms and get information on where to send them and a whole lot more on the web. Just google “CanPass—Private Boat” for information. Click the “Forms and Publications” box. You will get an opportunity to view all forms. You want this one: E672 Alternative Customs Presentation Programs—Application Form.
For additional information, google Seaway Trail Travel Tips, a publication of the Cornell University Seagrant Program and let us know how was your trip to Canada.
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