Canada opens borders to Fully Vaccinated Americans

American tourists can now visit Canada for the first time since the pandemic. USA Today reports that Canada opened its borders to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents at 12:01 a.m. Monday.

The moment couldn’t arrive any sooner for loved ones who’ve been apart for more than a year, and many Canadian business owners are excited for vaccinated American visitors.

“Let’s get this thing going,” said Joel Villanueva, owner of Primo’s Mexican Grill in White Rock, British Columbia. “A lot of our customers are from the United States, and we are literally minutes from across the border. We welcome our Americans, and we depend on their foot traffic.”

Know Before You Go…

While Canadian borders have reopened, Americans can’t just hop in a car or on a plane. Travelers will need to submit proof of vaccination and other travel details to the Canadian government’s ArriveCAN platform at least 72 hours before arriving in the country, whether traveling by land or air.

Travelers are advised to keep their test results, proof of vaccination and a list of close contacts and locations visited on hand. Most Americans will need to be fully vaccinated to visit Canada, having received their last shot at least 14 days before entering the country.

Unvaccinated children who are under age 12 or dependent due to a mental or physical condition can enter Canada with a fully vaccinated parent or guardian who is eligible to enter the county.

People with health conditions that prevent them from becoming fully vaccinated can qualify for eased quarantine and testing requirements but must follow a modified quarantine.

Vaccinated travelers don’t need to quarantine unless they show COVID-19 symptoms. However, all visitors must prepare quarantine plans.

Regardless of vaccination status, everyone will also need to provide negative COVID-19 test results and upload all their travel information to the ArriveCAN platform.

And don’t forget your passport!  A valid passport is required to visit Canada. However, a tourist visa is not required for stays under 180 days.

Passport appointments have been scarce for months as hopeful travelers flood passport offices with applications. Pent-up demand has ballooned wait times to 12-to-18 weeks, according the State Department.

Wait times to enter Canada by land varied widely by location on Monday. There was no delay at the Cornwall entry near Rooseveltown, New York, and Douglas Peace Arch near Blaine, Washington. However the wait was two hours long at St. Stephen 3rd Bridge near Calais, Maine, and seven hours long at the Fort Frances Bridge near International Falls, Minnesota. Travelers can check the latest wait times by clicking here.

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