Travellers can submit customs declaration in advance and save time at the airport
EDMONTON, AB, March 22, 2023 /CNW/ – The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is exploring safe, secure and innovative ways to deliver a better and faster border experience for travellers entering Canada.
Starting today, Advance Declaration is available to all travellers arriving on international flights at the Edmonton International Airport (YEG). Express lanes are also available in the customs areas for travellers who complete their Advance Declaration to skip line-ups for Primary Inspection Kiosks (PIK).
Advance Declaration provides travellers with the option to submit their customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours in advance of their arrival in Canada. Travellers can now spend less time at PIKs when they arrive at the airport, resulting in shorter wait times at the border.
To modernize and expedite the travel experience, Advance Declaration is already available to travellers arriving on international flights at the following Canadian airports:
- Calgary (YYC)
- Halifax Stanfield (YHZ)
- Toronto Pearson (YYZ)
- Montreal – Trudeau (YUL)
- Winnipeg Richardson (YWG)
- Quebec City Jean- Lesage (YQB)
- Billy Bishop Toronto City (YTZ)
- Ottawa Macdonald- Cartier (YOW)
- Vancouver (YVR)
Advance Declaration is part of CBSA’s Traveller Modernization initiative, which is being implemented over the coming years. Modernizing the travel experience includes the use of digital technologies and tools for both travellers and border services officers.
Quotes
“With Advance Declaration and express lanes now available at Edmonton International Airport, travellers can enjoy a faster border experience. This is one example of how we are modernizing Canada’s borders, and we’re happy to work with partners like the Edmonton Airport Authority, to make this digital option available to travellers.”
– Brad Wozny, Regional Director General, Prairie Region, CBSA
“CBSA has the integral role of providing border control, immigration and customs services at Edmonton International Airport (YEG). While safety and security are always our top priorities, we aim to deliver an efficient and positive experience for our traveler’s journey throughout the airport, including navigating their border crossing. We welcome CBSA’s Advance Declaration and are certain our passengers will be pleased to experience a better and faster border experience at YEG.”
– Steve Maybee, VP, Operations, Infrastructure and Corporate Communications, Edmonton International Airport
Quick facts
- Early usage data shows that using the Advance Declaration feature in ArriveCAN cuts the amount of time a traveller spends at a PIK or eGate by roughly one third.
- A traveller can submit a customs and immigration declaration at any point within 72 hours before their arrival in Canada. Travellers can also edit their declaration, if needed, at the airport kiosk once they arrive. The declaration is not finalized until it has been confirmed at the airport kiosk.
- Personal information provided by travellers through ArriveCAN is protected under the Privacy Act. For more information, see the ArriveCAN privacy notice. Advance CBSA Declaration has an additional privacy notice that is presented to users upon accessing the feature. It offers end-to-end encryption for information the traveller transmits to the CBSA in advance of their arrival in Canada.
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