A couple of weeks ago I was cruising through Toronto Pearson airport (YYZ) chasing my two-year-old when the sign above caught my eye. I quickly snapped a pic so I would remember to look into it on the plane, which I did. Sure enough, CanBorder – eDeclaration is a must-download for Canadian citizens and all of those visiting Canada. It’s basically the country’s version of the U.S.’s Mobile Passport app, which I wrote about here.
The Canadians are improving their border experience, and this app is the latest step in that effort. Travelers no longer need to scramble to handwrite a declaration card upon landing; instead, they can use kiosks (at least at YYZ). And now, for an even faster experience at the Canadian border, they can download the free CanBorder – eDeclaration mobile app for Android, iOS and Blackberry (in true Canadian fashion).
With it, you can:
- Create and store traveler profiles.
- Prepare your declaration in advance and generate a quick response (QR) code.
- Upon arrival, immediately scan your QR code at a Primary Inspection Kiosk. Do not select a language. For easy QR code scanning, follow the on-screen instructions on the kiosk.
Here’s who can use it:
- Most travelers arriving in Canada by air, including returning residents and all foreign nationals visiting Canada.
- Ineligible travelers include unaccompanied minors and travelers with non-machine readable travel documents.
eDeclaration can only be used at Canadian airports where Primary Inspection Kiosks are available. Here’s the list of eligible ports so far:
- Winnipeg Richardson International Airport (YWG)
- Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ)
- Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB)
- Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)
- Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
- Terminal 3 – Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
- Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
- Ottawa International Airport (YOW)
Have you tried it? I use NEXUS, and I can’t imagine this would be quicker as I currently zip through Canadian Immigration using it.
Related: How to See How Long the Security Line Is at Canadian Airports
