International arrivals always follow the same path at YVR, and it's impossible to avoid. You'll move from your arrival gate across the top of the main YVR terminal before you descend to the arrivals floor where customs officers, or Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers, wait to take your passport and customs declaration card. Depending on the length of your trip and what you are carrying into Canada, you may be asked some additional questions or be sent to additional screening. Check the CBSA website for a full list of prohibited goods and restricted items.
When flying out of Vancouver to a destination in the United States, you'll pass through US Customs and Border Protection at YVR. This makes for more time spent at the airport upon departure, but speeds up your arrival in the U.S. Even if your flight transits through a U.S. airport, you need to pass through U.S. Customs and Border Protection at YVR. Have a completed U.S. Declaration Card with you; you must fill it out before checking in for your flight, and can find these cards throughout the U.S.A. Departures Area at YVR.
YVR underwent a major face lift for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, when Vancouver saw a huge influx of tourists and travelers. YVR added electronic customs kiosks to handle the volume. These kiosks scan your passport and customs declaration card for you and, for the most part, allow you to bypass a customs officer. When you receive your scanned and approved card from the machine, you still have to pass it to a person as you pass through the customs area, but you don't have to wait in the regular customs lines.
YVR also has CANPASS and Nexus kiosks for Canadian arrivals and U.S.-bound travelers respectively. Both of these services require membership and you have to apply before traveling to use the expedited customs areas. The U.S.-based Nexus system requires a card that you insert into a Nexus terminal in addition to your passport. CANPASS uses biometrics to scan your retina after you scan your passport to verify your identity.
