When you arrive at the border, a Canadian Border Security Agency officer may ask you for a passport. U.S. citizens don't need a passport but should carry photo identification and proof of citizenship, such as a citizenship or naturalization certificate or a birth certificate. Legal permanent residents of either Canada or the U.S. should carry their permanent resident card.
If you have questions about required documentation, contact the nearest Canadian consulate, embassy or high commission.
When you cross the Canadian border, you also must convince the Border Services officer you have the means to support yourself and your family while in Canada such as travelers' checks, pay stubs, bank statement or proof of employment. You also must convince the officer you will leave at the end of your stay. Otherwise, you can be denied entry.
A Border Services officer can deny you entry to Canada for any reason and does not have to tell you why. The list ranges from being a security risk to having a serious communicable disease to having a felony conviction. The most familiar reason for denying entry is a DUI conviction. Canada's criminal justice system recognizes "criminal" and "non-criminal" offenses and classifies "impaired driving" as the former. If your driver's license was suspended due to DUI, you will be denied entry even if the charge was reduced in court.
If you have a criminal or DUI conviction, you can apply for "rehabilitation" at an embassy or consulate five years after your sentence ended, including parole or probation. You also must convince the customs officer that future criminal activity is unlikely. Applications usually cost $200 but can cost $1,000 if the offense is serious enough to require ministerial authority. Approval can take more than a year, so plan ahead. "Deemed rehabilitation" also is available from an immigration officer for people with one previous conviction more than 10 years old.
Canada classifies firearms into non-restricted, restricted and prohibited. Most hunting rifles and shotguns are non-restricted and can be brought temporarily into Canada for competition, transit through the country, hunting when in season or personal protection in remote areas. Hunting rifles must be properly stored, and the person must be older than 18.
Handguns, pepper spray and mace are restricted. Bringing a restricted firearm into Canada requires an "authorization to transport permit" in advance from a provincial or territorial chief firearms officer. Prohibited firearms include fully automatic, converted automatic, assault-type weapons, handguns with a barrel shorter than 4 inches, and certain knives, even those used for hunting or fishing. You must declare in writing all firearms or other weapons in your possession when entering Canada. If you are caught with a firearm or other weapon after denying you had one, it will be seized and never returned. Weapon storage facilities often are available near border crossings.
Radar detectors also are prohibited in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, the Yukon and Northwest Territories and can be seized, whether in use or not.
