Maple News reports that, as of 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on August 9, Canada has reopened its land border to fully vaccinated tourists from the United States after nearly 17 months of pandemic-related closure. This much-anticipated move marks the first phase of Canada easing travel restrictions for foreign nationals.
Currently, the relaxed entry rules apply specifically to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been fully vaccinated with Health Canada-approved vaccines—Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, or Johnson & Johnson. Travellers must have received their final dose at least 14 days prior to their arrival in Canada to qualify.
Fully vaccinated travelers are exempt from quarantine and from taking a day-eight COVID-19 test. However, they must still present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before arrival. Rapid antigen tests are not accepted. Additionally, travelers may be selected randomly for testing upon entry.
Children under the age of 12, who are not yet eligible for vaccination, are allowed to enter Canada when accompanied by fully vaccinated adults. However, they must meet the same testing requirements as unvaccinated travelers, including pre- and post-arrival testing and possible self-isolation, depending on the assessment made at the border.
All inbound travelers—regardless of age—must submit their details via ArriveCAN, a digital platform designed to streamline border entry processes during the pandemic. ArriveCAN is available as a mobile app and a web-based form, and it must be used to submit vaccination credentials, travel and contact information, and a quarantine plan, even for those exempt from isolation.
Travelers are required to upload documents in English or French. If original documents are in another language, certified translations must accompany them. Key information to be submitted includes:
– Contact details for travelers and host locations
– Reason for travel
– Date and port of entry
– Vaccination details and proof
– Countries visited in the previous 14 days (excluding airport layovers)
– Quarantine plan, in case self-isolation becomes required
Although fully vaccinated travelers generally won’t need to quarantine, Canadian officials retain the right to deny entry or impose isolation requirements based on health assessments at the border.
Looking ahead, Canada plans to reopen its borders to other fully vaccinated international travelers on or after September 7, contingent on the COVID-19 situation remaining stable.
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