Canada border crossing

[rchcfi]

Gents,

I'm heading to Canada in the next few weeks and wondered what was involved with customs, flightplanning, etc. It's in a C414 so I don't have to worry about the TFSSP (APIS). It will be my first time out of the country, and I was just wondering what to expect. Thanks!

 

[Flying Illini]

Going to Canada is fairly easy and pain free. They have a phone number for CANPASS which is a line to customs. You call and let them know that you are Cessna 414 NXXXX and you are on the ground at XXXX. They usually then say, "OK, you're clear to go." At that time you may exit the aircraft and proceed as normal.

Of course this is after you have filed your flight plan and all and you must contact customs by phone before you leave at least one hour before your scheduled ETA. You have a 15min (or is it 30?) window on either side of your scheduled arrival time to give CANPASS a call. Usually we don't have a problem but the lady gave me some crap on Wednesday when we arrived 35 min. after our scheduled arrival time. Unforcast winds, extreme vectoring, and heavy traffic conspired against us. When I called I stated our arrival time and she got on me saying we were 35 minutes past our scheduled arrival time...I lied and said that my watch only had 30 minutes past. Eitherway, she was gruff but we had no problems. I have never spoken to a Canadian customs officer.

Make sure you have things in order though when coming back to the states! It seems that some customs officers are nice and others are intent upon making your day into a very bad one. We've had both. Have your paperwork and passports (pilot license and medical too) at the ready as well as your passengers documents.

I haven't looked but I would assume that AOPA has a section on flying to Canada.

Enjoy....Eh?!

 

[flyer172r]

AOPA does have a section on going to Canada. I flew to Calgary "aboot" a month ago and we had to hit a 15-minute window. There's some subtle differences in Canadian ATC, just enough to remind you you're not in the U.S. Examples: It's not "Calgary Approach" it's "Calgary Arrival." And frequencies don't have points, they have decimals. Overall I enjoyed it.

 

[ACT700]

Going to Canada is a piece of cake. Call 888-CAN-PASS at least an hour before your proposed ETA. Then call them after you land. Sometimes customs will come out to your plane, sometimes they won't; if not, the FBO should have Canadian immigration forms for you and pax to fill out.
Coming back can be interesting, depending on where you come back to.
Have all your paperwork in order, and whatever you do do not get of the plane until the customs person "allows" you to. And you might want to find out beforehand what the procedure is for clearing inbound at the airport you plan to use. (In YIP, if your not "in the circle", only God can help you then! Coming to think of it, this would have made a great Seinfeld episode: The Circle!!)

Good luck, and have fun.

Oh, I would check on that APIS thing with US Customs before you leave; if you're a commercial operator-air ambulance?!

 

[Computer Geek]

Here is the Canpass website. have a look through it before you call.

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel/canpass/menu-e.html

cg

 

[TAG2]

Canpass

You must call at least 2 HOURS PRIOR to arrival and not more than 48 hours prior. When you call and set up your arrival, get a badge number from the Customs Officer. Also, you will get a report number when you land and are cleared. Write it down and hang onto it in case you need to prove you cleared.

 

[trip]

Sounds like its still pretty painless for GA crossing over into Canada. Airline crews are getting the royal treatment, no entry if you have a misdemeanor on your record in the last five years!! A very long and spendy process if you have one in the last ten!! Getting to be way to much hassel for what its worth.

 

[noslonlo]

Apis?

What is APIS?
Thanks

 

[ex j-41]

Apis

Advanced Passenger Information System.

If you are 135 and carrying pax you need to go to this very barbaric system of informing Immigration (homeland security) the names of the pax that you are carrying. This is so they have a heads up of which terrorist is entering the country. I think maybe the IRS wants to know if there are some people of interest entering as well.

Go to www.nbaa.org and they can help you out. If you do not
do this there is a $10,000 fine for each person. OUCH!!!

 

[EatSleepFly]

Gents,

I'm heading to Canada in the next few weeks and wondered what was involved with customs, flightplanning, etc. It's in a C414 so I don't have to worry about the TFSSP (APIS). It will be my first time out of the country, and I was just wondering what to expect. Thanks!

Are you 91 or 135? Freight or pax? It makes a difference.

Edit: I'm retarded. I assume you're 91 since you posted it in the Corporate section. So, what they all said...

 

[cvsfly]

Gents,

I'm heading to Canada in the next few weeks ...... It's in a C414 so I don't have to worry about the TFSSP (APIS). .......

As indicated, you maybe confusing people with this. The tone and placement of the post suggests you are part 91. If 135 you need to look into a number of things. Your Ops Spec and company manual for one. A certificate of insurance I believe must on file file with NavCanada and there may be an air carrier fee? TFSSP and APIS are not necessarily connected (although most of the info about APIS has been on the TFSSP board). APIS still applies for US entry of a commercial operator regardless of aircraft weight (outbound is still optional at this time).

 

[cptsesso]

I was just up there last week dropping off our plane for paint and interior.

Tag2 is correct in saying 2 hrs prior notice for Canpass.

If you have never been there before, when you initially call Canpass to set things up, you will have to give them the A/C registration information along with names, dates of birth and citizenship for all persons on the aircraft. They will also need to know your destination airport, FBO and reason for the trip (pleasure, business, etc).

When you land, if the airport is not serviced by a Canadian Customs Facility, you again call Canpass and tell them NXXX has arrived at C blah blah blah airport. If all is well, they will give you a report number and you are on your way.

If they have a Customs facility there, they will usually come out to greet you and look you over.

Very simple procedure. The real pain is returning back to the US. Some guys are nice, some are real pric*^.

 

[421Driver]

The 2 hour notice is right on. I've sat on hold for 40 minutes with Can-Pass and had to delay a departure on one occasion, now I always call the night before. Certain airports are only "open" for customs during certain seasons and then during certain hours. You can go into these airports from the US only when customs is "open" Otherwise you'll clear at some other airport and continue on (just like the states). The nice thing about Canada customs is that it is completely standardized, very much unlike the US. Every agent wants to see something different.

On another note, if you are 135, you'll need and international carrier bond (insurance form) before hopin' over to our buds to the north. (or south if you are in Detroit)

 

[aeronautic1]

US Customs User Decal

And in Canada it's called a dekle.


Make sure your Shedgual is planned ahead. Eh?

And when in Gander, stay at the world famous SIMBAD HOTEL