Canada-U.S. Border Crossing Updates: What Travellers Should Know Now

For most Canadian and U.S. citizens, the usual land-border document rules remain in place, but travellers should carry valid passports or other approved identification whenever possible.
Check live wait times before leaving, especially near Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, where construction is expected to cause delays until winter 2027.
Important updates include Canada’s upcoming surtaxes on certain U.S. goods, the end of the Remote Area Border Crossing permit program and new U.S. preclearance service at Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport.

Canada-U.S. border crossing updates for September 2026

Cross-border travel between Canada and the United States is operating normally for most visitors, but there are several details worth checking before you leave. The biggest practical issues right now are documentation, live wait times, goods declarations and a few program changes affecting specific travellers.

This guide is current as of September 6, 2026. Border conditions and entry decisions can change quickly, so use the official wait-time and travel-document tools before setting out.

What documents do you need at the land border?

Canadian citizens travelling to the United States

Canadian citizens generally do not need a visitor visa for ordinary tourism or short business visits to the United States. At a land or sea crossing, accepted documents can include a valid Canadian passport, an enhanced driver’s licence or enhanced identification card, a NEXUS card, or another approved Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative document.

Canadian citizens entering the United States by air should carry a valid passport. A NEXUS card may be accepted for eligible travel from Canada, but travellers should confirm the requirements with their airline and the departure airport before travelling.

Canadian passports generally only need to be valid for the planned period of travel when entering the United States. They do not usually need an additional six months of validity beyond the intended departure date.

U.S. citizens travelling to Canada

U.S. citizens should carry a valid U.S. passport when entering Canada. Canada may also accept other documents proving identity and citizenship, including a passport card, enhanced driver’s licence, enhanced identification document, or certain citizenship documents with photo identification.

A U.S. citizen visiting Canada for tourism generally does not need a Canadian visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization when travelling with a valid U.S. passport. Entry is still decided by a Canada Border Services Agency officer, and travellers must meet Canada’s admissibility requirements.

Permanent residents and other foreign nationals

Canadian permanent residents returning to Canada should bring a valid permanent resident card or permanent resident travel document, along with the travel document required by their nationality.

U.S. permanent residents visiting Canada should carry a valid passport and proof of U.S. permanent resident status. Depending on nationality and how they travel, they may also need a Canadian visa or other authorization.

Canadian residents who are not Canadian citizens may need a U.S. visa or an approved ESTA if they are citizens of a Visa Waiver Program country. ESTA rules can apply to eligible Visa Waiver travellers arriving at a U.S. land border, not only those flying.

Check border wait times before you leave

Wait times can change during weekends, holidays, major events, construction and periods of heavy summer traffic. The most useful step is to check the official live tools shortly before departure and again before choosing an alternate crossing.

For travel from the United States into Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency publishes estimated traveller wait times at major crossings.
For travel from Canada into the United States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection provides its Border Wait Times tool for northern-border ports of entry.
Traffic on the bridge, tunnel or highway approaching the port may add time that is not included in the inspection estimate.

One significant current disruption is at Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle on Highway 15 in Quebec. Redevelopment of the primary inspection area is expected to continue until winter 2027, and travellers are being warned to expect higher-than-normal delays. If you are travelling through southern Quebec, compare nearby crossings before committing to your route.

NEXUS and faster border processing

NEXUS remains the main expedited-crossing option for pre-approved, low-risk travellers who regularly move between Canada and the United States. Members can use designated lanes at participating land crossings and special processing options at selected airports and marine reporting locations.

Every person using a dedicated NEXUS or other trusted-traveller lane must meet the lane’s requirements. Do not assume that one cardholder can bring non-members through a restricted lane.

NEXUS applicants must complete background checks by both countries and attend an interview at an enrollment centre. The membership fee for adults is currently listed as US$120 for five years, while applicants under 18 can apply without the fee under the program rules.

Travellers should also check lane hours and crossing availability before leaving. A NEXUS lane may not be open at every port or at every hour.

What to declare at the border

Whether you are entering Canada or the United States, you must declare goods, food, plants, animals, firearms, currency and other items covered by customs rules. When in doubt, declare the item and let the border officer decide whether it is allowed.

Canadian residents returning home should review personal exemption limits for purchases, alcohol and tobacco. Visitors entering Canada should check restrictions on food, plants, animal products and medications. Cannabis remains a major border issue: taking cannabis across the Canada-U.S. border is illegal, even if it was legally purchased or used in the country where you started your trip.

Firearms and weapons require particular care. Rules differ between Canada and the United States, and an item that is legal in one country may be restricted or prohibited in the other. Do not pack a firearm, ammunition or weapon for a casual cross-border trip without confirming the applicable import and transport requirements first.

Upcoming and recent changes travellers should know

Canadian surtaxes on certain U.S. goods begin September 8

Canada is scheduled to impose surtaxes on certain goods from the United States beginning September 8, 2026. This is mainly a customs and importing issue rather than a new passport or visa requirement for ordinary tourists.

Travellers returning to Canada with purchases should keep receipts, accurately describe what they bought and be prepared for questions about value, origin and intended use. The surtax treatment depends on the product, so do not assume that every U.S.-made item will be charged the same way.

Remote Area Border Crossing permits are being phased out

Canada’s Remote Area Border Crossing program is scheduled to be replaced by telephone reporting on December 1, 2026. Existing RABC permits remain valid until 11:59 p.m. on November 30, 2026, but new applications are no longer being accepted.

The change affects people entering Canada through remote areas of northern Ontario or from the Northwest Angle into southern Manitoba. After the transition, travellers will need to report in person at a port of entry or at a designated telephone reporting site.

U.S. preclearance at Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport

U.S.-bound travellers using Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport can now complete U.S. customs and immigration preclearance before departure. This can make connections and arrival in the United States more convenient, but passengers still need to arrive early enough for airport security and preclearance processing.

A simple checklist before crossing

Confirm that every traveller has an acceptable identification and citizenship document.
Check the official wait time for both your preferred crossing and at least one backup crossing.
Review the hours for regular, NEXUS, pedestrian and commercial lanes if applicable.
Pack receipts and know the value of purchases you are bringing across.
Declare all food, plants, animals, weapons, cannabis, currency and other controlled items.
If travelling with a child who is not accompanied by both parents or legal guardians, carry a signed consent letter and custody documents when applicable.
Allow extra time for construction, bridge traffic, weather and secondary inspection.

Border officers in either country can ask about the purpose of the trip, where you are staying, how long you plan to remain and what you are bringing with you. Answer clearly and truthfully, and keep important documents easy to reach rather than buried in luggage.

Helpful Links

Canada Border Services Agency travel information – Review Canadian entry documents, customs rules, traveller exemptions, restricted goods and border procedures.
Canada-U.S. border wait times – Check current estimated traveller wait times for major crossings from the United States into Canada.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Wait Times – Check current wait-time information for U.S. ports of entry, including northern-border crossings.
Canadian travel and identification documents – Verify which identity and citizenship documents may be accepted when entering Canada.
U.S. entry documents for Canadian citizens and residents – Review U.S. land, sea and air entry documents, child-document rules and visitor information.
NEXUS program information – Apply for NEXUS, review eligibility and find participating land crossings, airports and marine locations.
Canada rules for visitors and goods – Find current information about who can enter Canada, what visitors can bring and upcoming customs changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do Canadians need a passport to drive into the United States?

A. A passport is the simplest option, but it is not the only document accepted at a land border. Canadian citizens may also use certain enhanced driver’s licences, enhanced identification cards, NEXUS cards and other approved travel documents. Requirements are different for air travel, where a valid passport is generally required.

Q. Do Americans need a passport to drive into Canada?

A. U.S. citizens should travel with a valid U.S. passport whenever possible. Canada may accept other proof of identity and citizenship, including some enhanced driver’s licences and citizenship documents, but carrying a passport usually creates the fewest complications.

Q. Can I bring cannabis across the Canada-U.S. border?

A. No. Crossing the international border with cannabis is illegal, even when cannabis is legal in the province, territory or U.S. state where you bought it.

Q. Are the new Canadian surtaxes a new fee for every border traveller?

A. No. The September 8, 2026 change concerns surtaxes on certain U.S. goods. It is not a blanket entry fee or a new passport charge. Travellers bringing purchases into Canada should declare them accurately and keep receipts.