Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
The use of this app is mandated by the Canadian government as a pre-requisite to entering Canada. It has nothing to do with the US.
Border opening?
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drrod
Site Supporter
Here is an example of what people may encounter when crossing the border. There may be more to this story but I can't find anything more than what is put forward in the article. I do know, from personal experience, that what happens at the entry point is very much dependent on, not only the point of entry, but on the individual you interact with. Covid has certaily shone a spotlight on the need for clear policies and, perhaps more importantly, the uniform application of those policies.
Probably a bit of bad timing too, they were in a bit of a work to rule mood at the time. Tentative contract now, that kind of stuff should be over, and common sense is sadly lacking sometimes.
However, both sides are discouraging freely crossing in these Covid times, thus the conditions or keeping it closed going to the US for the time being. There are going to be inconveniences, so I'll just pull the plug on any travel plans and wait out whatever they decide.... I don't need it and I'm sure 2022 biking season will be different.
However, both sides are discouraging freely crossing in these Covid times, thus the conditions or keeping it closed going to the US for the time being. There are going to be inconveniences, so I'll just pull the plug on any travel plans and wait out whatever they decide.... I don't need it and I'm sure 2022 biking season will be different.
drrod
Site Supporter
This is true but "essential" travel has always been allowed. The definition of "essential" is not really clear. In the news link I posted, there appears to have been 2 things at play:
1. The US agent determined (based on?) that the visit was not "essential" despite the letter. and
2. The Canadian agent making a determination (based on?) that a quarantine was necessary and ignored (seemingly) the fact that the person had not entered the US.
Another thing that seems to be at play is the relative ease of crossing via air travel as opposed to crossing by land. Several people I know are snow birds. They went south this past winter and came back this spring. Most via air. No real issue either way even though their travel would not have been deemed "essential". Others, recognizing the difference between air and land, hired a transport company to haul the vehicle across the border. They, themselves, flew across, picked up their vehicle and carried on.
sky.high
Site Supporter
Can a Canadian citizen cross a land border back into Canada with a positive Covid test or would they be refused entry (doesn't our constitution forbid this). I've read lots of https://travel.gc.ca/ pages and all I can find a test is requirement but not a test result requirement unless the citizen is recovering from a recent Covid infection in which case a positive test is acceptable.
sky.high
Site Supporter
I know some snowbirds flew domestic within the US to get close to the land boarder then took a rented UHaul across the boarder and drove home
drrod
Site Supporter
I do not think that Canadian citizens or permanent residents could be refused entry into Canada. What is required after entry (eg. testing, quarantine, etc) seems to be nebulous.
CYYJ
Michael
Correct. All countries in the world, with the exception of Australia, permit their own citizens or permanent residents to re-enter their home country regardless of vaccination status, infection status, etc. There are all sorts of different conditions imposed (tests before and after entry, quarantines, etc.), but the main point is that there is an almost universal right return to your home country.
To the best of my knowledge, Australia is the only country that, under certain conditions, may refuse to let a citizen or permanent resident re-enter.
Michael
The article in this link seems to have a reasonably good compilation of the current rules for US Citizens entering Canada as of today.
Canada loosens more travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers | CBC News
Of course, it is a newspaper article, so there is the possibility of inaccuracy.
Canada loosens more travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers | CBC News
Of course, it is a newspaper article, so there is the possibility of inaccuracy.
Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
That is curious about Australia. I wonder if it is as a result of temporary and extraordinary powers enacted by the government because of a health emergency as opposed to routine policy.
I thought that one of the international agreements regarding passports was an agreement whereby the holder of a valid passport could not be refused entry by the country that issued that passport. I have seen it referred to as the right to abode. The right to abode meaning that a citizen of a country has the right, without needing that government's permission, to enter and live in that country, and who cannot be deported from that country. Having a valid passport means that the country who issued it is acknowledging that the holder of the passport has this right, and therefore cannot be refused entry.
This would exclude rare cases where citizenship, and therefore the right to abode, has been revoked of course.
drrod
Site Supporter
Things would get interesting if a person, arriving from a country where they were not a citizen, were refused entry into the next country.
I think they may have made a movie about this.
If you pass border control when leaving but are denied entrance at the next, where do you stand? In many places there is quite some distance (measured in miles) between border controls. Even here in Canada, have you officially entered the country once you step off the plane or do you have to go through customs first?
I think they may have made a movie about this.
If you pass border control when leaving but are denied entrance at the next, where do you stand? In many places there is quite some distance (measured in miles) between border controls. Even here in Canada, have you officially entered the country once you step off the plane or do you have to go through customs first?
amorley
Site Supporter
When we crossed the border into Canada last week, the Canadian Border Agent made it clear that as Canadian Citizens we had an absolute right to enter the country. However, after entering we would be subject to all Canadian laws and regulations. The fine for not having a negative COVID test is $7,500 per person.
drrod
Site Supporter
Andy,
If/when we Canucks can travel to the US, would we be able to get a free PCR test at Walgreens or CVS? I have gone through their sites and, to me, it is not clear.
If/when we Canucks can travel to the US, would we be able to get a free PCR test at Walgreens or CVS? I have gone through their sites and, to me, it is not clear.
CYYJ
Michael
No, there is no such international agreement or treaty that grants any rights to a citizen, acting on their own accord, to enter their home country. There are international agreements regarding deportation that guarantee a country the right to deport a passport holder back to their own country... but those agreements are facilitation agreements between countries, not any sort of guarantee of the rights of an individual.
I think that Australia's actions in this regard are unique and unprecedented. We'll see how it plays out... at present, all the Aussies inside the country are too worried about the spread of COVID to bother worrying about fellow citizens who can't get back in.
It is very common for countries to refuse entry to non-citizens - this happens all the time, for all sorts of reasons.
In practice, a person has not "entered" a country until they have been granted entry by the border control officials of that country. This is a courtesy practice between adjacent border officials, not anything that is enshrined in international law. So if the receiving country doesn't want to accept the person, the country that they just left normally takes them back.
There are all sorts of exceptions to this, though. If you have two countries with adjoining borders who are openly hostile to each other, anything can happen. If a person claims refugee status when arriving at a country, that country is "generally" required to accept them temporarily if the country is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. If a person sneaks into a country, the only way the country can get them out is to either find an adjoining country that is willing to accept them, or ask their country of citizenship to take them back.
Except in the aforementioned case of refugees, a person is not considered to have "entered the country" when disembarking from a flight, ship, or vehicle until the immigration authorities have granted the person permission to enter the country.
Many times during my working career, when I landed in a country for a technical stop (refuelling), I never "entered the country" because the immigration officials couldn't be bothered to come out to the plane. They knew I was just there for refuelling and would be leaving in an hour or two - they had no interest in me at all.
Michael
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Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
Now that I have read what you wrote Micheal, this is actually what I was thinking of but misremembered the details and what it applied to. I had read about this long ago and needed your memory jog.
For Canadians, Canada's constitution grants its citizens the right leave and enter Canada as they wish.
Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
Heres a new twist that may impact some. I am reading reports that in Canada, some provinces are implementing vaccine passports as proof of vaccination to enter businesses, such as restaurants and motel/hotels. Quebec is said to be one of these provinces, while Ontario has said they will not do this. I am planning to head to the maritimes in September meaning a trip through Quebec. I have been fully vaccinated but will not have a passport as we, as of now, do not have them. Starting to wonder if I will have issues. To our friends in Quebec, is this passport an issue or is it hype so far? Any experiences to note? Thanks
Not hype - Québec is implementing the vaccine passport on Sept. 1. How this will impact people travelling to or through the province, I don't know at this point.
New Brunswick had said on July 14th it was not going to do passports but this morning's news release said they are now mulling over the idea.
If I had to guess I'd say New Brunswick will end up with passports if for no other reason than to up the vaccination rate.
The rate has now slowed since the province removed the state of emergency and opened back up as "normal" on August 1st.