Canada has reopened the borders: vaccine, ETA and Arrive CAN. Here's everything you need
Finally on September 7, Canada reopened its borders to the whole world, unlike the United States [...]
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Finally on September 7. Canada has reopened its borders to the whole world, unlike the United States that are still closed For us residents of the European Union.
Since many people have written to me for information regarding documents, checks and requirements, I will try to give a quick summary of what is needed to enjoy a vacation in the state with the maple leaf on the flag.
Rules for entering Canada
The first is to possess the electronic visa, ETA. Very similar to the U.S. ESTA, you apply online and get the outcome in real time. The cost is 7 Canadian dollars. You will not be able to board a plane without this authorization: if you do not have the ETA code, in fact, the staff at the check-in counter will not be able to issue boarding passes. Fortunately, however, if you find out at the airport that you forgot this important step, doing it online takes 3 minutes and the go-ahead, as mentioned, is immediate.
The second is to be vaccinated, all vaccines in use on Italian soil are considered "valid," thus including AstraZeneca, which is not currently recognized by the United States. And having a PCR buffer negative performed within 72 hours of boarding the first flight. This applies whether you board a direct flight from Italy to Canada or take off for an intermediate stop (on the same itinerary).
The third is to have completed the Arrive-Can form: this should be done online in the last 72 hours before departure, then when you have the result of the PCR swab. You are asked about the type of vaccine you received, dates, travel plans, and whether you have the option to carry out quarantine in Canada, as well as other related questions. It is important to answer truthfully, NOT having a quarantine location or plan will not result in a negative outcome on the issuance of the Arrive-Can code.
IMPORTANT, there are sites that aim to "scam" the user asking for money for this document, they are just SCAMs, theThe official site is this one and only here you have to set the data. There is also a very convenient APP that you can install on your smartphone.
The fourth is to be insured for the trip. It is not mandatory, but if a swab costs 150€ I leave you to imagine what a quarantine or even worse a hospitalization might cost. I have taken advantage of the free insurance, including for Covid-19, included in my credit card. Considering that travel insurance for a week for two adults and a child costs no less than 3/400€ and covers much less than what my American Express Platinum, I highly recommend it to everyone those who are planning such a trip: between benefits, lounges, travel vouchers and precisely insurance that also covers any rental car, it pays for itself.
Arrival at the border
When you arrive at customs you will have to go through the electronic document control kiosks and obtain the corresponding "receipt." At this point you will proceed to the usual check by customs. The checks are the same as in the "world before," except that you are required to show your vaccine documentation and Arrive-Can.
Life in Canada
If you want to rent a car, all you need is an Italian driver's license, so don't leave it at home otherwise you will be forced to walk.
As of September 22 in Ontario, but also in other Canadian provinces, you must show ID and vaccination certificate to sit down to eat/drink in any restaurant or other food-related business. They are very strict about complying with the requirement and it also applies to breakfast in hotels.
The vaccine is also required to enter many non-essential activities such as cinemas, casinos and gyms. I must say from personal experience that they are very strict in enforcing the ban. In addition, it is fair to mention that currently the land border between the U.S. and Canada is closed in the direction of the U.S., this means that it will not be possible to cross the bank and go to see Niagara Falls from the opposite side until probably November.
Return to Italy
Canada is currently one of the few destinations where you can go from Italy for any kind of reason, so that includes tourism. There are currently no covid-tested flights, so a negative swab must be presented before boarding for re-entry.
I used Vector Health's service, they have several locations scattered around the Toronto area, it is not cheap. I used the service with same-day result at a cost of 199 CAD + tax: if the test is done by 4 p.m., the result is emailed by 6 p.m. on the day you take the test, otherwise by 2 a.m. the next morning. There are also locations directly at the airport if needed, and the cost of the test within 2 hours is 350 CAD plus tax.
Before boarding the plane it is necessary to complete the PLF which will be requested at the time of check-in by the checking staff along with precisely the result of the swab.
- 300 € cashback at over 1400 restaurants
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