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  4. CBP Provides Travel Tips for Canadian Holiday Weekend

CBP Provides Travel Tips for Canadian Holiday Weekend

Release Date
Wed, 07/26/2017

PEMBINA, N.D. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations is reminding both Americans and Canadians to ensure they have proper documents when crossing into the United States during the upcoming holiday weekend. Also, travelers are advised to expect heavy traffic volumes due to the holiday.

Pembina Port of Entry
The Pembina Port of Entry is urging
travelers to be prepared for the upcoming
holiday weekend in Canada.

All individuals must have approved travel documents when entering the United States. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires U.S. and Canadian citizens, age 16 and older to present a valid, acceptable travel document, such as a passport, a U.S. passport card, a trusted traveler card (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry or FAST/EXPRES), a permanent resident card or an enhanced driver’s license. Enhanced driver’s licenses denote both identity and citizenship and are accepted by CBP when entering the United States by land or sea. U.S. and Canadian citizens under age 16 may present a birth certificate or alternative proof of citizenship when entering by land or sea. All travelers must have a passport book for international air travel.

Border traffic volumes are expected to significantly increase during the weekend of Aug. 4 through 7, all travelers are reminded of a few simple steps they can employ to cross the border more efficiently.

1. Beat the border rush

Cross during off-peak times, such as before 6 a.m. or after 2 p.m. Most lines at the border start building in the morning and carry on into early afternoon.

Wait times for the ports of International Falls, Minnesota, and Pembina, North Dakota, can be monitored at apps.cbp.gov information is updated hourly and is useful in planning trips and identifying periods of light use/short waits.

2. Keep travel documents handy

Make sure each passenger has the correct travel document accessible and ready to give to the CBP officer.

If you are a frequent international traveler and haven’t already become a member of a trusted traveler program, sign up now. For more information, please visit the Trusted Traveler section of the CBP website.

3. Know what food products can be imported

Many fruits, meats, dairy, and poultry products are prohibited from being imported into the United States from Canada.

For more information, please visit the Bringing Agriculture Products Into the United States section of the CBP website.

4. Know the contents of your vehicles and be prepared to declare all items

Travelers are required to declare all items being imported into the United States from Canada. If you are not sure about what to declare, do not hesitate to ask the CBP officer.

Travelers should familiarize themselves with the “Know Before You Go” brochure or section of www.CBP.gov.

For information on weather or road conditions in North Dakota and Minnesota visit the following websites: www.dot.nd.gov and www.511mn.org

Our dual mission is to facilitate legitimate travel and trade into the United States while securing our borders, our people and our visitors from people and things that would do us harm such as terrorists and terrorist weapons, criminals, and contraband.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021