USA Citizen Sailing From Vancover

[tallperson]

I heard on the radio today of a person being denied entry into Canada today because he did not have enough money.

 

How much money is required to land at the airport and shuttle to the port?

My Celebrity invoice indicates I am already paying in excess of $400 per person "port fee."

 

I had planned on bringing no money into Canada as my entire cruise is pre payed. I have another post on here and the response has been the shuttle takes US credit cards. Why then do I need "money" to enter Canada?

 

I have no plans to be on their welfare or use their socialized medicine.

 

How much money am I required to have to land in Canada?

[Gonzo70]

$257 (Canadian, not U.S.).

[ocngypz]

I've never been asked how much money I was carrying.

 

More than likely, they did not have a return ticket or other transportation back home.

[tallperson]

Not $256.60? Why do I need Canadian money to travel from the airport to the port? I will be in Canada for about four hours.

 

$257 (Canadian, not U.S.).

[rhuntington3]

Not $256.60? Why do I need Canadian money to travel from the airport to the port? I will be in Canada for about four hours.

 

Your going from the port terminal directly to the airport? If so, you don't have to pay any money. Just have your passport and ID.

[Tenn4ever]

I've traveled in foreign countries before and no one has ever asked how much money I have when I cross the border. :rolleyes: What business would it be of theirs how much money I'm carrying on me or if it's in their currency or not? Is this some kind of joke?

[Gonzo70]

Not $256.60? Why do I need Canadian money to travel from the airport to the port? I will be in Canada for about four hours.

 

On the Canadian website there is an exemption form you can fill out and if approved they may reduce the amount to $217, but it is a bit of a gamble - if they reject your request you are required to bring $288 with you in order to be granted entry. Of course this is per/adult, children are obviously less. If you can somehow cut your time to three hours they are far more likely to grant you the exemption. I presume your credit rating is good?

[Carolin]

I get asked every time I go from Detroit to Windsor. How much cash are you carrying? I was never sure why I was asked but I always answer truthfully and with much respect. You do not want to mess with customs regardless of which side of the border.

 

I do know you can be denied entry if you are transporting too much cash across the border.

[discjoker]

The last several times I have entered Canada I have been asked how much cash I have and if I have credit cards or other access to funds (ATM, etc). Seems to be one of the standard questions they ask.

[biker1972]

I've crossed into Canada riding a bicycle and had to give proof that I could support myself for the period of time I planned on being there. I have not had to do that when crossing in my car. But every country can and does stop people from entering as is their right. With valid credentials showing onward travel,it should not be a problem that you only have a few dollars and a credit card. You need the credit card to back you onboard account :D.

[discjoker]

I've traveled in foreign countries before and no one has ever asked how much money I have when I cross the border. :rolleyes: What business would it be of theirs how much money I'm carrying on me or if it's in their currency or not? Is this some kind of joke?

 

This is not a joke and all of the "joking" posts are really not helpful and possibly harmful. They want to make sure that you A: are not transporting excessive amounts of cash into their country and B: you have enough cash and access to cash to be able to do what you need to do in the country and be able to get out.

[ellp]

I have never been asked how much cash I have on my person when I leave and enter Canada, and we've been to the US/Europe/Asia (and back) many times.

 

The only time this was ever mentioned was when Dh went on vacation with his parents as a college student (MANY years ago) and he was flying to Arizona by himself for Christmas break. The immigration officer specifically asked how much money he had on him and was very strict with him when Dh said "none". He only let Dh go once Dh mentioned that he was meeting up with his parents and that they would be financially responsible for him. The officer took Dh at his word for that as Dh had no proof of it.

[Tenn4ever]

This is not a joke and all of the "joking" posts are really not helpful and possibly harmful. They want to make sure that you A: are not transporting excessive amounts of cash into their country and B: you have enough cash and access to cash to be able to do what you need to do in the country and be able to get out.

 

Thank you, discjoker. I placed my inquiry on another forum and got my answer there. It appears that if we have the appropriate documentation, showing our trip tickets etc then we are fine. We do carry credit cards and ATM cards which we use in foreign countries to get the local currency. There will be two of us and it appeared from a couple of the answers that we would need to show that we were carrying over $500 Canadian currency when we entered at the border. I only plan on carrying a very little Canadian currency until I get to Vancouver. Then we will use credit cards and the ATM.

[phinn]

We are flying into Vancouver the day before our cruise and I planned on using a credit card for our transportation to (limo service says they will charge credit card) and hotel (Pan Pacific says the same). I only have to worry about dinner/breakfast. I don't want to concern myself with getting canadian dollars, or for that matter, carrying that much cash on me. Will this be a problem for me?

[fleckle]

We are US citizens who have flown in and out of various Canadian cities many times through the years. We have never been asked how much money we had when entering or leaving Canada, either at an airport or at a cruise port, including Vancouver. About the only thing I recall them asking when arriving was how long we would be in Canada and where we were staying.

 

The only question about money that I can recall is filling out a customs form where it asks if you are carrying more than some very large amount of money -- I don't even remember the amount because we never even came close so it was never a concern.

[jcrandle]

Perhaps this requirement to demonstrate that you have sufficient resources to not be a burden on the government dates back to the to the Yukon gold rush or the 1890s. According to http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Force/en/sovereignty/goldrush/chilkoot/

 

"Clifford Sifton, Canada’s Minister of the Interior, ordered the Mounties to set up customs posts at the Chilkoot and White Pass summits. In February 1898, the police began collecting Canadian customs duties and ensured that all gold seekers had a ton of goods necessary for a year’s survival in the harsh Canadian North. "

 

Even today, several European countries state that you must be able to provide evidence that you have health insurance coverage to enter, though I believe that enforcement is likely done by profiling.

[texkan]

We crossed into Canada via RV. We had no one ask how much money we were carrying. The border guard just ask why the visit and where we were from, showed passports. Was harder to re-enter USA. USA border guards came on the RV, had to question us about where we had been etc. They even took some of the fruit from our refrigerator. They did a short search of the interior of the RV.

 

We ended Alaska cruise in Vancouver and had no problems. We did a special debark from ship to airport. Group was taken off ship to waiting buses. We did customs inspection paperwork on the bus. We were then driven to an special entry at the Vancouver airport to go thru security. Our luggage was taken from ship the last cruise night and we did not see luggage till we arrived at final destination. We did have to pay a fee for this but was worth the money.

[red knight]

I doubt too many people are asked that question, but as long as you have a valid credit card or your ATM card you will be fine. I believe that the maximum amount you can take across the border in either directions is $10,000.00 without declaring it, and this could be an amount that is the same for all countries, I am not sure.

[dennbr9]

Can't believe ANYONE would travel without any Cash?? How do you tip a porter or room service? Are you not getting off the ship at all? I would sooner leave my pants at home then not have Cash!

 

Don't get it.

[discjoker]

I doubt too many people are asked that question,

 

I have traveled into Canada several times in the past year and each and every time I was asked the money question.