Canada officials say vaxx req for visitors, random testing to end by 30 Sept.2022
Jul 7, 2021, 4:51 am
#1111
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: YUL
Posts: 1,001
I'm returning to Canada Saturday and I have a weird problem with the app. I simply can't find the newest version in the app store. I'm fully vaccinated, so I really wouldn't want to spend any of my precious home time in some hotel. But I can only see the version 2.19.9 released on June 29. Is there any trick to download the July 5 version?
Just go to your updates on the app store, you do not need to download a new app, just update the old one. It was updated on the 5th.
Jul 7, 2021, 5:49 am
#1112
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,190
Here is my experience returning to Canada today. Canadian citizens, fully vaxxed, flying into YVR. I filled out ArriveCan yesterday and uploaded my CDC card. It showed an I next to my name for Immunized. On arrival, it took maybe 45 seconds to get through CBSA. We have Nexus so walked right up to an agent but the line for regular agents was pretty long. One girl said she had been waiting 2 hours so presumably, a full flight had come in just before us. I had everything ready; ArriveCan code, test results and CDC vaccine cards. It literally took less than a minute. The guard told us we do not have to isolate at all, even while waiting for our arrival test results, that we were totally free to go with no restrictions. He gave us each a handout and said to read it. I just stuck it in my bag but, as I later learned, make sure you keep it handy as that is your only proof that you have been cleared/exempted from quarantine because of being vaccinated through the next parts of the process. You exit as normal (after collecting any checked bags), handing in your CBSA form. LifeLabs is set up just past the doors. You are directed to the left if you haven’t registered (super long line) and to the right if you have preregistered, which I had done, and there were maybe 5 people there. They check your registration and ask for that handout from CBSA. I could hear at least three other people saying they threw it out. Fortunately I still had ours because without it, you can’t prove your vaxed status as verified by CBSA. Interestingly, even though I used my Nexus number to register with LifeLabs (they give you a choice of passport or Nexus), they will not accept a Nexus card as ID. They insisted on my passport which was buried in my bag. It annoyed me as what was the point of allowing me to use it to register if they don’t accept it as ID? Anyway, you then walk out the doors to the public arrivals area and get in line for the actual test. There were maybe 20 people ahead of us but it went very fast. There are a lot of testing stations. They ask again for that CBSA handout so keep it ready. After your test, as you walk out, there is a person there who hands out the day 8 test. They want to see that handout one more time. No day 8 test for the fully vaxxed and they just wave you on once you show that handout. That’s it. We are totally free as of now and the whole process from plane seat to sidewalk took about 15 minutes. It would have been a whole lot longer without Nexus, if I wasn’t organized and had everything ready, and especially being pre-registered with Lifelabs. Below is a screenshot of the front and back of the handout from CBSA that you have to show at least three times.
Jul 7, 2021, 6:17 am
#1113
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YXU
Programs: AC SE100K, National E/E, HH Diamond, IHG Diamond, MB, Avis PC
Posts: 971
Jul 7, 2021, 8:04 am
#1114
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,844
I have far less of a problem with Canada closing off the country to foreigners, than Australia preventing its citizens from leaving then come back in mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine which would be quite safe if the quarantine process was well designed (and if not well designed, then it's their fault). Totally unnecessary to hold people hostage, and huge overkill.
Jul 7, 2021, 8:17 am
#1115
Join Date: Feb 2021
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, HH Gold, EK Silver, AC 50K
Posts: 20
Just to report, my experience entering Canada being fully vaccinated was relatively smooth.
I flew into YYZ T3 on July 5, having filled out ArriveCan that morning with a PDF copy of my vaccination card (same PDF for both shots). The app marked my name with an "I" to signify that I was immunized. Upon arrival at YYZ, took the NEXUS lane and went straight to an officer. The officer was getting used to the new system, but was relatively efficient with processing the documentation. She confirmed that I would be required to quarantine until my arrival test results arrived, provided me with the handout and placed a green sticker on my passport. After baggage claim, I was required to show the green sticker to both the customs officer at the exit and the employees directing people between exiting Canada and getting on a connecting flight.
Once outside the secure zone, I was directed into the registration lane for Switch Health (despite being pre-registered). The process took about a minute as they looked up my pre-registered information using my passport. Afterwards, I showed the green sticker to both the nurse taking my COVID test and to a booth at the end of the testing area. At the booth, they requested to see both my handout and passport, upon which they placed a sticker stating the dates of my arrival and Day 8 test. I asked about the need to take a Day 8 test, being fully vaxxed and all, but was told that the sticker was just them following the process and I would not be required to take a Day 8 test.
Finally, I was directed to exit from a door halfway down the terminal, and was required to show the green sticker at least three times along the way to various employees to prove that I was not escaping hotel quarantine.
I flew into YYZ T3 on July 5, having filled out ArriveCan that morning with a PDF copy of my vaccination card (same PDF for both shots). The app marked my name with an "I" to signify that I was immunized. Upon arrival at YYZ, took the NEXUS lane and went straight to an officer. The officer was getting used to the new system, but was relatively efficient with processing the documentation. She confirmed that I would be required to quarantine until my arrival test results arrived, provided me with the handout and placed a green sticker on my passport. After baggage claim, I was required to show the green sticker to both the customs officer at the exit and the employees directing people between exiting Canada and getting on a connecting flight.
Once outside the secure zone, I was directed into the registration lane for Switch Health (despite being pre-registered). The process took about a minute as they looked up my pre-registered information using my passport. Afterwards, I showed the green sticker to both the nurse taking my COVID test and to a booth at the end of the testing area. At the booth, they requested to see both my handout and passport, upon which they placed a sticker stating the dates of my arrival and Day 8 test. I asked about the need to take a Day 8 test, being fully vaxxed and all, but was told that the sticker was just them following the process and I would not be required to take a Day 8 test.
Finally, I was directed to exit from a door halfway down the terminal, and was required to show the green sticker at least three times along the way to various employees to prove that I was not escaping hotel quarantine.
Jul 7, 2021, 8:19 am
#1116
Join Date: Feb 2021
Posts: 117
https://arrivecan.cbsa-asfc.cloud-nuage.canada.ca/auth
Jul 7, 2021, 8:41 am
#1117
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YXU
Programs: AC SE100K, National E/E, HH Diamond, IHG Diamond, MB, Avis PC
Posts: 971
Are you able to use the website instead? I wonder if it has been updated to enter vaccine info....
https://arrivecan.cbsa-asfc.cloud-nuage.canada.ca/auth
https://arrivecan.cbsa-asfc.cloud-nuage.canada.ca/auth
Jul 7, 2021, 8:48 am
#1118
Join Date: Feb 2021
Posts: 117
I'm returning to Canada Saturday and I have a weird problem with the app. I simply can't find the newest version in the app store. I'm fully vaccinated, so I really wouldn't want to spend any of my precious home time in some hotel. But I can only see the version 2.19.9 released on June 29. Is there any trick to download the July 5 version?
Jul 7, 2021, 8:55 am
#1119
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: ZRH
Programs: AC SE 100K
Posts: 927
I got status "V" . . . not sure if that means anything - but it does show as vaccinated. Don't know where "I" comes from where the others mentioned that status.
Jul 7, 2021, 9:42 am
#1120
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 376
I just did a test run through the website (would never consider installing such an APP). Seems to be ready to accept all the documents.
I got status "V" . . . not sure if that means anything - but it does show as vaccinated. Don't know where "I" comes from where the others mentioned that status.
I got status "V" . . . not sure if that means anything - but it does show as vaccinated. Don't know where "I" comes from where the others mentioned that status.
Some special IT consultants government contractors were probably paid zillions for this feature.
Jul 7, 2021, 10:23 am
#1121
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,190
which is better V or I???
Jul 7, 2021, 10:31 am
#1122
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 376
Dunno, my initial reaction was, 'oh my uploaded data was confirmed by a human who then changed V to I' but then decided that was highly unlikely, since it happened too quickly. I suppose it could have been done by software, maybe was just a verification that all the blanks had been filled out properly, without any judgement on whether the data was valid.
Jul 7, 2021, 10:57 am
#1123
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,834
Sure, just like you could head home instead of going to the quarantine hotel. Or go out every day even if you are supposed to be quarantining. No one is escorted by armed guards, even to the quarantine hotels. There are always going to be jerks who think they can do whatever they want, don’t care about anyone but themselves and break the rules. But there are checks and balances. Anyone who isn’t vaccinated and exempt has a sticker placed on their passport and is sent to a different area as you exit customs. That is why they insisted on the passport for id. I used my Nexus card at CBSA and asked the guard if he wanted my passport. He said no, because I am vaccinated, he doesn’t need to put a sticker on my passport. There is no way to get through if you haven’t been cleared unless you sneak through although it is possible, I suppose if you are devious enough. The paper is merely one check in the process of many other checks and balances (passport sticker, separate line/area, showing the handout). Plus it is registered in ArriveCan. Really no different than those saying they could just go straight home instead of to the quarantine hotel. Sure, you could. But you will most likely get caught and is it worth it?
Jul 7, 2021, 11:17 am
#1124
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 376
Sure, just like you could head home instead of going to the quarantine hotel. Or go out every day even if you are supposed to be quarantining. No one is escorted by armed guards, even to the quarantine hotels. There are always going to be jerks who think they can do whatever they want, don’t care about anyone but themselves and break the rules. But there are checks and balances. Anyone who isn’t vaccinated and exempt has a sticker placed on their passport and is sent to a different area as you exit customs. That is why they insisted on the passport for id. I used my Nexus card at CBSA and asked the guard if he wanted my passport. He said no, because I am vaccinated, he doesn’t need to put a sticker on my passport. There is no way to get through if you haven’t been cleared unless you sneak through although it is possible, I suppose if you are devious enough. The paper is merely one check in the process of many other checks and balances (passport sticker, separate line/area, showing the handout). Plus it is registered in ArriveCan. Really no different than those saying they could just go straight home instead of to the quarantine hotel. Sure, you could. But you will most likely get caught and is it worth it?
Jul 7, 2021, 11:45 am
#1125
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,834
Exactly. Like the current huge market for fake positive test results in certain countries so you can bypass hotel quarantine. The fake negative tests backfired so they started using fake previous positive results. Now it will be fake vaccine cards. There will always be the smart a$$ who scams everyone and everything they can. That is why we are in this mess in the first place.