Repeating the original question here, because it seems to have gotten swamped by an odd Walgreens-related tangent that nobody asked for.

Unfortunately they won't accept the result if it was done 3 days ago without a stated time, since they insist on 72 hours. If you do the test 2 days before entry, then I imagine it would be ok even if there's no time, since it'll definitely be < 72 hours.

I will be driving back to Canada next month crossing the border at Buffalo. My Antigen test will have to be taken in the Buffalo area, I guess. What options will I have?

Interesting datapoint re ArriveCAN from this past weekend. I registered 3 days in advance as I planned to drive with 3 others from US to Canada for the long weekend but bad weather delayed the trip by 2 days. I never bothered to redo the ArriveCAN. So I crossed with the original code at a different border crossing and I had fewer people with me who last minute decided not to travel who were still listed in ArriveCAN. No one asked. No one cared.

Not surprising. I’ve done the trip multiple times (to BC) over the last few months and have never been asked for the ArriveCan code. I did try to show them the code on the phone the first time but was waived away. I suspect border officials pull up your ArriveCan entry when they scan your passport because your ArriveCan submission is linked to your passport number, so you would get in trouble if you didn’t submit it.

So how did you prove vaccine status? I prefer ArriveCAN as no one asks me for vaccine proof when driving. Just covid test and passport.

To be clear, my comment was about not being asked to show the ArriveCan QR code at the land border. I do setup the ArriveCan trip each time and upload the CDC card scan to ArriveCan when I setup the trip. Sometimes at the border they do ask to see a physical copy of the CDC card again but usually it’s just passport and covid test results. No one has ever asked me to show the QR code at the land border.

Someone upthread posted about arriving at a land crossing without the requisite negative test. My friends (Canadian citizens) are testing tomorrow (Friday) at Walgreens and arriving by car on Sunday night. if one tests positive, is it possible they'll be allowed in without the $5000+ fines?

I advised them to get the Walgreens ID NOW molecular tests because the results are fast. If they come back negative, they're fine. If the ID NOW come back positive, we can find them a (paid) rapid antigen test to do Saturday morning, hoping it might be negative. But if that's positive, it seems to me their choice is either stay put for 8 or 9 days (arriving at the border on day 10, Mon Mar 21), or go anyway. I'm not sure they can stay in US another 10 days.

If they have a solid quarantine plan (go home and stay there), and can present a plausible reason for not being able to stay another 10 days in US, what's the chance they'll be allowed in without the fines? They've never had symptoms but there's always the chance of a positive result. I've prepared them for the possibility of paying fines, but it would be good to know if in practice they tend to get waived.

Of course most likely they'll get the negative result that reflects their state of health, and all will be good with the world. :)

Thanks.

Thanks. Is that official policy at the border, or just the normal practice? (Like the normal routine of not sending people to secondary if they're a couple of hundred over their limit, though there's always a chance). The rules at Canada.ca say you "may" be subject to a fine (while non-Canadians "will" be refused entry).and a valid pre-entry test result is defined as:

which I take to mean a 60-hour-old positive molecular test result does not count as a valid pre-entry test, which leads to the possibility of a $5K fine (their quarantine plan of going straight home and not coming out for 10 days presumably being acceptable). If that's being applied at the border as "you have to go straight home and quarantine, if you can do that there's no penalty", it works well for my friends because that's what they would do in that case anyway. (Their issue is it appears their out-of-province health insurance won't cover the additional 8-9 days in the US to make a hypothetical positive molecular result acceptable, and can't be extended). Except if they had health coverage, they'd stay in the warm for those 8-9 days. :)

The difference between "they might not be fined" and "they won't be fined" (despite what the published rules are), is in the former case I would recommend they waste 1 hour and $89 and get a rapid test the morning they leave, while in the latter case I would recommend they just go and self-isolate at home on arrival.

You are wrong. The fine is also for showing up with a positive test taken less than 11 days prior.

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/tr...ntering-canada


A positive molecular pre-entry test result taken less than 10 calendar days before your planned entry or flight to Canada is not a valid test result for entry to Canada.

A positive antigen pre-entry test result is never a valid test result for boarding a flight or entry to Canada, not even if it is from within 10 to 180 calendar days before your date of entry.

Foreign nationals with symptoms or with a positive result from less than 10 calendar days before arriving will be denied entry.

Canadians: To avoid being fined $5,000 per traveller (plus surcharges), wait to enter Canada at least 10 calendar days after your positive molecular test result. If travelling by air, you’ll be denied boarding. Counting starts the day following the day of testing.


If a Canadian citizen, person registered under the Indian Act, or permanent resident does not provide proof of a valid test result they:

• will be allowed entry, but may be subject to a fine of up to $5,000 plus additional surcharges or face criminal prosecution
• may also be required to go to a designated quarantine facility if they are symptomatic on arrival at the border and do not have a suitable quarantine plan

My question is still, do they apply the fine every time in the described circumstances, or do they tend to let you off with a lecture and self-isolation? There must be other people who have no option to stay in US (e.g. expiring health insurance).

Understanding the rules say you must stay in US, they clearly have some discretion as it says "may" be fined if you insist on entering, vs. non-Canadians "will" be refused entry, if not in possession of a valid test.

sorry folks I couldn't read all pages just a quick question. My dad is driving to YYZ from Detroit and flying Westjet to Gatwick in two weeks. Does he still need a test to get in and back out of Ontario/YYZ?

thank you

If it's on or after April 1st and he's fully vaccinated (two doses), no. Otherwise, yes.

I am planning my cross-border shopping trip to Bellingham for this weekend, will be nostalgic to be stuck in border lineups again :D