[TRAVEL] Traveling to the United States
Just in time for the Victoria long weekend, when many people may be travelling to the United States. Often times, when Canadians think of travelling to the United States, we think about shopping opportunities, because of the cheaper prices. So the personal exemption limits are one of the most important limits that we keep in mind. The Canadian Border and Services Agency administers the limits:
| Traveller personal exemption limits effective June 1, 2012 | |
| Less than 24 hours | Personal exemptions do not apply to same-day cross-border shoppers. |
| 24 hours or more | Up to CAN$200 – Alcohol and tobacco cannot be claimed. Goods must be in your possession at time of entry to Canada. If the value of the goods you have purchased abroad exceeds $200 after a 24 hour absence, duty and taxes are applicable on the entire amount of the imported goods. |
| 48 hours or more | Up to CAN$800 – May include alcohol and tobacco products, within the prescribed limits set by provincial or territorial authorities. Goods must be in your possession at time of entry to Canada. Travellers absent for periods of 48 hours or more will have the applicable exemption level credited against the total value of goods. |
| 7 days or more | Up to CAN$800 – May include alcohol and tobacco products, within the prescribed limits set by provincial or territorial authorities. For the seven-day exemption, goods may be in your possession at time of entry to Canada but are also permitted to follow entry to Canada (such as via courier, mail or delivery agency), except alcohol and tobacco products, which must be in your possession. All the goods will qualify for duty- and tax-free entry if they are declared at the initial return to Canada. |
| Alcoholic beverage limits (While bottle sizes vary, the amounts listed are fixed.) |
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| Product | Metric | Imperial | Estimates |
| Wine | Up to 1.5 litres | Up to 53 fluid ounces | Two 750 ml bottles of wine. |
| Alcoholic Beverages | Up to 1.14 litres | Up to 40 fluid ounces | One large standard bottle of liquor |
| Beer or Ale | Up to 8.5 litres | Up to 287 fluid ounces | Approximately 24 cans or bottles (355 ml each) of beer or ale. |