CANPASS – Remote Area
Border Crossing (RABC) Permit
Saving you
time at the border
INTRODUCTION
The CANPASS/RABC program facilitates customs
and immigration clearance for travellers wishing to cross the border into
Canada at the following remote areas:
- From Pigeon River through to and including
Lake of the Woods
- The Canadian shore of Lake Superior
- Cockburn Island
- Sault Ste. Marie (upper lock system)
CHANGES TO REMOTE AREA BORDER
CROSSING PERMIT PROGRAM
- The RABC permit program is delivered
by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
- Turnaround time for mailed permits
will be reduced from 4 to 6 weeks to 3 to 4 weeks.
- Mail applications to:
Canada Border Services Agency
201 North May Street
Thunder Bay, ON
P7C 3P4
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Program Conditions
- You must have the RABC permit in your
possession when you cross the border into Canada at the remote locations
identified above.
- RABC permits are valid only for the above
locations, and may not be used to cross the border into Canada in any other
location.
- Travellers crossing at any other location
in Canada must check our Web site at
www.cbsa.gc.ca for
information on an alternative reporting program for their area.
- Permit holders entering to work in Canada
must be in possession of a valid work permit where applicable under the
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
- RABC permit holders entering Canada where
there is an open CBSA office will not be exempted from the normal reporting
process.
- Dependants travelling separately must have
a copy of the RABC permit in their possession.
- All firearms must be registered and
presented to the CBSA at a port of entry prior to being brought into Canada.
Forms are available at 1 800 731-4000 or
www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca or
any CBSA office. If you have any questions about importing a firearm into
Canada, check our Web site at
www.cbsa.gc.ca or call the CBSA office nearest you.
- RABC permit holders who wish to import
goods that will remain in Canada, or who are over their exemption
entitlement, must contact the closest CBSA office by telephone prior to
leaving the United States.
www.cbsa.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4161/rc4161-e.html (information for visitors
to Canada)
Contact information for reporting
goods to be left in Canada or that are over the exemption limit
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Fort Frances |
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(807) 274-3655 |
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Rainy River |
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(807) 852-3341 |
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Pigeon River |
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(807) 964-2093 |
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Sault Ste. Marie |
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(705) 941-3063 |
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Sprague |
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(204) 437-2361 |
- Provide a full description of the goods
you are importing and their value.
- Have your credit card number available.
- The CBSA officer will provide you with a
reference number, which is your proof that you have reported the goods. Keep
the reference number with you when you cross the border.
- A Casual Goods Accounting Document (B15)
will be prepared and mailed to you, along with your credit card receipt.
Keep a copy of this document on file as proof that you reported your goods
to the CBSA.
Who Can Apply for an RABC Permit
Canadian citizens and permanent residents of
Canada, and U.S. citizens and alien residents of the U.S., are eligible to
apply for a Remote Area Border Crossing Permit.
U.S. citizens and alien residents must meet
normal visitor legislative requirements, as described in the Immigration
and Refugee Protection Act. In general, visitors must be in good health
and law abiding, and they must have sufficient funds for their stay in Canada.
For more information on immigration requirements for visitors to Canada,
please see our Web site at
www.cic.gc.ca.
You may not qualify for an RABC permit if:
- you are not a permanent resident or a
citizen of Canada or the United States;
- you have been previously charged with a
contravention of customs or immigration legislation;
- you have a criminal conviction for which
you have not received a pardon. This may include offences such as driving
while impaired, theft and assault; or
- you have provided false or incomplete
information on the CANPASS-RABC application.
Processing Fees
- C$30 per application payable by Visa,
MasterCard or American Express only.
- Applications presented in person at a CBSA
office may be paid in cash.
- Cheques drawn on U.S. bank accounts are
not acceptable.
- The processing fee is NOT refundable.
- The processing fee includes the primary
applicant, spouse and dependent children under the age of 18.
- All applications are thoroughly screened
through various databases in Canada and the United States. False statements
made on your application regarding criminal convictions or contraventions of
the customs or immigration act may result in the refusal of an RABC permit.
The $30 processing fee will not be refunded.
HOW TO APPLY FOR A CANPASS – REMOTE
AREA BORDER CROSSING PERMIT
In Person
- Applications can be made in person at any
of the following ports of entry:
- Fort Frances CBSA port of entry
- Rainy River CBSA port of entry
- Pigeon River CBSA port of entry
- Emerson CBSA port of entry
- Thunder Bay CBSA office, 201 North May
Street
By Mail
- To avoid processing delays at the border,
it is recommended to apply by mail 3–4 weeks prior to your trip.
- Mail your completed application and
photocopies of supporting documents to:
Canada Border Services Agency
201 North May Street
Thunder Bay, ON
P7C 3P4
Telephone: (807) 624-2162
- Applicants must fully complete and sign
the application.
- Applicants must complete the credit card
information section.
- Applicants must submit copies of all
required identification.
- You will receive a mailed response, unless
an interview is deemed necessary.
Required Documents
- Each adult must provide
two pieces of identification: one primary AND one secondary
document. Photocopies of identification papers are acceptable. Do
not put original documents in the mail.
- You do not need to submit copies of
identification if you have received an RABC permit in the last three years.
You will need only to submit identification for family members whose names
have been added to the permit.
- Each child (under 18 years of age) need
only provide a primary document.
| Primary Documents |
Secondary Documents |
- Passport ( no secondary ID required )
- U.S. Permanent Resident Card
- State-Issued Birth Certificate
- Resident Card
- Record of Landing (IMM 1000)
- Province-Issued Birth Certificate
- Citizenship Card
- Citizenship Certificate
- Certificate of Naturalization
** Hospital certificates are not
acceptable. |
- Driver's Licence (preferred)
- U.S. Social Security Card
- Canadian Social Insurance Card
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Processing Fee
- C$30 per application payable by Visa,
MasterCard or American Express ONLY.
- Applications presented in person may be
paid in cash.
- The processing fee is NOT
refundable.
- The processing fee is for the primary
applicant plus qualifying family members (see below).
Qualifying Family Members
- A family consists of a principal applicant
and a spouse (including a common-law partner or same-sex partner who has
lived with the principal applicant for one or more years), and dependent
children under 22 years of age. Dependent children must be
children of the applicant or the applicant’s spouse, or children for whom
the applicant is the legal guardian.
- If you are the legal guardian of children
or you have adopted children and you want them to be on the permit, please
provide legal proof of adoption or guardianship. Please list all dependants
who may be travelling to Canada in the next year. We CANNOT
add dependants after the RABC permit has been processed.
Permit Expiry
- RABC permits are valid for one year from
the date of issue.
- Owners of property on the Canadian side of
the Boundary Waters can obtain a two-year RABC permit by providing proof of
land ownership with their application.
Contact information for Remote Area
Border Crossing program port of entry offices
- Fort Frances (807) 852-3341
- Rainy River (807) 852-3341
- Pigeon River (807) 964-2093
- Sault Ste. Marie (705) 941-3063
- Sprague (204) 437-2361
- Thunder Bay (807) 624-2162
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE RABC PROGRAM
Q: How long does it take to get my
RABC permit?
Processing time is 3 to 4 weeks.
Q: How do I apply?
You must complete an application and include
the required identification and credit card authorization for payment.
Q: Can I include my friends, cousins
or grandparents on my permit?
Dependents must be either:
- Your spouse or common-law spouse or
same-sex partner OR
- Your dependent children.
Q: How long is my RABC permit valid
for?
Your permit is valid for one year from the
date of issue.
Q: Am I admissible if I have a DWI
conviction?
- NOT ELIGIBLE: If you were
convicted of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI or DUI) within the past five
years, you are deemed inadmissible to Canada (not admissible) and not
eligible for an RABC permit.
- ELIGIBLE WITH REHABILITATION:
If there was just one conviction and five years have passed since the end
date of your sentence, you are eligible to apply for rehabilitation.
Criminal rehabilitation applications can be found at
www.cic.gc.ca/english/applications/rehabil.html.
- DEEMED REHABILITATED:
After 10 years have passed from the end date of your sentence, and if there
was just one DWI offence, you would be deemed rehabilitated and eligible to
apply for an RABC permit.
- If there was more than one conviction or
if the criminality was of a serious nature, you would need to apply for
rehabilitation.
Note:
Persons convicted of serious criminality must apply for rehabilitation through
the Canadian Consulate in the United States.
Q: Where is the RABC permit valid?
The CANPASS-RABC permit is valid for the
following locations:
- From Pigeon River through to and including
Lake of the Woods
- The Canadian shore of Lake Superior
- Cockburn Island in the North Channel of
Lake Huron
- Sault Ste. Marie (upper lock system)
Note: All
persons coming to Canada in these areas must be in possession of a valid
CANPASS-RABC permit.
Q: What type of identification is
acceptable?
All persons (18 years and older) must submit
two pieces of identification (one primary and one secondary) for the
processing of a new permit. Dependent children need only submit one primary
piece of identification.
Primary Identification
- Passport (preferred)
- State-Issued Birth Certificate
- Province-Issued Birth Certificate
- Canadian Permanent Resident Card
- Record of Landing (IMM 1000)
- U.S. Permanent Resident Card
- Citizenship Certificate
- Citizenship Card
- Certificate of Naturalization
Secondary Identification
- Driver’s Licence (preferred)
- U.S. Social Security Card
- Canadian Social Insurance Card
______
- Please note that we do not accept hospital
certificates, Army cards, work identification cards, or any other form of
identification not issued by the government.
- We only need photocopies of the
identification – DO NOT SUBMIT THE ORIGINALS.
Q: I have had a permit in the past
three years. Do I need to resubmit my identification?
NO, you would be considered a renewal and
need only to complete the application and credit card slip. No identification
is needed unless you are adding people to the permit who have never been
included in the application in the past.
Q: Can I send a cheque for payment?
NO, we only accept VISA, MasterCard or
American Express credit cards when applying by mail or fax. Applications
presented in person may be paid for in cash.
Note: The
processing fee is non-refundable.
Q: My RABC permit was refused. Why
did you collect the fee?
The $30 fee was for processing the
application. If your background check revealed criminality or infractions
under the Customs or Immigration Act, or if you provided
false or incomplete information on your application, your permit may be
refused and your fee is not refunded.
Q: Who is eligible to apply for an
RABC permit?
Canadian citizens and permanent residents of
Canada, and U.S. citizens and alien residents of the U.S.,* may apply for an
RABC permit.
* U.S. citizens and alien
residents must meet normal visitor requirements, that is, they must be in good
health, law abiding and have sufficient funds for their stay in Canada.
* Applicants may not qualify for a permit if they have been previously charged
with a contravention of customs or immigration legislation, if they have had
criminal convictions for which there has not been a pardon, or if they’ve
provided incomplete information on the RABC application.
Q: Where can I go in person to apply
for an RABC permit?
Canada Border Services Agency Offices:
- 201 N. May Street, Thunder Bay, ON P7C 3P4
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(807) 626-1609
- Rainy River Port of Entry – (807) 852-3341
- Fort Frances Port of Entry – (807)
274-3655
- Pigeon River Port of Entry – (807)
964-2093
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Important Notices
How to get an
Application: 1. Click on the Application link below. If the Acrobat Reader
opens up then you do not need to download the Reader. Many browsers have the Reader as a
plug-in, just let it fully load and print the pages.
2. If not, Download the Reader
below. A new browser window will open so you will still have this page with
the link to the permit application open.
Get the Adobe Acrobat Reader now by clicking on the link below.
Download Acrobat Reader
to view PDF files. The RABC application is a PDF file.
Then go to: Application for CANPASS -- Remote Area Border Crossing
(RABC) Permit
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are standing by to help you with your permit and entry points, all you need
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