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CANPASS – Remote Area
Border Crossing (RABC) Permit

Saving you time at the border

• Introduction
• How to Apply
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Application Form [PDF, 70 K]

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)

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

• 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. www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/CANPASS.PDF (application for RABC permit)
• 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.

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:

1. Your spouse or common-law spouse or same-sex partner OR
2. 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?

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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 –
  (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

Download Adobe® Acrobat file [Size: 70 K] Application for CANPASS – Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) Permit