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Traveller's Checklist
| Help ensure a safe and problem-free trip by taking these steps before leaving Canada. |
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Pack a copy of “Bon Voyage, But…” and a copy of the Country Travel Report for your destination.
Do your research. Before you leave, pack a copy Bon Voyage But… in your luggage and learn about the country you plan to visit. Consult the Country Travel Report. These reports are continuously updated and contain the latest information on security and safety issues.
Carry a passport that is valid well beyond the date of your anticipated return to Canada; keep a copy of the identification page separate from the original.
Carry a valid Canadian passport. Some countries require that your passport be valid for six months beyond your date of entry. If your passport is due to expire within six months of your departure from Canada, check the Country Travel Report for your destination to establish whether the six-month rule applies.
Due to increased scrutiny of international travellers by airlines and immigration authorities around the world, Canadian citizens attempting to travel to Canada without a valid Canadian passport will be subject to additional verifications that may delay or prevent travel. To avoid delays and other problems that will hinder their return to Canada, Canadian citizens are strongly advised to obtain a Canadian passport prior to initiating international travel and to use their Canadian passport at all times for international travel. Before attempting return travel to Canada, Canadian citizens who do not hold a valid Canadian passport should contact the nearest Canadian government office abroad.
Provide next of kin information on the last page of your passport application. Carry a photocopy of the identification page of your passport and keep it separate from your passport; also leave a copy of it at home.
For information on how to obtain a Canadian passport, contact your nearest Passport Canada Office or consult the Passports section.
Leave copies of your passport identification page, itinerary and insurance policy with friends or family.
Provide a relative or friend with copies of the identification page of your passport, your itinerary and insurance policy. If there are changes while you are abroad, make sure they are informed of the changes.
Obtain any required visas well in advance.
You need a visa to enter certain countries. To find out whether you will need a visa, check with the foreign government office accredited to Canada. You can also consult our Country Travel Reports and our Tourist Visa Requirements section to verify whether your destination country or countries require you to obtain a visa for entry, as well as the FAQs on Visas. If a visa is required, apply for it well in advance of your trip.
Arrange for health and travel insurance.
DO NOT leave Canada without supplementary medical insurance. Ask your travel agent, financial institution or physician for options. Carry proof of insurance coverage and give a copy to someone at home. Your provincial health insurance plan cannot be maintained after you have lived outside the province for a period of time.
For general health-related advice for international travel, Public Health Agency of Canada’s Travel Medicine Program, as well as the Medical Matters and Medical Assistance sections.
Plan your Itinerary and budget.
Prepare a detailed travel itinerary and budget well before leaving Canada. Be sure to reconfirm your flight and hotel reservation before travelling. Some airlines do not honour tickets that have not been reconfirmed 72 hours before the flight. Upon arrival, monitor local developments and news broadcasts carefully and follow the advice of local authorities. Be prepared for delays at airports and other transportation facilities and plan accordingly.
Anticipate financial needs: local currency, traveller’s cheques, departure tax.
Foreign travel is often more expensive than people plan for. Plan and budget. Before you leave Canada, make arrangements for how you will get additional funds if needed. Keep the original receipts for any purchases you make, as well as for your hotel bill, rental car agreement and any medical bills. Have a little money already exchanged and in your pocket, so you can pay the cab when you arrive or buy a snack during a stopover. Note that some countries do not accept traveller's cheques, and automatic teller machines may not be readily available. Check with VISA or MasterCard for the addresses of ATMs around the world.
Consult the Financial Assistance section for information related to financial emergencies.
Take care of health needs: vaccinations, prescriptions, medical certificates, supplies, extra eyeglasses.
Contact a travel medicine clinic or your physician six to eight weeks before departure. Based on an individual risk assessment, a health care professional can determine your need for immunizations and preventive medication and can advise you on what precautions to take to avoid disease while travelling. Consult the Travel Medicine Program to find a travel medicine clinic close to your home.
If you take medication, be sure to pack an extra supply in case you are away for longer than expected. Carrying a duplicate of your original prescription is recommended, especially when travelling to a country that is particularly sensitive about drugs. Carry an extra prescription that lists both the generic and trade names of the drug, in case your medication is lost or stolen. This is also a good idea if you wear glasses or contact lenses; having the prescription makes it easier to replace them.
Additional information is available in the Medical Matters, Medical Assistance, and Drugs and Travel sections.
Check whether dual citizenship is an issue for you.
To avoid unpleasant surprises, find out whether you, your spouse or any other family member is a citizen of another country. Canadian law permits a Canadian to have more than one nationality. However, your Canadian citizenship may not be recognized in the country of your other citizenship, and the authorities of that country may not recognize Canada's right to provide you with consular assistance. This is especially true if you did not use your Canadian passport when entering that country. Where permitted by laws of the country in question, the Government of Canada encourages Canadians to use their Canadian passport when travelling abroad and to present themselves as Canadians to foreign authorities. Yet if you travel with two passports, you could be subject to increased scrutiny by immigration and security officials. You could be questioned about missing entry or exit stamps, as well as your reason for having two travel documents. In some countries, possession of a second passport could result in its confiscation or a fine. You may even be prevented from leaving the country.
If you are considered a national of another country, you may be compelled to do military service or pay special taxes.
If you do run into problems because of your dual citizenship, contact the nearest Canadian government office immediately. For detailed information on this subject, refer to our booklet Dual Citizenship: What Travellers Should Know and our FAQs on Dual Nationality.
If travelling with children, carry documentation proving your right to accompany them (consent letter, court order).
Travel with or by children should be planned carefully to ensure everyone's safety. Make sure you and your children leave home with proper identification and documentation.
Obtain a certified letter authorizing travel, signed and dated by the absent lawful parent (if the child is travelling with one parent) or by both parents (if the child is travelling alone or with a guardian). See www.voyage.gc.ca/alt/letter.asp for a sample consent letter.
For additional information, consult the Children and Travel section and our fact sheet Tips for Travelling with Children.
Register on-line with a Canadian government office abroad.
We offer a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that we can contact and assist you in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform you of a family emergency at home. Registration can be done on-line or by contacting a Canadian government office abroad. For more information, see our FAQs on Registration of Canadians Abroad.
Obtain an International Driving Permit, if required.
An International Driving Permit is a special licence for tourists, authorized by a UN treaty among nations of the world, for the purpose of allowing motorists to drive vehicles in international traffic without further tests or applications. It is proof that the holder possesses a valid driver's licence issued by a competent authority in the country of residence.
Prepare for your flight by carefully attending to luggage, documentation and airport security.
Everyone has to be vigilant about safety and security when travelling. Preparation is the key to a problem-free boarding experience. To make air travel more secure, stricter screening procedures are increasingly common. To avoid delays and problems with security officials during boarding, review the Pre-boarding Information.
While abroad, keep receipts for purchases and make special arrangements for food, plants, and animals brought back to Canada.
Transportation companies, such as airlines and rail and bus services, are required to ensure that all passengers that they bring to Canada have satisfactory evidence of their identity and status in Canada, if any. For international travel purposes, the Canadian Certificate of Citizenship (citizenship card) accompanied by a non-Canadian passport is not reliable evidence that the holder is a Canadian citizen. A passport is the only reliable and universally accepted identification document to establish identity and Canadian citizenship while travelling outside Canada. It proves that you have a right to return to Canada.
Every year, thousands of travellers fail to declare things like meat, cheese, animal hides, live birds, plants, fruits and their products. These items may carry pests or diseases that pose a risk to human, plant or animal health. Foreign pests or diseases could destroy Canada's crops and forests and endanger our livestock, threatening our ability to produce safe food.
Canadian law says you must declare all the plants and animals you bring back, as well as their products. It restricts and prohibits the entry of products that could harm Canada's agriculture and forestry or that pose a danger to human health and safety. Travellers who do not declare restricted or prohibited items are subject to prosecution or administrative penalties of up to $400.
Before you leave Canada, contact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for information.
