When I booked my flight from Canada to the United States last year, I didn’t anticipate U.S. border rules to tighten so drastically.
My friends had set an April 2025 date for their wedding in Orlando, Florida, well before Donald Trump became America’s 47th president.
Little did we know that his second term would usher in a trade war and heightened tensions for anyone travelling from Canada to the U.S.
I started getting nervous about my travel plans after the terrifying story of a B.C. entrepreneur who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) went viral.
Then, the federal government updated its U.S. travel advisory with a serious warning, saying it couldn’t intervene if travellers don’t meet entry and exit requirements.
My anxiety went through the roof after interviewing an immigration lawyer about what Canadians should know before travelling down south.
From authorized checks on electronic devices to the possibility of being denied and, worst case, detained, I worried that some hiccup would keep me from my friends’ wedding celebrations.
So, I did what I could and prepared for the worst.
Prepping for my trip from Canada to the U.S.
In preparation for my trip, I followed guidance from lawyers who advised travellers to bring a burner phone, or a pre-paid phone, when travelling from Canada to the U.S.
Thankfully, I had an extra phone that I was able to do a factory reset on and only downloaded the bare minimum apps I needed to use. I had nothing to hide, but I wanted to do what I could to protect my personal data from border agents.
I also made sure I was ready to answer any questions the border agents would throw at me, including the duration and reason for my trip and the address of my accommodation.
Going through U.S. customs
I flew out of Toronto Pearson on April 9. It is one of nine Canadian airports that operate preclearance. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), this allows travellers to bypass CBP and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inspections when arriving in the U.S. and go directly to their connecting flight or destination.
Other cities that operate preclearance include the international airports in Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montréal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Victoria.
Knowing that I would go through customs on Canadian soil made me feel a little less nervous.
Ahead of my flight, the bride-to-be reassured us that her fiancée had crossed customs unscathed. She also recommended we download and fill out the Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app, which helps travellers get through customs faster if there are long wait times.
I arrived three hours before my flight and was met with no lineups at U.S. customs, so I didn’t have to use my MPC.
Despite my worries, my experience going through customs went smoothly. The agent asked me when I was returning, to which I answered that coming Sunday.
They then asked what the reason for my travel was, and when they found out it was for leisure (a wedding), the conversation became more relaxed. They proceeded to ask where I was staying and how much money I was bringing to the U.S., and then I was off to my gate.
The rest of my stay in Florida was lovely, as I spent most of it surrounded by other Canadians.
Despite the rhetoric coming from the White House, all of the Americans I encountered were friendly and even perked up when they heard we were visiting from Toronto.
Different experiences crossing from Canada to the U.S.
Even though I had a fairly stress-free experience, it may not be the same for other Canadians. I was lucky that my trip was only five days long.
Ackah Business Immigration Law founder and managing lawyer Evelyn Ackah told us that Canadians who are planning to stay for more than 30 days may be met with more questions.
As of last Friday, Canadians must register with the U.S. government if they plan on visiting for more than 30 days.
A Canadian woman and her family crossing the U.S. border by land recently had a more invasive experience when they shared that they would visit for three months.
Canadian travellers reached out sharing opposite experiences.
One person returned from New York City with six family members.
“Normal going through immigration. No problem at all,” they told us in an email.
Others shared their experiences on Reddit.
“I am a Canadian citizen and a visible minority. I crossed the border (I drove) from Vancouver to see my relatives and then went back to Canada again. I had no problems whatsoever,” reads one post from March 29.
One Canadian pointed out that it’s the “luck of the draw” when it comes to what kind of border agent you get.
“For me, unless I have a good reason for going down there, I just don’t want to risk it. Nothing worse than potentially getting that a**hole that decides they want to detain you because you don’t like Donald Trump,” reads the comment.
The tariff dispute has dissuaded many Canadians from travelling down south, but if you still need to go there for school, work, or scheduled events like weddings, check out this guide to visiting the U.S.
