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Medical Advice
Insurance
Double check that your insurance policy covers you during your
time in Canada. Consider purchasing supplemental or other insurance
if your own policy is not enough. You may wish to check with your
health insurance company to ensure that your policy includes coverage
for medical evacuations to the United States as well as escort
to the United States, hospitalization abroad, premature birth
abroad, and other coverage for a beneficiary who is involved in
an accident or illness outside the United States. Carry details
of your insurance plan with you (and leave a copy with a relative
or friend at home).
Please note: The Social Security Medicare Program does not provide
for payment of hospital or medical services outside the United
States.
AIDS
U.S. citizen visitors are not required to have an AIDS test
prior to entering Canada.
Medication
If you are entering Canada with prescription drugs and syringes
used for medical reasons, be sure to keep the medication in its
original and labeled container to avoid problems. Syringes should
be accompanied by a medical certificate that shows they are for
medical use and should be declared to Canadian Customs officials.
It may also be wise to carry with you an extra prescription from
your doctor in the event your medication is lost or stolen and
to attest to your need to take such prescriptions.
Traveling by Car
U.S. citizens do not need to obtain an international driver's
license to drive in Canada. Your valid U.S. license is good for
trips in Canada as long as you are a visitor and are actually
resident in the U.S. Should you wish information on provincial
traffic laws, please contact the Department of Transport, Motor
Vehicle Division of the particular province you wish to visit.
You may also contact the American Automobile Association (AAA)
or Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) if you are a member.
AAA members are covered by the CAA while traveling in Canada.
Be sure to carry proof of your car insurance.
PART TWO: ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE
Register at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General
If you will be in Canada for three months or more, you may wish
to formally register at the U.S. Embassy or nearest U.S. Consulate
General.
Consular Assistance
Please dial 1-800 529-4410 for information on how to reach each
U.S. consular section in Canada to report the death, injury, or
arrest of an American citizen. Recordings specific to each Consulate
General provide guidance on how to reach a duty officer after
hours as well. The 800 line service also provides valuable information
regarding U.S. passport issuance in Canada, registration of births
for U.S. citizens born in Canada, claims to U.S. citizenship,
notarial services, tax information, voting procedures, Social
Security, U.S. Customs, and travel safety information. This service
requires a touchtone phone.
Wiring Money
In the event you encounter a financial emergency, your relatives
or friends can wire you money in Canada. Western Union Wire services
allow money to be picked up through local money mart centers,
mail boxes, Miracle Mart and some grocery stores. Funds are paid
in Canadian dollars. In addition, many U.S. automated teller machine
(ATM) cards, such as those on the PLUS or CIRRUS system, can be
used throughout Canada to obtain Canadian funds on your U.S. bank
account.
PART THREE: WHILE TRAVELING
Laws
It is important to respect the laws of Canada while you are
a guest in their country.
Weapons
Firearms are strictly controlled and generally are not permitted
in Canada. While handguns are prohibited, hunting rifles are allowed
into Canada with advance permission. Anyone wishing to take a
hunting rifle into Canada can contact the nearest Canadian consulate
in advance for detailed information. In all cases, travelers must
declare any firearms in their possession to Canadian authorities
when entering Canada. If a traveler is denied permission to take
the firearm into Canada, in some cases there are facilities near
the border where firearms may be stored pending the traveler's
return to the United States. For example, in Alberta, the Wy Moberlie
Company operates such a facility at duty free shops on the U.S.
side of the border. They accept items for storage (including weapons)
and either forward these items to the traveler's home address
in the United States or store them until the traveler picks the
items up upon returning to the United States. Canadian law requires
that officials confiscate weapons from individuals crossing the
border who deny having such weapons in their possession. Confiscated
firearms are virtually never returned and are destroyed. A new
firearms act slated to take effect in l998/l999 will include a
license and registration requirement through Canada Customs for
all guns, including hunting guns, before entering the country.
Please check with your nearest Canada Customs office for further
information.
Pepper spray, mace and similar defensive weapons are prohibited
under the Criminal Code of Canada. Travelers who declare prohibited
weapons are allowed to abandon them or export them without penalty.
Drugs
Penalties for possession, use, and dealing in illegal drugs
are strict in Canada. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences
and fines.
Drunk Driving
Driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious
offense. Penalties are heavy, and any prior conviction (no matter
how long ago or how minor the infraction) is cause for exclusion
from Canada. A waiver of exclusion may be obtained from a Canadian
consulate in the United States, but several weeks are required.
There is a processing fee for the waiver.
Automobile Radar Detectors
It is illegal to take automobile radar detectors into the provinces
of Qubec, Ontario, and Manitoba or into the Yukon and Northwest
territories. The police will confiscate radar detectors, whether
in use or not, and may impose fines up to $1000.
Previous Convictions
Section 19 of Canada's Immigration Act prohibits the admission
of people who pose a threat to public health, safety, order, and
national security. Prior to attempting a border crossing, American
citizens who have had a criminal conviction in the past must contact
the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate well in advance to determine
their admissibility as visitors into Canada. If found inadmissible,
an immigration officer will advise whether a waiver (Minister's
Permit) is possible.
Arrest
There are currently over 100 American citizens incarcerated
in Canadian prisons. An American citizen who is arrested in Canada
will be informed by the police of his/her right to contact the
American Embassy or one of the Consulates General. When notified,
a consular officer will contact the citizen by phone, and subsequently
make a personal visit. Collect calls will be accepted by the U.S.
Embassy or Consulates General if coming from a U.S. citizen for
the initial notification of arrest.
U.S. consular officers can provide lists of lawyers from each
local area, but cannot recommend a particular lawyer and can not
act as a legal representative on behalf of the arrestee. Arrestees
are responsible for their own legal fees. Legal Aid programs are
administered by the provinces, and may not cover individuals who
are visitors to Canada. There are no public defenders as we know
them in the United States. As a foreigner, under Bill C44, work
release programs, day parole or bail may be difficult to obtain
or refused in view of the flight risk involved. Under the Treaty
on the Execution of Penal Sentences signed by the U.S. and Canada
1977, prisoners may request to be transferred to an American prison.
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