speculation on the us canada border

[transatlantic]

Great info TA. Maybe I just had a really bad experience doing the test right there at the border. Possible my loud Harley pissed everyone off from their nice quiet afternoon. Under "normal" circumstances I'm wondering if it's just easier to do the "random" test right there. It doesn't sound like you were all that much inconvenienced but you still had to take time out of your day to join a conference call, sign up online, set up the pick up of the package etc. taking about 30 minutes. Where at the border I'm guessing under normal circumstances it would take about 15 minutes. Hey, either way you got in and did some banging and that's the most important thing!

Right on.

Definitely a productive trip.

Spent time with 20yo Montreal girls. CHECKED
Cravings for French food. CHECKED

I already got another trip or two booked from for year end.

Of interest was restaurants and providers I partake in the first two days seem more than happy to know that as an American who just arrived as they verbally expressed comfort knowing I'm fully vaccinated and recently tested negative.

 

[envelopes]

American going to Montreal next week. Anyone know if restaurants and businesses accept a picture of my vaccine card or the NY Excelsior pass? Or do I need to bring my paper vaccine card everywhere I go?

 

[IamNY]

American going to Montreal next week. Anyone know if restaurants and businesses accept a picture of my vaccine card or the NY Excelsior pass? Or do I need to bring my paper vaccine card everywhere I go?

I showed a picture of my vaccination card along with my government issued ID. I did ask if the Excelsior Pass is acceptable and was told it was along with ID.

 

[IamNY]

We are probably doing Canadians a favor by closing down our border. Delta variant going crazy down here:

US extends land border restrictions with Canada, Mexico through Oct. 21

Border restrictions on nonessential travel have been extended again, this time through Oct. 21.

www.usatoday.com

 

[masterP]

Just got back from a successful two day visit to Montreal from the US. Saw Sophie from Euphoria and Leena at YPG Spa. Reviews to follow.

I used the Amazon Covid test. Had some problems registering on the AmazonDX web site. They emailed a confirmation number and there was a 25 min delay in receiving the emails. I tried several times and got locked out for 24 hours. Ended up having to make a new Amazon account with a 2nd email address and different cell phone number. Huge pain in the ass, but I finally got the kit registered and my sample sent out before the cutoff time for that day. Lab had the sample by 10am the next day and I had a negative test result about 5 hours later.

Crossed at Philipsburg (I89 from Vermont) a little after noon on Wednesday. Only one car ahead of me, and I spent about 5 min at the booth answering the usual questions plus a few Covid questions. I wasn't selected for random testing, but they did have the tent set up for it with workers all decked out in PPE.

The city didn't feel as restrictive as I feared it might be. Mask wearing is pretty universal indoors except if you are sitting at a bar or table in a restaurant. No problems getting in anyplace with a picture of my vaccine card on my phone. Some places only asked for that, others wanted to see a photo ID along with it. A few places also asked me to add my name and phone number to a list they were keeping. Hand sanitizer only seems to be required for retail stores. I think the SAQ was the only place I used it. Riding the metro seemed pretty normal, except maybe less crowded. Restaurant tables were closer together and with fewer plexiglass partitions than expected. I had no problem finding a place to order food until almost midnight and a few places where I could order drinks up until 1am and drink them until 2am.

 

[DJ_Halfa]

I made another trip to MTL this past weekend. Crossed over at Stanstead from VT I-91, like I did on my previous trip. Simple process to cross with the proper requirements (vaccine proof, negative pcr test within 72 hours, ArriveCan app confirmation number). No random test given at the border. Didn’t see any tents or area set up to administer a random test at this crossing. Only one car in front of me at the crossing. Based on my two trips so far, this crossing does seem like you will not get a random COVID test. The only downside is you still have about a 90 minute drive into the city from this point, lol.

 

[IamNY]

Hopefully this means the easing of travel requirements between the two countries. Getting a Covid test, filling out the ArriveCAN app, etc. seems to be a bit much. If your fully vaccinated and can prove it, maybe a random quick result test at the border would suffice. But either way this is certainly welcome news to many of the border towns hurting for business.

 

[masterP]

I just read that when the border opens for non-essential Canadians to visit the US tomorrow, there will not be a testing requirement. They will still need a negative Covid test before returning to Canada though. Hopefully Canada will ease their cross-border testing requirements before too long.

 

[Biggie Smalls]

I just read that when the border opens for non-essential Canadians to visit the US tomorrow, there will not be a testing requirement. They will still need a negative Covid test before returning to Canada though. Hopefully Canada will ease their cross-border testing requirements before too long.

Will Americans need a negative test upon return still? I cannot seem to find that anseer

 

[IamNY]

Will Americans need a negative test upon return still? I cannot seem to find that anseer

American's driving across the border back to the US do not. If flying, you do need a negative test.

 

[transatlantic]

Just pointing out that there is no COVID test requirement at all driving into US. Doesn't matter what your nationality is.

 

[IamNY]

Does anyone know if the new COVID testing rules apply to US citizens coming home from Canada via a land crossings or is it just for the airlines?
Wanted to make sure nothing has changed for crossing a land border.

 

[believe]

any one know what type of test will be acceptable to get into usa? Cant seem to find answers ?

 

[masterP]

Does anyone know if the new COVID testing rules apply to US citizens coming home from Canada via a land crossings or is it just for the airlines?
Wanted to make sure nothing has changed for crossing a land border.

I just found this quote in an article that was posted 12 hours ago.

"As early as Monday, the United States will require “all inbound international travellers” to get an antigen test within 24 hours of their departure. Previously, the test was required within 72 hours. Canada, meanwhile, requires individuals to get the more costly polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before entering the country but allows for a 72-hour window.

The federal government had expected the new 24-hour testing rule to also apply at the land border. But updated guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the testing order would only apply to air travel and won’t apply at the land border or to people arriving at seaports."

The full article is here https://www.theglobeandmail.com/pol...ll-other-foreign-air-travellers-to-get-covid/

Sounds like we are still good if driving to Canada, but the administration did a shit job of planning and communicating this change.

 

[believe]

thx mate!

 

[IamNY]

I just found this quote in an article that was posted 12 hours ago.

"As early as Monday, the United States will require “all inbound international travellers” to get an antigen test within 24 hours of their departure. Previously, the test was required within 72 hours. Canada, meanwhile, requires individuals to get the more costly polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before entering the country but allows for a 72-hour window.

The federal government had expected the new 24-hour testing rule to also apply at the land border. But updated guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the testing order would only apply to air travel and won’t apply at the land border or to people arriving at seaports."

The full article is here https://www.theglobeandmail.com/pol...ll-other-foreign-air-travellers-to-get-covid/

Sounds like we are still good if driving to Canada, but the administration did a shit job of planning and communicating this change.

Thanks for the info, very useful. I thought of a scenario where let's say I just drive to the border on my way home without a test. I'm now in the USA technically, and since I'm a citizen they can't turn me away. Or let's say they make me take a COVID test and it turns out to be positive, I would need to drive home to quarantine. So what would be the point? But yes, the administration did a shit job at letting us know what to do or expect.

 

[edjohnson]

Please report how it goes. Seems like border crossing times are minimal. Aug 9 (Day 1) delays were limited to just that day.

has anything changed since August 9th as far as us citizens driving into canada and using the arrivecan app?

 

[edjohnson]

some of the hotels are only offering non refundable deposits and they go one to say even if covid related. so if the border closes again to us Citizens we will not be able to get our money back unless this is illegal .
Does anyone know if there is a law to protect against that

 

[IamNY]

some of the hotels are only offering non refundable deposits and they go one to say even if covid related. so if the border closes again to us Citizens we will not be able to get our money back unless this is illegal .
Does anyone know if there is a law to protect against that

I noticed this the other day. If you book a hotel room the charge is $20 or more per evening if you don’t pick the non refundable option. Fuckers.

 

[edjohnson]

I noticed this the other day. If you book a hotel room the charge is $20 or more per evening if you don’t pick the non refundable option. Fuckers.

the ones Im talking about dont offer the $20 extra. If you want to book a decent hotel in montreal for the summer its non refundable period. and they say even if covid related they will not give your money back unless it is illegal. thats why I m wondering if there are any lawyers out there who would know if it is illegal?
its 1300 - 1400 US dollars to book 4 or 5 nights in June thats a lot of money to spend with the new omi varient they might close the border again to US citizens