The information they require is most likely to be gathered when they scan your passport at the airport so I wouldn't worry.

luci

Thank heavens for that
Many thanks.

Can I just ask how this will affect us. We are flying to Boston with Virgin & then driving to Niagra Falls in October.

Thanks

API is routinely collected for flights to the US and has been for some time. The passenger list is then sent to the US before the flight leaves. The information is collected from the passport.

luci

Have flown to Boston and crossed into Canada many times, no problem just have your passport ready and you may be asked to go to the office to present it.
Remember to keep all your Canadian receipts as you can claim state taxes back for some items when you leave Canada.

Remember to keep all your Canadian receipts as you can claim state taxes back for some items when you leave Canada.

Alas Canada abolished this concession earlier this year

API is routinely collected for flights to the US and has been for some time. The passenger list is then sent to the US before the flight leaves. The information is collected from the passport.

This bit is vital! We were delayed for two and a half hours last time, as six passengers had somehow checked in without having their passports scanned. Their details had to be faxed to Washington, and the airline had to wait for clearance to be faxed back from Washington before we could take off.

I recall when I flew there last we had to fill in forms on the plane and then have a chat to immigration when we landed, took about 20 mins in total to get through.

You may not be able to claim back now. When we were over there in march/April Ontario recinded the tax break from the 1st of that month. We went out on the 30th march and when we found out went to the shops on the 31st and lashed out $1200+ on ice hockey equipment. We managed to get the tax back on that but not on any purchases after that date. When we got to the airport to return they had closed the booth where you have to get the receipts stamped but sent them off anyway when we got home. They credited about £48 into my credit card account for the 31st March receipts but nothing for any of the April ones. Other states may be different.

Unlike the US, if flying to Canada from the UK, there is no requirement to provide details of your accommodation or pre-advanced APIS information.

Your passport may be scanned at check-in. During the flight you will be given a Canadian Customs form which needs to be completed and submitted upon arrival in Canada. That's it. All very easy.

You don't have to prove it but we were stopped and interviewed at Biringham Airport by an airlines rep who asked us where we were staying and how much money we had with us. He told us that the immigration in canada would ask us these questions and if we could not show that we had somewhere to stay and enough money to support ourselves then we could be sent back. However the immigration chappie didn't ask us. When he asked why were we visiting canada we just said "To watch some ice hockey" and he waved us through!

On my trip to Canada they asked loads of questions, why were we there, where were we staying, had we prebooked the hotels, how much money were we brining in. It took a good 5 or so minutes of quick fire questions to try and catch us out. Was quite nerve-wrecking actually I thought?

When I went to Canada there was a long queue to go through immigration and on reaching the desk a very pleasant young women looked at our paperwork and said is this your first visit? when I replied yes she said welcome to Canada have a nice stay, it took all of half a minute. Much different to the rudeness I encountered when I last entered the USA.