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www.snowbirds.org
CSA TRAVEL INFORMATION GUIDE
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A non-expired provincial/territorial heath card proves your entitlement to coverage upon your
return.
Prove that you have adequate financial arrangements to enable you to carry out the purpose of your
visit and finance your departure with documents such as:
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An ATM bank card allowing access to your funds and/or traveller’s cheques, etc. to finance your
travels.
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A copy of your recent bank statements showing sufficient funds to enable you to travel.
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A copy of your most recent Canadian income tax return as well as a copy of your most recent
IRS 8840 Closer Connection form.
Prove that you have not overstayed any previous trips to the United States, especially if you own a
vacation property or drive a motor home:
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Carry the last six months of your bank statements and credit card statements showing that you
have been making routine purchases in Canada and not in the United States.
Important!
Many times visitors overstay their allowed visiting time with the attitude that they
will not get caught. The next time you attempt to enter the U.S., if it is determined that you have
previously overstayed your last visit, in the mind of the CBP officer there is a very high risk you will try
to overstay your legal entry time again. As the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology
(US-VISIT) program expands, this will become even more carefully monitored and vigorously
enforced.
I-94 Arrival/Departure Record
If you are not a Canadian citizen, in addition to a U.S. customs form, you will also have to complete an
Arrival/Departure Record when entering the United States.
The form will either be a white I-94 Arrival/Departure Record or a green I-94W Non-immigrant
Visa Waiver Arrival/Departure Record. The form has two specific perforated sections and asks basic
questions about your identity and where you are planning to stay while in the United States. Once
you have been approved for entry, the CBP officer will stamp and retain the top arrival portion. The
bottom departure section must be kept with your passport for the entire duration you are in the
United States. When departing the U.S., regardless of whether by land, sea or air, the departure
record must be turned in to prove you have not overstayed your allowed visit time. Failure to turn in
the form could block you from re-entering the United States on a future visit.
The departure portion of the I-94 should be turned in:
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Departing by air – to the airline prior to departure
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Departing by sea – to the shipping or cruise line prior to sailing
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Departing by land and not returning to the United States within 30 days – to the Canadian or
Mexican border authorities.
If you are making a short side-trip back to Canada or alternatively to Mexico of less than 30 days, you
may retain your departure portion so that when you resume your visit to the United States you will
be readmitted for the balance of the time remaining on your original I-94 arrival record.
Even if you have registered, in advance of travelling, with the new U.S. Electronic System for Travel
Authorization (ESTA) program, you will still require an I-94 or I-94W Arrival/Departure Record.
If all else fails – you do have the option of filing complaints against Canadian or U.S. border officials.