Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued guidance to alleviate the supply chain disruptions that extreme weather conditions have caused in British Columbia, Canada. According to CBP’s CSMS #50138288, here are the rules and requirements of Canadian truck carriers needing to transit through the U.S. to reach destinations in Canada:
General Rules
The following requirements are available to Canadian domestic truck carriers that do not have electronic manifesting capabilities or the ability to file as a bonded carrier.
- The area of operations will be initially limited to the following ports:
- Emerson MB (Pembina, North Dakota 701-825-5800);
- North Portal Saskatchewan (Portal Station, North Dakota 701-926-7500);
- Coutts AB (Sweetgrass, Montana 406-335-9610);
- Kingsgate; BC (Eastport, Idaho 208-267-3966);
- Osoyoos, BC (Oroville, Washington 509-476-2955); and,
- PAC Highway (Blaine, Washington 360-332-5771)
- For in-transit delays, such as a breakdown during transit, the carriers shall contact the nearest CBP port of entry.
- Expected duration of the following work around measures will be for the duration of the infrastructure delays or up to thirty days and re-evaluated once commercial traffic normalizes or operationally resumes.
- All protocols and policies apply to any port of entry outside of the affected area, i.e., Seattle Field Office.
- Carriers and importers failure to follow stipulated workaround procedures will be penalized for any violations. Note that CBP will exercise maximum flexibility to ensure that legitimate transactions are facilitated but need cooperation from the industry sector to ensure facilitation.
Travel Document Requirements
- Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document is required for all drivers and passengers/co-drivers.
- Drivers and all vehicle occupants must be in possession of all documents, including approved Form I-194 waivers of inadmissibility, when applying for admission.
- Those drivers and vehicle occupants who have a criminal history and do not have an approved waiver of inadmissibility will not be permitted to enter the United States.
- https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative
- https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative/faqs
Entry Filing/Requirements
- Bond requirements for carriers within the containment area will be waived for trucking companies that do not normally cross the U.S. border.
- User fee requirements will be adhered to, and fees will be collected.
- CBP Officers will input the manifest information in ACE manually based on the submission of documents provided.
Container Security/Verification
- Containers must be properly sealed either prior to arrival or at the border. CBP personnel shall record and/or verify seal numbers at both entry and exit ports of entry. Carriers will not unload or load any additional cargo or break the seal on the container/trailer while in the U.S.
- Upon arrival to the U.S. border CBP primary booth, identification and any documents including bills of lading, packing lists, invoices, foreign government certificates, etc. as well as trailer license number will be provided to the CBP Officer and/or agriculture specialist.
- Upon reentering Canada, carriers transiting under this procedure will present themselves to CBSA personnel for verification of seals and collection of seal numbers and Canadian reentry requirements.
Prohibited/Restricted Items
- Prohibited items currently legal in Canada but not in the U.S. will not be authorized for movement under these procedures.
- Restricted merchandise, such as medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, agriculture commodities, and live animals may require further review by CBP personnel at the port of entry. This may include additional documentation as mandated by the appropriate regulatory agency (USDA, FDA, etc.). Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
