Travelling to a different country, especially if you intend to live there permanently, has a number of apprehensions, the most primary of them being whether that country allows carrying cash. For obvious reasons, if you land up in Canada or the US for the first time, you would require cash to buy yourself and your family a few essentials. Will they stop the immigration process if we carry a certain amount cash? Will we land up in jail? What do we need to do if we want to carry some cash with us? These are some of the innumerable questions that flood the FAQ boxes of the immigration centers in Canada or America.
The rules regarding Carry Cash in Another Country at time of Immigration
The rules are almost the same in both the countries. However, discussing their rules and regulations in details, separately, is important.
Rules of Carrying Cash in Canada during Immigration
There is technically no limit to how much you can bring to Canada, but do not forget to declare. This is where the Canada Border Services Agency form E311 comes in handy. The main aim of the CBSA Declaration Card is to ensure that the money is not being laundered or used for terrorist financing or sponsoring other illegal activities. If you are carrying anything more than $10,000 CAD, you will have to declare the same on the form. The form goes into seeking details about the purpose of your stay, the duration of the stay and the value of the goods you are carrying with you. If you have to declare the amount you are carrying, you must fill up the relevant place for declaring how much currency or monetary instruments (for instance, bonds, securities, traveler’s check, money orders) you are carrying. In certain cases, this can also be done on electronic kiosks or to a customs agent in person.
It is also noteworthy that if you are carrying more than $10,000 CAD, you cannot use NEXUS for expedited processing when you enter Canada via land, ship or air.
What happens once you have declared the amount of Cash during landing as Immigrant?
If you declare the total amount you are carrying and if that exceeds CAD 10,000, your luggage may be subject to additional screen. So, it is advisable to spare yourself some more time at the border when you are planning a trip to Canada. You might also need to fill up a few extra forms like the E668 or E667, depending on whether the money is yours or is being transported for someone else. The form is then sent to the Canadian government to be analysed, with the intent of checking if there is any money laundering involved.
If the amount is not declared, the authorities have every right to seize the amount that you are carrying and will only release it if you pay a penalty ranging from CAN$250 to $5000.
Rules regarding carrying Cash in USA as Immigrant
The regulations are the same for the USA. The only difference is the form that you have to fill up to declare the money you have brought inside America. If you are taking more than $10,000, you will have to fill up a form FinCEN105. The form is either available online or you could ask the Border Officer to help you with the same as you pass through the custom counter.