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Canpass Private Aircraft Application - How to expedite

Lycosaurus

Well Known Member
Are you planning to apply for Canpass – Private Aircraft? Here is what I have learned and my recent experience for speeding up the process (as of May 20, 2022). (caveat... you mileage may vary)

For those who don't know about Canpass, here is an excerpt from their website:
The CANPASS – Private Aircraft program makes clearing the border easier for private aircraft carrying no more than 15 people (including the crew) and travelling to Canada from the United States. This program allows members to access more airports and provides expedited clearances for low-risk, pre-screened travellers.​

All the information and application form can be found here:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/canpass/privateair-eng.html

I have been hemming and hawing about renewing our Canpass this year and let it all slip away. We are not too keen on crossing the border yet, however we decided we should keep our options open, so we decided to apply now.

Canpass, like all government agencies, have a large backlog of applications and work to contend with. I managed to speak with someone in the Montreal office, and they graciously gave of their time and wisdom (many thanks kind stranger). I was informed that they are having issues with the credit card system, and any application with that form of payment will be delayed... with no foreseeable end in sight according to this person. I asked for the best way to expedite our applications, and this is what I learned:

- Fill out the application form(s), one per person, include any additional information (e.g. copy of your passport photo page) required per the above link. I would suggest including a cell phone number so you can be contacted promptly if there are any questions (that's how we were reached today for a clarification).

- Include a certified check or bank draft in Canadian Funds ONLY.

- Include a note requesting that approval document be sent back as a pdf by email. Will expedite your process by one to two weeks.

- Send your package to the British Columbia Canpass address found within the above web link:

Canpass Private Aircraft
28 176th Street
Surrey BC V3Z 9R9

- We decided to send our package via Canada Post registered mail.

- We had two applications, and we paid the $40 each fee with one $80 bank draft (Canadian funds).

We sent the package on Monday May 16th from Ottawa, Ontario, and we just received a phone call today (May 20th) for a clarification. The person working on our application said it would take about another week for the approval process. They can send the approval document via postal mail, which would take another one to two weeks, or if agree they can email a pdf to us, saving us the snail mail time. We requested they email it to us. I would recommend you add a note to your application saying you wish that they send the pdf approval document back to you by email.

So far the recommendation from the Montreal office is panning out. I expect we should hear back before the end of the month. I will post progress here.
 
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For my previous two Canpasses I sent a personal check in US funds and didn’t have any problems. Wondering if anything changed in last 10 years.
 
The value in CANPASS AIR is that you can land at a network of smaller airports that are probably closer to your destination/route but may not be staffed full time by border officers. If you're trusted, many times you won't even see a person when you arrive and you'll just clear by phone.

Unfortunately this network was shut down during COVID, and I don't know that it's been opened up again.
 
Clarification: Everyone on board needs to hold a CANPASS-AIR. The CANPASS you can get for land crossings is not valid for CANPASS-AIR entry.

For my previous two Canpasses I sent a personal check in US funds and didn’t have any problems. Wondering if anything changed in last 10 years.

It is unfortunate that there are so many different Canpass flavors. Nexus does not work for us (and why not?). All these different fiefdoms... then again I consider myself lucky to be able to apply to Canpass, since Canpass boat has been discontinued for new applications.

In the documentation instructions they do mention Canadian Funds , though they might not refuse the same amount in US Funds. In this case I was emphatically given instructions to expedite the process. They don't mention personal checks either.

The convenience for us is that all we need to do (after the eAPIS, Canpass phone call, ArriveCan etc) is arrive after the declared/forecast time (no later than 30 minutes), and we can then proceed directly to our hangar should there be no officers to greet us. I think there was maybe 1 out of 20 times that we had a welcoming committee show up.

Canpass is back in (almost) full swing, with the list of approved airports here: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/services/aoecan-eng.html
 
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Does the Canpass subscription some how register the ArriveCan app? This is the only thing changing pre or post Covid operation of the customs arrival process.

Will be interesting to see if they will allow me to arrive at Springbank (AOE/CAN), as they always have in the past (prior to 2 years ago...) as I have never found the need to have the Canpass subscription to save a phone call to them after arrival.

Doesn't really matter to me if I have to do a small divert to a manned AOE if they don't allow me into Springbank.
 
Canpass

Good system if you can use it. Unless things changed recently most airports of entry have been put on pause. Reasons seem to be staffing issues.
I liked it as return from U.S many airports were available. I'm feeling customs would like to accept your donation but not interested to put the system back in place as per pre pandemic
 
Thanks for posting this excellent information, Alfio. I'm going to have to check our CANPASS expiry date... I hope we don't have to renew for another year or two.
 
Got back the authorization.

All good comments. For the price and our case-use, it is well worth it.

We've been out of commission, so to speak, for the last couple of days. Ottawa (Ontario) was hit hard by the storm last Saturday, and our area was one of the most affected. We just got power back last night... with basically not even cellphone or LTE service as a backup. We still have neighborhoods lacking power, so our generator is making the rounds.

Anyway... back to our regular program. I just received an email from CBSA with PDFs of our receipts and the CANPASS Authorization forms all decked out with signatures and our Canpass numbers. From mailing out last Monday to receiving back the signed forms 1 week later... all this after a holiday Monday and a storm that has hit our city the hardest in recent memory as far as power outage is concerned. Even worse than the ice storm of 1998 (for those who can remember that).

Well I am impressed. Many thingks to Maria at the CBSA processing centre.
 
Canpass AOE/CAN airports

As far as I know, Canpass is in back in full swing minus a few airports. The latest list of airports can be found here:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/services/aoecan-eng.html

NOTE: Look through the list for the airport of interest. You do need to click on the airport link and verify if it is still in the CANPASS program as some have been removed. It would have been nice for the web administrator to only select the active Canpass Air airports... but here we are.

When airport is suspended from the Canpass program, the following will be indicated under Services Air Airport of Entry/CANPASS (AOE/CAN)
......*Important Notice: Service at this location has been temporarily suspended until further notice.
 
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