btar

Thank you, that's useful to know. Does the result come in by email thus making an upload into ArriveCan straightforward?

sharkus

Bit of a daft question from me. I know that as of Feb 28th we can now use a rapid antigen test instead of a PCR. However, as per here (https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/tr...-entry-testing) does walgreens count as "it must be administered or observed by a pharmacy, laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service" ? I'd take a guess that "observed by a pharmacy" would cover walgreens, and possibly any other drug store that administers rapid tests, eg; RiteAid

Left Eye

We are not US citizens and took a free rapid antigen test at Walgreens in Burlington (just south of Bellingham WA) last week for entry into Canada. It must be taken the day before entry to Canada and booked online in advance (as previously mentioned appointments seem to become available 5-7 days in advance). Use the address of a US hotel at the time of booking, they did not ask for ID. Results we ready in 30 minutes. You don't need to upload the test result into the ArriveCan app, but they will ask for proof at the border. We had no problems crossing at the border.

Strange that we can just rock up at a pharmacy in the US but in Canada we are paying an arm and a leg at private testing centres....

btar

Thanks, that's useful and reassuring, I would think the Border Force get a bit fed up with all the rules not to mention changes.
I've just discovered that the rules state that having created an ArriveCan account "you must use the same platform to start and finish a submission." Strewth, I don't remember whether I used laptop or phone! https://www.canada.ca/en/public-heal...n/help.html#a5

Lappy

I tried using the ArriveCAN app previously (had a holiday booked and then the pandemic started). I wouldn’t have been able to use it, as it did not show my flight number! Thankfully this time I will be arriving on land so that won’t be an issue.
To be on the safe side I am going to contact the Canadian Embassy in London to make sure I have all the correct details. It’s a long way to travel to get turned away at the border!
I will update you all as and when I have spoken to them.

Twitcher1958

I entered the US earlier this afternoon and had already made an appointment for NAAT test at 2pm at Walgreens. Did the test at the drive thru and wasn’t asked for any fee - I’m dual Brit:Canadian. Got the results two hours later.

I’ve just opened the ArriveCAN app to fill in the details - it’s only asked me to confirm that I have a negative test to present at the border - hadn’t asked me to submit to app. I can’t go all the way through the process as I don’t know yet if I’m returning tomorrow or Wednesday.

btar

ArriveCan is most annoying as it seems that data cannot be loaded and stored pending the final details - like border crossing point and time - once available. It proudly proclaims that arrival times etc can be changed but not without re-loading the whole thing it can't.
Or does anyone know different?

Twitcher1958

I arrived back in Canada late this afternoon by road.

I already had my ArriveCAN app loaded with my passport and vaccination details from a previous trip. I had a rapid- id test done at Walgreens yesterday afternoon ( made appointment in advance, no charge) - got the negative result emailed to my phone 2 hours later. Opened the PDF and took a screenshot of the certificate to have it to hand.

Last night, I filled in more info on the app- put in tomorrow’s arrival date and got to the quarantine questions - stopped there. One of the questions asked if I had proof of a negative Covid test which I confirmed but wasn’t asked to download.

Went back in to app at lunchtime today, changed date and time to today, completed the quarantine questions and submitted - got a QR code within 20 seconds.

At the border crossing, they checked my passport and asked some questions re purchases. Asked to see my negative test on my phone - I showed the screenshot and that was accepted. Took about 2 minutes in total.

btar

So it can be done, thanks for taking the trouble to post the information.
It looks as though it can be pre-loaded using the app (on a mobile device) and then updated but not using a Windows laptop which is what I was doing. My typing is better than poking my phone!

Twitcher1958

There wasn’t actually a lot to type - it’s more ticking boxes apart from address and phone details. I suggest you enter the vaccination and passport details in advance - I think I had a screenshot of the info then downloaded when prompted. I’d done what I could in early January and that took longer than yesterday.

Lappy

Whilst we are in Canada we may need to cross the border into the US, just for a few hours. Would we still need to take a test before entering Canada again, or is there a time limit on the previous test taken?

Twitcher1958

There was an exemption for short trips for a while but no longer - it changed back on 21 December.
https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/tr...ng-into-canada

Lappy

Thanks - maybe best to stay out once we are there!

Former Lancastrian

Official announcement expected tomorrow that no testing required for fully vaccinated travellers returning to Canada from 1 April.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/fed...ting-1.6386763

Lappy

WOW that would be the best news! I will keep an eye out for confirmation. Thank you so much 😊