Travelling to the US? Canada's US travel advisory has a surprisingly intense warning

Although the number of Canadians travelling to the United States has dropped significantly since March, many are still planning late-spring and early-summer trips across the Canada-U.S. border.

Whether you're heading stateside to shop, visit family and friends, or take a vacation, it's important to be aware of Canada's current travel advisory for the U.S. — and it's pretty intense.

The advisory was recently updated in response to changes to U.S. entry requirements, reflecting the new hurdles Canadians may face at the border. It comes as tensions are heightened between the two countries.

Regardless of whether you're flying, driving or cruising into the U.S., it's essential to be prepared to avoid any surprises — especially since the Government of Canada warns it cannot intervene if you fail to meet American entry or exit requirements.

The latest update to the advisory was posted on June 3, but significant changes were first made on April 4, 2025. These changes outlined increased scrutiny at U.S. borders and came ahead of a new U.S. registration rule, which took effect on April 11. This rule prevents Canadians and other foreign nationals from staying in the U.S. for more than 30 days unless they are officially registered with the government.

The advisory, which has remained largely unchanged since April, makes it clear that Canadian travellers should "expect scrutiny at ports of entry, including of electronic devices."

What's more, the travel warning adds that American border agents are entitled to search electronic devices such as your phone, tablet or computer when you are entering the United States.

"They don't need to provide a reason when requesting a password to open your device," the Government of Canada warns.

The travel advisory continues to say, "If you refuse, they may seize your device. The border agent could also delay your travel or deny entry if you are not a U.S. citizen."

"Before crossing the border, put your device in airplane mode to ensure remote files don’t get downloaded accidentally."

Canada's U.S. travel advisory also emphasizes that U.S. border agents "often have significant discretion" in deciding who will be allowed to enter the country and that American authorities "strictly enforce entry requirements."

The travel warning adds, "Comply and be forthcoming in all interactions with border authorities. If you are denied entry, you could be detained while awaiting deportation."

It also adds that customs officials may ask Canadian tourists and travellers to provide their addresses while in the United States (including Puerto Rico).

You may also be asked to show evidence of residential, employment or educational ties to Canada, proof that your trip is for a legitimate purpose and is of a reasonable length and proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay.

This heightened travel advisory follows escalating tensions between Canada and the United States, driven by trade disputes, tariffs, and provocative remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump about Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state.

In response, many Canadians have started boycotting travel to the U.S., and the impact is evident in the numbers. In April 2025, Statistics Canada data shows that transborder travel to the United States dropped to 1.1 million trips — a 5.8% decrease compared to April 2024.

This also marks the third consecutive month of year-over-year declines.

A similar trend can be seen at Canada's biggest airports. In April 2025, year-over-year decreases in passengers for U.S.-bound flights were observed at all four major airports: Toronto Pearson (-5.3%), Vancouver International (-7.6%), Montréal-Trudeau (-10.1%), and Calgary International (-1.6%).

In contrast, domestic air travel within Canada rose by 7.4% year-over-year in April, reaching two million passengers.

Canada's full travel advisory for the United States can be found here.

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