In just a few short weeks, Canada expects several thousand fervent soccer fans will arrive at our border.
The FIFA World Cup is being hosted by North America from June 11 to July 19, with games in Canada being played in Vancouver and Toronto.
But the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has a warning for fans. A coveted ticket may get you into the soccer stadium, but you have to get into Canada first.
“There is no special FIFA visa,” the agency said in a statement. “A FIFA World Cup ticket is not a ticket into the country.”
Here’s how to make your travel to Canada for the games go smoothly.
As CBSA says, there is no special FIFA visa or FIFA passport that you can get that will allow entry into Canada, despite what you might see online.
And even if you have tickets to a game in Toronto or Vancouver, unless you have the required travel documents when you arrive at the border, you will not be allowed into Canada.
“There are a lot of people who travel for football who are not normally long-haul travellers, and they might find it a little harder to adjust to security systems, passport controls and those sorts of things,” said Max Johnson, a travel and tourism consultant based in Winnipeg.
What you will need depends on:
The CBSA advises all people travelling to Canada to find out what they will need in addition to a passport.
Johnson also says to be prepared for longer than usual lines.
“If everybody takes 15 seconds longer and you have 500 people coming off a plane, it adds up,” he said.
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Whether you are a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident of the U.S. or a dual Canadian-American citizen will inform what you need.
The easiest way for a U.S. citizen to enter Canada is with a valid passport. But there are some alternative documents accepted if you do not have a valid passport. They include:
Travellers from other countries may require a visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA).
Often people who travel for soccer matches are travelling within Europe, Johnson says, and it’s only once every four years that they may be drawn to travel further to cheer on their team.
“Football, and particularly the World Cup, is an incredibly tribal event,” he said. “It’s country against country, which brings out both the best and worst in people.”
If you find yourself in a longer than normal line at the border, he advises you relax and “realize that you are going to get out. It just may take a little more time than usual.”
Earlier this week, the Canadian government announced it was clamping down on travel and immigration from multiple countries in central Africa due to the Ebola outbreak.
As of Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. ET, immigration documents from citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan were suspended, according to federal public health and immigration officials.
The temporary ban, expected to be in place for 90 days, applies to electronic travel authorizations, as well as temporary resident visas, temporary resident permits and permanent resident visas.
“We are taking precautionary measures and we are taking a regional approach because of FIFA,” Health Minister Marjorie Michel told reporters Thursday.
“People are travelling a lot during FIFA and even if Canada still remains low risk … we are aligning with the U.S. and with Mexico to have the same kind of measures.”
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If you are planning to travel with children who are not yours, or for whom you don’t have legal custody, you will need a letter of consent from the child’s parent or legal guardian expressly authorizing you to travel with them.
This is in addition to the accepted identification documents for the child and any visa or additional form of travel authorization required.
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No. But if you are accredited for the World Cup and arriving by air, CBSA advises you to use advance declaration services (available at 10 Canadian airports, including Vancouver and Toronto Pearson) and self-identify as such when you arrive.
“FIFA World Cup accredited travellers should have their accreditation letter ready to show a border officer when they arrive in Canada,” according to the CBSA.
Not necessarily. You’ll still need all the required authorized identification documents, plus there might be heavier than normal traffic at some crossings on or leading up to game days.
But Johnson says, there are more land crossings to choose from whereas if you’re flying, you’ll pretty much be funnelled to Vancouver International Airport or Toronto Pearson Airport.
Ultimately, Johnson says, the sheer number of people descending on the two cities is going to really change the atmosphere for a couple of weeks in a way that will be hard to avoid.
“It’s going to be obvious that there are a lot of people with a lot flags and a lot chants and a lot shirts,” he said. “They sort of come, they go. It’s a little like a tsunami.”
