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Free import

• 400 cigarettes or

• 25 cigars or

• 250 grammes of tobacco

• 24 units of alcoholic beverages – units classified as either 75cl or 1 litre bottles

• 10 units of makeup items

• Clothes and other articles for personal use

• Books and periodicals

• Local and foreign currency greater than BRL 10,000 will need to be declared when entering or leaving the country

Prohibited

• Illegal drugs

• Guns, explosives and ammunition

• Knives and deadly weapons

• Fresh fruit and vegetables

• Plant and plant products

• All species of birds

• Pets and animals – unless authorised

• Dairy products including milk, egg and cheese

• Fish and fish products

• Cigarettes or alcoholic beverages of Brazilian origin

• Counterfeit money and goods

• Hazardous materials

• Pornographic material

Restricted

• Flower, plants and plants products will require permission from the Ministry of Agriculture before being granted admission into the country.

• Meat, egg or fish products will all also require permission from the Ministry of Agriculture before entering the country.

• Cats, dogs and other animals being imported will need an international health certificate from the country of origin which was issued less than 10 days prior to their arrival. Pets 90 days or older will also require a Rabies vaccination certificate issued 30 days prior to the intended date of arrival.

Free import

• As a visitor, you can bring certain goods into Canada for your own use as "personal baggage". Personal baggage includes clothing, camping and sports equipment, cameras and personal computers. It also includes vehicles, private boats and aircraft.

• You must declare all goods when you arrive at the first CBSA port of entry. Border services officers do conduct examinations of goods being imported or exported to verify declarations. If you declare goods when you arrive and take them back with you when you leave, you will not have to pay any duty or taxes. These goods cannot be:

• used by a resident of Canada;

• used on behalf of a business based in Canada;

• be given as a gift to a Canadian resident; or

• disposed of or left in Canada.

The border services officer may ask you to leave a security deposit for your goods, which will be refunded to you when you export the goods from Canada. Should this occur, the officer will issue a Form E29B (PDF, 507 KB), Temporary Admission Permit, retain a copy and give you one for your records. When you leave Canada, present your goods and your copy of Form E29B to the officer who will give you a receipt copy of the form and your security deposit will be refunded by mail.

• Gifts

You can import gifts for friends into Canada duty- and tax-free as long as each gift is valued at CAN$60 or less. If the gift is worth more than CAN$60, you will have to pay duty and taxes on the excess amount. You cannot claim alcoholic beverages, tobacco products or business-related material as gifts.

• International events in Canada

You can find information on streamlined border processes by going to the International Events section of the A-Z Index of the CBSA Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca. These streamlined border processes facilitate the entry and exit of people and goods temporarily entering Canada to participate in conventions, international sporting competitions, political summits, research expeditions, meetings, trade shows and incentive travel.

• Alcohol and tobacco

As a visitor or a temporary resident, you may import, free of duty and taxes, the following amounts of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, as long as these items are in your possession when you arrive in Canada.

• Alcoholic beverages

Alcoholic beverages are products that exceed 0.5% alcohol by volume. If you meet the minimum age requirements of the province or territory where you enter Canada, you can include limited quantities of alcoholic beverages in your personal entitlement. Minimum ages for the importation of alcoholic beverages, as prescribed by provincial or territorial authorities, are as follows: 18 years for Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec; and 19 years for the remaining provinces and territories.

You are allowed to import only one of the following amounts of alcoholic beverages free of duty and taxes:

• 1.5 litres (53 imperial ounces) of wine; or

• a total of 1.14 litres (40 ounces) of alcoholic beverages; or

• up to 8.5 litres of beer or ale.

• The CBSA classifies "cooler" products according to the alcoholic beverage they contain. For example, beer coolers are considered to be beer and wine coolers are considered to be wine. Beverages not exceeding 0.5% alcohol by volume are not considered to be alcoholic beverages.

The quantities of alcohol you can bring in must be within the limit set by the province or territory where you enter Canada. If the value of the goods is more than the free allowance, you will have to pay duty and taxes, as well as provincial/territorial assessment on the excess amount. In Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, you cannot bring more than the free allowance. For more information, check with the appropriate provincial or territorial liquor control authority before your arrival to Canada.

• Tobacco products

You are allowed to bring all of the following amounts of tobacco into Canada free of duty and taxes:

• 200 cigarettes;

• 50 cigars;

• 200 grams (7 ounces) of manufactured tobacco; and

• 200 tobacco sticks.

In addition, the Excise Act, 2001 also limits the quantity of tobacco products that can be imported (or possessed) by an individual for personal use if the tobacco product is not packaged and stamped "CANADA DUTY PAID ● DROIT ACQUITTÉ." The limit is currently five units of tobacco products. One unit of tobacco products consists of one of the following:

• 200 cigarettes;

• 50 cigars;

• 200 grams (7 ounces) of manufactured tobacco; or

• 200 tobacco sticks.

• Currency and monetary instruments

If you are importing or exporting monetary instruments equal to or greater than CAN$10,000 (or the equivalent in a foreign currency), you must report the amount to the CBSA when you arrive or before you leave Canada. This applies to either cash or other monetary instruments. For more information, please refer to the publication called Crossing the border with $10,000 or more? that is available on the CBSA Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca under "Publications and forms."

Prohibited

• Obscene material

• Hate propaganda 

• Child pornography 

• Used or second-hand mattresses

• Health products (prescription drugs)

• Cultural property

Restricted

• Firearms and weapons must declare at the CBSA port of entry when you enter Canada.

• Explosives, fireworks and ammunition have to imported with written authorization and permits to bring explosives, fireworks and certain types of ammunition into Canada. 

• U.S. residents are allowed to operate aircraft, marine, amateur, citizens' band (CB), General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and Family Radio Service (FRS) radios as well as cellular and PCS (personal communications service) mobile radio telephones in Canada without explicit permission from Industry Canada. If you are not a U.S. resident, you will need permission from Industry Canada to use this equipment.

• Items imported for commercial use

If you import vehicles, farm equipment or other capital equipment to use in construction, contracting or manufacturing, or other goods to use or to be used in a trade, you have to pay the goods and services tax (GST) and any applicable duty on these items.

Goods subject to import controls

Free import

• The origin and value of the ( gifts items not exceeding a combined value of $300 are free of duty)

• one camera, 

• one video cassette player, 

• one personal computer, 

• one CD player, 

• 5 DVDs, 

• 20 music CDs or audiocassettes, 

• 12 rolls of unused film, and 

• one cellular phone

• 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars (if you are over 18); 

• Medicine for personal use (need to have a prescription label). 

• U.S. and Canadian citizens entering Mexico by the land border can bring in gifts with a value of up to $50.00 duty-free, except for alcohol and tobacco products

Prohibited

• Meat

• Vegetables

• Plants

• Fruit

• Flowers

• Guns 

• Knives 

Restricted

• Mexican law requires that any non-Mexican citizen under the age of 18 departing Mexico must carry notarized written permission from any parent or guardian not traveling with the child to or from Mexico. This permission must include the name of the parent, the name of the child, the name of anyone traveling with the child, and the notarized signature(s) of the absent parent(s). The State Department recommends that the permission should include travel dates, destinations, airlines and a brief summary of the circumstances surrounding the travel. The child must be carrying the original letter – not a facsimile or scanned copy – as well as proof of the parent/child relationship (usually a birth certificate or court document) – and an original custody decree, if applicable. Travelers should contact the Mexican Embassy or the nearest Mexican consulate for current information.

Free Import 

Alcohol and alcoholic beverages 

Over 17 years olds can bring (in personal luggage) the following quantities: 

• 1 litre of alcohol that does not exceed 22% volume of alcohol, or un-denatured ethyl alcohol 80% volume and over

• 2 litres of alcohol that does not exceeds 22% volume of alcohol

• 4 litres of still wine

• 16 litres of beer. 

The passengers can combine the first two types of alcohol as long the alcohol volume does not exceed 100%. 

Over 17 years old that belong to the following categories:

• persons residing in the frontier zone (region beyond the expanding borders of the European Union including: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro)

• frontier-zone workers,

• the crews of means of transport used between third countries and the Community,

may bring (in your personal luggage) alcohol in the following quantities:

• 0,5 litre of alcohol exceeding 22% volume, or un-denatured ethyl alcohol of 80% volume and over

• a total of 0,5 litre of alcohol and alcoholic beverages of an alcoholic strength not exceeding 22% volume

• 0,5 litre of still wine 

• 2 litres of beer. 

The passengers can combine the first two types of alcohol as long the alcohol volume does not exceed 100%. 

Note that the consideration of what constitutes frontier countries lies entirely with EU and the list outlined above may change. 

Tobacco products 

When travelling by air or sea , over 17 years old can bring tobacco products for personal use only the following:

• 200 cigarettes or

• 100 cigarillos or

• 50 cigars or

• 250 g of smoking tobacco.

Each amount specified in above points will amount to 100% of the total allowance for tobacco products.

When travelling by land, over 17 years old can bring tobacco products for personal use only the following:

• 40 cigarettes or

• 20 cigarillos or

• 10 cigars or

• 50 grams of smoking tobacco.

Each amount specified in all the points will amount to 100% of the total allowance for tobacco products.

Other goods

• Medication – for personal use only 

• Personal items of non-commercial nature worth up to 430 euro when travelling by air or sea 

• Personal items of non-commercial nature worth up to 300 euro when travelling by land 

• Personal items of non-commercial nature worth up to 150 euro for travellers under 15 years of age.

Non-commercial item are of an occasional nature and consist exclusively of goods for the personal or family use of the traveller, or of goods intended as presents. The nature and quantity of the goods must not be such as to indicate that they are being imported for commercial reasons.

Prohibited

• Meat and milk and any items thereof from non-EU countries with the exception of limited amounts from Andorra, Croatia, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and small amounts of specific products from other countries 

• Protected species and products thereof as listed by the CITES (Washington Convention) for example ivory, tortoise shell, coral, reptile skin, wood from Amazonian forests.

Restricted

• pets need to be identifiable (tattoo or an electronic identification system), vaccinated against rabies and have a health certificate. For more information please refer to the nearest embassy.

• maximum of 10 kg of meat, milk and dairy products coming from Croatia, Færøer Islands, Greenland and Iceland

• powdered milk for babies, food for children and special medical food (including pets food) may be allowed if they need not to be refrigerated prior opening and that it is brand packaged food and the packaging has original seal (unless in use at the time) and its quantity must not exceed the weight of 10 kg originating from Croatia, Færøer Islands, Greenland and Iceland, and of 2 kg if originating in other countries.

• fish only if it is disembowelled and does not exceed the weight of 20 kg,

• currency - no restrictions if coming from EU country. Declarable for all travelling outside EU when the amount exceeds 10.000 euro or equivalent in another currency.

• coats, fur and leather shoes made of protected animals will need special authorization

Free import

Residents

• Exemption of USD 200 worth of dutiable items:

For residents that travelled abroad more than once in a 30-day period or who have been out of the country for at least 48 hours. If the worth of the items brought in exceeds the above USD200 then the whole amount is dutiable. You may include with the $200 exemption your choice of the following:

- 50 cigarettes and 

- 10 cigars and 

- 150 ml (5 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages or 

- 150 ml (5 fl. oz.) of perfume containing alcohol.

• Exemption of USD 800 worth of dutiable items:

For residents who have been out of the country at least 48 hours and their duty-free exemption was not used in the preceding 30 days. The duty-free allowances may include the following maximum quantities of:

- Tobacco products : 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars

- Persons of 21 years or older 1L of alcohol 

- other goods for personal use

• Exemption of USD 1,600 worth of dutiable items:

For U.S. residents that are travelling from U.S. insular possession (U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa or Guam)or for residents that are coming back from U.S. insular possessions and to the countries of the Caribbean Basin or Andean countries. 

• The exemption constitutes the following: 

- USD 1,600 worth of items originated only from the U.S. insular countries or in the instance of travel to U.S. insular possessions and to the Caribbean Basin or Andean countries the worth of articles can amount up to USD 1,600 but the worth of the articles originated in the latter cannot exceed USD 800, otherwise a duty will need to be paid.

- The tobacco allowance for the USD 1,600 exemption is up to 1,000 cigarettes but only 200 can be of the Caribbean Basin or Andean origin (as all allowance for duty free tobacco coming from foreign countries cannot excess 200.)

- The alcohol allowance as a part of the USD 1,600 exemption can constitute of up to five litres but only 4 litres can be of the Caribbean Basin or Andean origin. 

Non Residents

• Tobacco products : 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars.

• 1L of alcohol for persons of 21 years or older 

• Other goods for personal use.

• USD 100 worth of dutiable items as a gift

• Non-residents are allowed up to $100 worth of merchandise. To claim this exemption, you must remain in the United States for at least 72 hours, and the gifts must accompany you.

This $100 gift exemption can be claimed only once every six months. You may include 100 cigars within the gift exemption, but alcoholic beverages may not be included. Family members may not group their gift exemptions. If you've used your gift exemption and then return to the United States before the six-month period has ended, you may still bring in up to $200 worth of merchandise free of duty for your personal. Any of the following may be included in this $200 exemption: 

- 50 cigarettes

- 100 cigars (non-Cuban)

- 150 ml of alcoholic beverages

- 150 ml of perfume containing alcohol, or equivalent amounts of each. 

If you exceed any of these limitations, however, or if the total value of all dutiable articles exceeds $200, no exemption can be applied.

Prohibited

Applicable for residents of U.S.A and non-resident

• Eat or any products thereof (dried, canned etc.)

• Narcotics and some medication containing prohibited substances

• Absinthe (unless thujone free) 

• Plants , seeds , vegetables, fruits

• Soil, livestock or animal pests

• Biological (bacteria cultures, fungi specimens, viruses and others for research and etc. permissible only with APHIS permit) 

• Unprepared fish and fish eggs 

• Imports from embargoed countries (Iran, Cuba, Myanmar, Sudan) and leather souvenirs imported from Haiti (drums).

• Endangered wildlife species and products thereof (for example clothing and accessories) 

• Cultural artefacts from Byzantine period, Pre-Columbian period, Khmer sculptures (unless with permission)

• Dog and cat fur

• Items infringing trade and copyright regulations

• Fully automatic weapons and semi-automatic weapons (see the restricted section).

• Pornography

• Articles infringing copyrights

• Traitorous material and material igniting agitation

• Hazardous articles like fireworks, uncertified toys, health hazardous substances.

Restricted

• Pets - cats and dogs must be accompanied by: 

- Health certificate, issued within 30 days at point of origin. The certificate must state that animals have lived in an area which has not been under quarantine due to contagious, infectious or transmissible disease;

- Rabies certificate issued within 6 months (if the animal is over 4 months old).

• Birds require a health certificate issued immediately prior to shipment. The certificate must state that the birds were found free of psittcosis or ornithosis. For more detailed information please contact U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.

• Seafood – please contact the U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

• Medication - all health related drugs need to be properly labelled (preferably in their original packaging) and the quantity should not excess the amount you would normally need for the duration of your stay. It is strongly advisable to accompany the drugs with prescription or written letter from your personal physician.

• Arms and ammunition (non-residents only):

In order to import firearms, ammunition and implements of war an approved ATF Form 6-Part I). The ATF Form 6 should be submitted approximately 60 days prior to the intended importation. (Application and Permit for Importation of Firearms, Ammunition and Implements of War)".