Customs Act

Marginal note:Presentation of persons on arrival in Canada

• 11 (1) Subject to this section, every person arriving in Canada shall, except in such circumstances and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, enter Canada only at a customs office designated for that purpose that is open for business and without delay present himself or herself to an officer and answer truthfully any questions asked by the officer in the performance of his or her duties under this or any other Act of Parliament.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to any person who has presented himself or herself outside Canada at a customs office designated for that purpose and has not subsequently stopped at any other place prior to his or her arrival in Canada unless an officer requires that person to present himself or herself to the officer.

• Marginal note:Presentation of passengers and crew

  (3) Subject to this section, every person in charge of a conveyance arriving in Canada shall, except in such circumstances and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, ensure that the passengers and crew are forthwith on arrival in Canada transported to a customs office referred to in subsection (1).

• Marginal note:Exception

  (4) Subsection (3) does not apply to any person in charge of a conveyance transporting passengers and crew all of whom have presented themselves outside Canada at a customs office designated for that purpose and have not subsequently stopped at any other place prior to their arrival in Canada unless an officer requires that person to comply therewith.

• Marginal note:Entry and departure

  (5) Subject to the regulations, subsections (1) and (3) do not apply to any of the following persons, unless an officer requires them to comply with those subsections:

  • (a) a person who enters Canadian waters, including the inland waters, or the airspace over Canada on board a conveyance directly from outside Canada and then leaves Canada on board the conveyance, as long as the person was continuously on board that conveyance while in Canada and

    • (i) in the case of a conveyance other than an aircraft, the person did not land in Canada and the conveyance did not anchor, moor or make contact with another conveyance while in Canadian waters, including the inland waters, or

    • (ii) in the case of an aircraft, the conveyance did not land while in Canada; and

  • (b) a person who leaves Canadian waters, including the inland waters, or the airspace over Canada on board a conveyance and then re-enters Canada on board the conveyance, as long as the person was continuously on board that conveyance while outside Canada and

    • (i) in the case of a conveyance other than an aircraft, the person did not land outside Canada and the conveyance did not anchor, moor or make contact with another conveyance while outside Canada, or

    • (ii) in the case of an aircraft, the conveyance did not land while outside Canada.

• Marginal note:Exception — alternative manner

  (6) Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who

  • (a) holds an authorization issued by the Minister under subsection 11.1(1) to present himself or herself in a prescribed alternative manner and who presents himself or herself in the manner authorized for that person; or

  • (b) is a member of a prescribed class of persons authorized by regulations made under subsection 11.1(3) to present himself or herself in a prescribed alternative manner and who presents himself or herself in the manner authorized for that class.

• Marginal note:Powers of officer

  (7) Notwithstanding that a person holds an authorization under subsection 11.1(1) or is authorized under the regulations made under subsection 11.1(3), an officer may require a person to present himself or herself in accordance with subsection (1).