Travellers
Automated Border Clearance Self-Serve Kiosks
Arriving by Air? The border is going digital.
At select airports, travellers now use a kiosk to confirm their identity and complete an on-screen declaration. Those looking to save more time can create their declaration in advance using a mobile app. Learn more about Primary Inspection Kiosks and the eDeclaration mobile app.
Automated Border Clearance (ABC) self-serve kiosks help you avoid long lines when you enter Canada. The self-serve kiosks are located at four airports. They help you clear the border more quickly by helping border services officers (BSO) verify your customs and travel documentation.
What are the benefits of using the self-serve kiosks?
The ABC kiosks:
- Are safe, secure and fast;
- Are quick and easy to use;
- Require no registration process or fee;
- Can be used to make a declaration for up to four people living at the same address, and
- Allow each person declared on your declaration card to use a dedicated ABC user lineup resulting in reduced wait times.
Can I use an Automated Border Clearance self-serve kiosk?
You are eligible to use ABC kiosks when entering Canada if:
- You are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, or a U.S. citizen and
- You have a valid Canadian passport or permanent resident card, or U.S. passport.
How do the self-serve kiosks work?
You must follow these steps:
- Fill out the Declaration Card distributed on the aircraft (See example here).
- Proceed to one of the ABC self-serve kiosks located in the Canadian inspection services area. Each ABC self-serve kiosk displays easy to understand steps on the screen.
- Continue to the BSO for a verification of your required travel documents. Have the following items ready for examination:
- Your self-serve kiosk receipt;
- Your valid Canadian passport, permanent resident card or U.S. passport; and
- Your receipts for purchases made abroad.
Note: You may be directed to another BSO for further inspection.
Where are the self-serve kiosks located?
- Terminal 1 of Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ); and
- Calgary International Airport (YYC).
What is the difference between Automated Border Clearance and NEXUS?
The ABC program streamlines the customs declarations process. Travellers complete their declaration on a kiosk and can then proceed to a dedicated lineup to verify their declaration with a BSO.
The NEXUS program allows travellers to be pre-approved by both the Canadian and U.S. customs and immigration programs. For more information on this program and its benefits, please visit the NEXUS Web page.
Protecting your privacy
The CBSA takes the protection of your personal information very seriously. As required by the Privacy Act, any personal information obtained from you during the ABC process is stored in a government database. The information provided is collected under the authority of Canadian laws. ABC self-serve kiosks have robust security features that read the information from the machine-readable zone of Canadian passports, Canadian permanent resident cards, and U.S. passports.
Securing your information
The personal information collected from travellers is transferred to the CBSA. Border services officers can then assess the risk level of travellers and identify any lost, stolen or fraudulent documents.
Information collected at the ABC self-serve kiosks may be used to support ongoing CBSA investigations or enforcement activities.
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