Canada Is Opening to All Fully Vaccinated Travelers on Sept. 7: Here's What You Need to Know

Soon, all eligible vaccinated travelers can visit the Great White North.

Canada has had stringent entry restrictions in place during the pandemic -- no one could visit for leisure purposes. Recently, the country began to allow some fully vaccinated people to enter. As of Aug. 9, fully vaccinated Americans have been able to visit for leisure travel.

The country plans to open its borders to all fully vaccinated people on Sept. 7. Visitors who meet the vaccinated traveler exemption requirements (outlined below) won't have to quarantine and can skip day eight testing requirements.

Do you hope to travel to Canada soon? Here's what to know.

Visitors must meet the vaccinated traveler exemption

Here's what Canada requires of people traveling into the country:

• Be eligible to enter Canada on the date of your travels (Sept. 7 or later).
• Be free of COVID-19 symptoms.
• Be fully vaccinated with an accepted COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, Janssen/Johnson & Johnson) or a combination of accepted vaccines, and have received the last dose at least 14 days before your entry date.
• Upload proof of vaccination in ArriveCAN.
• Outline and submit a quarantine plan in case you don't end up meeting the traveler exemption.
• Present a negative molecular pre-entry COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of your departure flight or 72 hours of your planned entry if driving. This applies to travelers ages 5 and up.
• Be ready to submit to a COVID-19 arrival test.

Here's what to expect when traveling with unvaccinated children or unvaccinated adult dependents

Coming to Canada with unvaccinated children or adult dependents? Here's what to expect.

• If you meet the above exemptions and are arriving with unvaccinated children between the ages of 5 and 11, follow all pre-departure, arrival, and day eight testing requirements.
• Unvaccinated children ages 12 to 17, regardless of whether they're traveling with an adult who meets the exemptions, must follow all pre-departure, arrival, day eight testing, and quarantine requirements.
• Unvaccinated adult dependents ages 18 and up who are unvaccinated because of mental or physical limitations, regardless of whether they're traveling with an adult who meets the exemptions, must follow all pre-departure, arrival, day eight testing, and quarantine requirements.

What if you have recovered from the virus?

If you've already recovered from COVID-19 and are symptom-free, you may be able to travel to Canada. You can provide proof of a positive COVID-19 molecular test instead of a negative one. The positive test result must be from a molecular test conducted between 14 and 180 days before your scheduled departure to Canada by air or your scheduled entry into Canada by water or land.

No matter your situation, continue checking rules and regulations before you leave for Canada. The pandemic is ongoing, and governments change rules accordingly.

Plan financially

Before your trip to Canada or any upcoming travels, consider your finances. It's become more costly to travel now during the pandemic thanks to testing, required quarantines, and transportation costs.

We recommend including extra funds in your vacation budget for unexpected expenses. By budgeting extra money, you can help ensure that your trip goes smoothly and have fewer worries while on vacation.

You may want to use a travel credit card. By using a travel rewards credit card to book your travels, you can earn valuable rewards on your spending. Some credit cards include travel protections like trip cancellation insurance. This trip protection can offer reimbursement for travel costs for covered trips, an important perk during the pandemic.