Moving from the US to Canada: the complete checklist (2026)

Decided to leave the US for Canada? A land-border move looks easy — same continent, one truck — but it is still a full international immigration, with its own customs rules, forms, and traps. Here is the checklist we wish we’d had from day one.

1) Immigration status first — before anything else

Don’t book movers or sign a lease before your status is settled: permanent residence, a work permit (including CUSMA permits for American professionals), a study permit, or proof of Canadian citizenship. Compare your options in our complete guide to immigrating from the United States. Entering “as a visitor” while intending to settle can get you turned away at the border.

2) The documents you’ll regret forgetting

Gather them in one folder that travels with you (not in the truck!):

• Passports + immigration document (confirmation of permanent residence, permit approval letter…)
• Birth and marriage certificates (originals)
• Medical records, vaccination records, dental files for the whole family
• Driving record and insurance history from your state (lowers your Canadian car insurance)
• Kids’ school transcripts and records
• US tax returns (at least the last 3 years)

3) Customs: form BSF186 and two lists

As a settler, you can bring in your personal effects and household goods duty-free — provided you declare them properly using form BSF186:

• The list of goods accompanying you on crossing day.
• The “goods to follow” list: everything arriving after you. Anything missing from this list can be taxed later.

Prepare both lists in advance (estimated values, serial numbers for electronics) and present them at your first entry as a resident. Details on the Canada Border Services Agency site (source below).

4) Your car: nothing is automatic

Importing your American car goes through the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) program and Transport Canada compliance:

• First check your model’s admissibility on the Transport Canada site (some models aren’t accepted).
• On the US side, an export filing with US Customs 72 hours before crossing is required.
• After entry: RIV inspection, then registration and insurance in your province.

Add up the total cost (RIV fees, possible modifications, taxes) — sometimes selling and rebuying in Canada is cheaper.

5) Pets

Dogs and cats generally need a valid rabies vaccination certificate signed by a veterinarian. Check the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) current requirements before you travel.

6) Money and banking: don’t close your US accounts

• Crossing with the equivalent of CAN$10,000 or more (cash or instruments): declaration is mandatory.
• Keep a US account and credit card open: your US credit history does not follow you to Canada — you start from zero.
• Open a Canadian account early — several Canadian banks have newcomer packages, some available before arrival.

7) Taxes: your US obligations don’t stop at the border

If you are a US citizen, you will keep filing with the IRS every year even while living in Canada (the tax treaty prevents double taxation). Pin down your Canadian tax-residency start date precisely and keep every document. Full details in our US taxes in Canada guide.

8) Health insurance: cover the gap

Some provinces impose a waiting period of up to about 3 months before public coverage starts. Travel with temporary private insurance for that window. Full details in our guide to the Canadian healthcare system for Americans.

9) Your first week in Canada

1. Apply for your Social Insurance Number (SIN) — free and immediate at a Service Canada office.
2. Apply for your province’s health card right away (the waiting period runs from your residency date).
3. Driver’s licence: several provinces exchange US licences without a test — bring your driving record.
4. Canadian phone plan, a stable address, and update your address everywhere.

The most common mistakes

• Arriving without a “goods to follow” list → customs duties on the rest of your furniture.
• Closing every US account → no credit history on either side of the border.
• Leaving a health-insurance gap between the two systems → a hospital bill in the thousands.
• Forgetting the US Customs export filing for your car → refused at the border, everything rescheduled.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change: always verify on canada.ca and the official sites listed in the sources.