Port of Entry Examination - Personal Devices

Border Services Officer (BSO) can conducts primary and secondary immigration examinations of:

·       Canadian citizens;

·       persons registered under the Indian Act;

·       permanent residents (PR);

·       foreign nationals (FNs) (including permanent residence applicants, temporary

·       resident permit (TRP) holders and protected persons)

Examining Personal digital devices at the Canadian border

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers have the authority to examine all goods that cross the border. This means that, just like your luggage, officers can examine your cell phones, tablets, laptops and any other digital device  such as smartwatches, cameras, drives, removable media, tablets you are carrying.

CBSA officers do not always examine personal digital devices. They examine only if concerns or reason exists such as admissibility and/or admissibility of your goods, identity, failure to comply with Canadian laws and/or regulations

Failure to grant access to your personal digital device may result in the detention of that device, or seizure of the device.

The officer will usually examine your device in your presence, unless there are operational considerations that make it inappropriate to do so.

You are welcome to contact Hydrangea Immigration Inc. for further information and professional advice and assistance.

Source of information:

ENF 4 - Port of Entry Examinations

https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/resources/manuals/enf/enf04-eng.pdf

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/edd-ean-eng.html