Quetico and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness meet along the border between Canada and the United States. Canoeists can paddle across the border, but while the wilderness is contiguous, park management and government regulations are not. Understanding the rules ahead of time will ease your remote border crossing. Read the summary below to get started, and be sure to visit the Canada Border Services Agency web site for the most complete and up to date information.

Entering Canada
To enter Canada from the United States, U.S. citizens must provide documentation of citizenship and identity—such as a U.S. passport or an original or certified birth certificate together with photo identification. Canadians must present a Canadian birth certificate, a Canadian passport, a permanent residence card, a citizenship card or a certificate of Indian status. Children under eighteen need only provide a primary document. For more information on required documentation and entering Canada, visit the CBSA web site admissibility page. Citizens and residents from countries other than the U.S. and Canada should visit the CBSA Citizenship and Immigration page for information on entering Canada.

Remote Border Crossings into Canada/Quetico
Individuals entering Quetico from the United States/BWCAW may enter remotely at Lac la Croix, Prairie Portage, or Cache Bay Ranger Stations. They must obtain a Canadian Remote Area Border Crossing Permit (CANPASS/RABC) in addition to a Quetico permit. The CANPASS RABC program facilitates the border clearance process for remote border crossings at the following locations:

• From Pigeon River through to and including Lake of the Woods
• The Canadian shore of Lake Superior
• Cockburn Island
• Sault Ste. Marie (upper lock system)
• Emerson West Lynne

You can apply for a RABC in person at the Fort Frances, Rainy River, Pigeon River, Sault Ste. Marie, Emerson West Lynne ports of entry, or at the Canada Border Services Agency’s Thunder Bay office. However, it is best to apply for the RABC by mail at least 3-4 weeks before your trip to avoid processing delays at the border. Download a CANPASS/RABC Permit Application.

Mail your application, including photo copies of required identification, and the CAN $30.00 processing fee to Canada Border Services Agency, 201 North May Street, Thunder Bay ON P7C 3P4. For a complete list of required documentation and application instructions, visit CBSA CANPASS web page. The application contains instructions on how to apply, accepted forms of payment and required documentation.

You might not qualify for a CANPASS/RABC if you:

• are not a permanent resident or citizen of Canada or the United States
• have been previously charged with a contravention of customs or immigration legislation
• have a criminal conviction for which you have not been pardoned, such as driving under the influence
• provide false or incomplete information on the CANPASS/RABC application

For more information call the Canada Border Services Agency office at 807-624-2162 or visit this web site.

Note: Trips that originate in the BWCAW and enter Quetico require a BWCAW permit in addition to the Quetico permit and the RABC.

Paddling Into the BWCAW from Canada
Different regulations apply for paddling across the international border into the BWCAW. Learn More >