Planning a dream trip to Canada? Whether you’re imagining maple syrup in Quebec 🍁 or exploring the Canadian Rockies 🏔️, there’s one important thing you should do before you land — submit your Canada Advance Declaration (CAD) through the ArriveCAN app or website. 🛂
I just returned from a trip to Toronto, and let me tell you — using ArriveCAN saved me a ton of time at the airport. So here’s everything I learned to help my fellow Malaysians travel smoother.👇
📄 What’s the Canada Advance Declaration (CAD)?
The Canada Advance Declaration (CAD) is a digital arrival form introduced by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to streamline entry into the country. It lets you fill out your customs and immigration info online before your arrival.
🔍 In simple terms, it’s an online declaration that international travellers (including Malaysians) can fill in before landing in Canada. It collects:
- Full name & passport details
- Flight information
- Declaration of goods (like food, alcohol, etc.)
- Travel history & contact info
✅ After submission, you’ll receive a confirmation email or QR code, which you scan at self-service kiosks in Canadian airports — no paper forms needed!
🧾 Is CAD a Visa?
No, it’s not a visa. Malaysians need an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) or a visitor visa to enter Canada depending on their travel purpose.
The CAD is not a visa — it’s a customs declaration form, similar to what we used to fill out on paper during flights, now done digitally through ArriveCAN.
🛃 Why Is It Important?
- ✈️ Speeds up the airport arrival process
- 📉 Reduces paper forms and manual checks
- 👮 Helps Canadian customs officers process entries faster
- ⏱️ Shorter queue times at self-service kiosks
- 📱 Accessible on mobile via ArriveCAN app or web
✅ Key Takeaways
- CAD is optional for now but highly recommended — some airports will make it mandatory soon
- You can submit via ArriveCAN app or online portal
- It’s free, easy, and makes immigration smoother
👥 Who Should Submit the Canada Arrival Declaration?
If you're a Malaysian citizen flying to Canada, you're eligible to submit the Advance Declaration using ArriveCAN. It’s supported at major Canadian airports, including:
- Toronto Pearson (YYZ)
- Vancouver (YVR)
- Montreal (YUL)
- Calgary (YYC)
- Halifax, Winnipeg, Quebec City, Ottawa, Edmonton — and more!
Even if you're entering visa-free with an eTA, it’s still a good idea to submit this digital form.
📝 How to Fill Out the Canada Advance Declaration
💻 Option 1: Online via Web Portal
Go to https://arrivecan.cbsa-asfc.cloud-nuage.canada.ca
✅ Step 1: Sign In or Continue as Guest
You can create an account (optional) or continue as a guest. If you plan to travel often, creating an account makes future trips faster.
✅ Step 2: Select Your Arrival Information
You’ll be asked to input:
- Arrival airport (e.g., Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Montreal)
- Arrival date and time
- Flight number
- Country of departure (e.g., Malaysia)
🕐 Must be completed within 72 hours before your scheduled arrival in Canada.
✅ Step 3: Enter Your Personal Information
Provide:
- Full name (as in your passport)
- Passport number
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Email address (for your receipt)
✅ Step 4: Provide Travel Details
You’ll need:
- Your Canadian address (hotel, Airbnb, or friend’s home)
- Reason for travel (tourism, business, etc.)
- Length of stay (if known)
✅ Step 5: Complete the Customs Declaration
Answer standard customs questions such as:
- Are you bringing food, plants, or animals?
- Are you carrying more than CAD $10,000 in cash?
- Do you have gifts or commercial goods?
- Any duty-free or alcohol purchases?
🧳 Answer honestly — these are routine questions.
✅ Step 6: Review and Submit
- Double-check your info
- Click Submit
📧 You will receive a confirmation receipt with a QR code via email.
✅ Step 7: Save or Screenshot Your QR Code
📸 Take a screenshot or save it offline — you’ll need to scan it at:
- Airport kiosk
- E-gates (available at major airports)
- Or show it to a CBSA officer manually
📱 Option 2: ArriveCAN App
Download the ArriveCAN app on iOS or Android. Sign up, select your trip, and complete the Advance Declaration in under 5 minutes.
📧 You’ll get a digital receipt with a barcode — scan it at the airport kiosk for faster clearance!
✅ Quick Recap:
Question | Answer |
|---|---|
Is CAD a visa? | ❌ No |
Is it required? | 🔶 Optional but recommended |
Submit through? | ✅ ArriveCAN App or Website |
Cost? | ✅ Free |
Time to submit? | ⏰ Within 72 hours before arrival |
Benefits? | ⏱️ Faster immigration, no paper needed |
Cheap Hotels in Toronto
5 star
Great170 Ulasan
Times Square New York|5.31km dari pusat bandar
Staying at The Edition again this year felt just like coming home. The front desk and luggage staff were incredibly warm and thoughtful, it was like seeing old friends. A special shout-out to Mr. Shah and Mr. Brian at the front desk – their service was impeccable, and they were so friendly and diligent. They truly deserve praise! 👍👍 We celebrated a birthday at the 9th-floor restaurant this time, and Mr. Ace was a huge help throughout. He took photos for us and paid attention to so many dining details. All in all, we had a fantastic stay here and hope to return next year! 😄Dari€282
Very Good114 Ulasan
Gramercy New York|3.76km dari pusat bandar
The hotel is not big, but the service is quite good. The room is very big, which is very good. The facilities are a bit old, but the cleanliness is acceptable. There are two balconies, one large and one small. The hotel is on the street, so people who have high requirements for the sleeping environment should choose it carefully.
Overall, I am very satisfied. It is convenient to get in and out. The subway station is very close. There are supermarkets around. McDonald's Star Dad is opposite, and it is also close to Koreatown. Dari€152
Very Good571 Ulasan
Times Square New York|5.2km dari pusat bandar
The location is excellent, making it very convenient to reach all attractions by subway.
Upon check-in, an additional destination fee of $41 per night was required. This fee could be used towards purchases at the 8th-floor restaurant and the rooftop view restaurant, but the $41 credit was non-cumulative and had to be utilized daily. The outcome was that no matter how we tried to maximize it, we always ended up spending a few extra dollars each day. This destination fee truly felt like a trap: a shame to waste, but using it still meant additional expenses.
Purified water was available on the 8th floor, allowing guests to fill their own bottles. Moreover, the room rate included one complimentary hotel perk voucher per night. During our stay, the perk was a choice of three options: a hop-on hop-off double-decker bus tour, entry to the Natural History Museum, or the Wax Museum.
Finally, I must complain about the hotel's amenities. The bedsheets were torn, and the towels were old and worn. This completely shattered my perception of the Marriott brand.
Then, there was the final billing process. The hotel's policy was to process payment first, then provide a detailed bill. The issue I encountered was that after paying by credit card, the bill surprisingly included an extra day's destination fee. After I reported this to the front desk, the recalculated bill then *undercharged* me for one day. I truly question if this is a problem with the hotel's billing system or simply human error. Ultimately, I still have to wait a week to receive a refund for the overcharged amount from the hotel.Dari€218
Good115 Ulasan
Greenpoint New York|4.24km dari pusat bandar
My son and I had the most incredible experience! I would recommend the William Vale to all my friends and family. The balcony views at sunset in the summer are absolutely stunning. The hotel itself offers many thoughtful amenities including a welcome message with your name on the television upon arrival. I honestly only have one small complaint and that was the cleaning service. We called about having the room cleaned and actually spoke with the individual who said she would come back at the time we requested but she never returned. Other than that one little hiccup everything went smoothly from the time we pulled up to valet to unload our luggage. There is NO better hotel to stay in Williamsburg aside from the William Vale.Dari€204
Very Good158 Ulasan
New York City Center New York|5.34km dari pusat bandar
Horrible experience with Service & Unnecessary charges
a) After charging $40 + taxes, they give $30 free meal voucher every day. After Day-1 i realised it was more economical to not use the $30 voucher. Sounds strange but its very Interestingly structured. One orders an Avocado toast for $29 (within budget) from the in room menu.The guy delivers in 30mins with a bill of $52 of which its $29 of food, $10 of delivery charges and $13 of taxes totalling to $52.
So 1st you are charged $40 as City charged and in lieu of that the coupon of $30 for food given to you even if u stuck to your understanding $30 you would have paid more than $52 means extra $22
It gets more interesting when they tell you, that you cant use this $30 for breakfast.
This is like a Ponzi scheme.
b) One of the rudest In-room dining call you will ever attend. I asked what is XXXXX, revert: you should read about it, this is not in my job profile, I only take orders. Fab experience 😍
c) I requested that since i was lactose intolerant could the hotel be kind to deliver 1/4 cup of Almond milk, just enough for a cup of tea. I am told that is possible and then a full cup of milk with $10 + taxes = $13 is charged for simple request of Almond milk.
d) You are not eligible for even a single bottle of water in a so called 5star hotel or so.
e) Servicing the room was not in list, had to go twice over to reception to ensure that room no is added to list of rooms to be serviced in the day.
f) The Coffee machine wasnt working and one had to request for a simple electric kettle to warm water for tea/coffee.
g) The Jet spray in the washroom commode was jammed and not working.Dari€257
Very Good103 Ulasan
SoHo New York|0.73km dari pusat bandar
Older hotels in New York and New York! Equivalent to China Express Hotel! But the location is not bad, there is Chinatown nearby! Koreatown! Especially the streetwear is very special. The streets of New York are so far away than imagined. Hahahahahaha, the streets are more worn and repaired everywhere! Metropolis!Dari€187
Very Good98 Ulasan
Upper East Side New York|6.2km dari pusat bandar
The hotel has a great location. You must go to the top floor of the hotel to have breakfast or a drink and enjoy the full view of New York Central Park. However, since the hotel is quite old, the rooms and corridors feel a bit eerie. If you choose a room facing the inner street, you can see the balcony of the house opposite, so remember to draw the curtains.Dari€325
Very Good103 Ulasan
Times Square New York|4.55km dari pusat bandar
Refinery is first of all a good location. It ’s convenient to go to Broadway to watch a show or to go to midtown. The nearby Bryant Park has my favorite breakfast shop. West 40th Street has good Spanish food. Michelin ’s chef ’s table is the highest in the world at West 39. Street ... you can understand so much. In fact, the room facilities are just like that. In contrast, I prefer their hotel public facilities and bathrooms. Their rooftop is a relatively popular restaurant with nice night views.Dari€187
Business travel
Very Good128 Ulasan
Downtown Toronto Toronto|0.28km dari pusat bandar
The hotel is conveniently located to great eateries and restaurants just round the corner. It is also near to Eaton Center great for shopping and a huge urban eatery with lots of varieties of food for everyone. The hotel room is a little small but there's a gym, indoor heated pool and laundrette which is very useful. Finally, Hilton hotel is famous for its home-baked cookies which is given out to guests staying in the hotel.Dari€142
Very Good262 Ulasan
Downtown Toronto Toronto|0.59km dari pusat bandar
Great location in downtown Toronto. Staff was friendly and helpful. The only issue we had was that we couldn’t turn the AC on ourselves. Somebody from the front desk came and helped us, but we weren’t able to control the temperature after that. I’m not sure if that’s an overall issue or just a problem with our room.Dari€126
Great127 Ulasan
Downtown Toronto Toronto|1.35km dari pusat bandar
The hotel is located below the Toronto Tower and is integrated with the Rogers Centre, but the rooms facing the stadium can only watch softball games, so those who want to attend Taylor Swift's December concert don't have to consider it.Dari€151
Very Good331 Ulasan
Downtown Toronto Toronto|0.42km dari pusat bandar
It's Hilton. As expected. Great location with nearby amenities. Beautiful view from the rooms. No water for the coffee machine though. Pic is of the CN Tower as viewed from the room. Would have stayed longer but it's too cold now for me in Canada, so will return in the Spring. Highly recommend.Dari€133
Great67 Ulasan
Financial District Toronto|0.46km dari pusat bandar
Stayed at Cambridge July 18 to 22 2025
Parking and check in was easy and quick
Room was always well cleaned when we returned at the end of the day. Mattress is not very firm and gave both of us sore backs by the end of our stay.
Stayed in room 1205 and no scenic views.
For the price and location to restaurants and shopping you can’t beat staying at Cambridge.Dari€103
Very Good110 Ulasan
Toronto|13.08km dari pusat bandar
A very comfortable stay in a spacious room with a lovely view from the 15th floor. Well equipped gym but the pool was closed for repairs. The TV had poor signal and despite reporting to reception, it was still not fixed when we checked out after 3 nights.
The metro station is around the corner for a 30minute ride into city centre. There is a shopping centre across the street with a huge supermarket and a good liquor store.Dari€100
Very Good113 Ulasan
The Harbourfront Toronto|1.62km dari pusat bandar
Maybe because we checked in late, they upgraded our room for free!
Slippers, pajamas, and water were provided for the first time.
There was also a 24-hour supermarket right in front of the hotel, which was very convenient.Dari€119
Very Good104 Ulasan
Entertainment District Toronto|1.04km dari pusat bandar
Hotel late check-in. It was handled at the door only during one time period. Contact the hotel to obtain the keys if they are out of date. There is a small living room inside the room. Can see the TV tower. The key to the elevator can only go to its own floor.Dari€54
Breakfast
Great77 Ulasan
Downtown Toronto Toronto|0.64km dari pusat bandar
The hotel lacks dedicated areas for dining, and to sit down and enjoy a meal. The bed and breakfast deal would have meant eating from and/or in an adjoining small coffee shop - so no nice breakfast buffets or very limited breakfast menu. The website pics of vaults look amazing online, but in reality the vault was cluttered as a storage room. The room (3210) was tired, cracked tiles in the bathroom, dirty windows, very basic crockery (2 plates/bowls) and cutlery (2 of each - knife/fork/spoon) - made the kitchenette hard to make the full use of. The in-room coffee machine was dirty, so didn’t use. The room is basic and bathroom old fashioned with old white shower curtain, dirty brown/cream stone tiles with ingrained dirt. The advertising online shows the hotel as a contemporary interesting old bank/vault which was why we booked - in reality it’s old and tired in most places - including the lifts which are scratched old dark wood. The ‘spa’ or gym is limited. On a plus note, the hotel was a great location to see Toronto. Would we stay there again… I’m sorry to say… no.Dari€101
Great128 Ulasan
Garden District Toronto|0.37km dari pusat bandar
The hotel is in the city center, close to the University of Toronto. The surrounding area is very lively, with all kinds of food and shopping. The hotel is neat and clean, and the front desk is warm ❤️ but there is no microwave and free mineral water. The WIFI password is very long and difficult to enter correctly.
Here comes the point, the hotel is not the red house in the picture, but the beige house opposite the red house.Dari€102
Great132 Ulasan
Entertainment District Toronto|0.51km dari pusat bandar
This place has it all. The service and valet parking was very easy to deal with. The rooms are big and clean. The lounge is very nice and comfortable. The gym, pool and hot tub are also great features. I recommend staying here.Dari€318
Very Good128 Ulasan
Downtown Toronto Toronto|0.17km dari pusat bandar
My stay at this hotel was the best experience I've had in Toronto. It's right in the absolute city center, making it super convenient for landmarks and shopping. A Chinese guy at the front desk was especially welcoming; even though I arrived very late, he proactively arranged a high-floor, quiet room for me and gave me plenty of water, which made me feel really warm and cared for. It's a shame I was only there for the weekend and spent most of my time out exploring, so I didn't get to enjoy the hotel as much as I would have liked. I'll definitely be back next time!Dari€160
Good134 Ulasan
Toronto|9.25km dari pusat bandar
Pretty nice hotel. Location is OK, but not as close to downtown as I would have liked. Of course the traffic in Toronto plays a part as well. They have everything you need on the property as far as food, pool, and gym. Parking could be better, but was sufficient.Dari€66
Great90 Ulasan
The Harbourfront Toronto|1.45km dari pusat bandar
Lovely hotel and great location and view. The bathroom in the room we were in had a broken bath tub plug and the shower also did not work properly.Dari€154
Very Good53 Ulasan
Toronto|16.15km dari pusat bandar
It’s near the airport, and they know it. As a result, the parking fare is quite high. Overall, the stay was average. One should be wary, however, that although the breakfast is complimentary, they expected a tip, which is absolutely ridiculous. How can one call it complimentary under such expectations?Dari€120
Great79 Ulasan
Toronto|2km dari pusat bandar
The overall cleanliness of the hotel is pretty good. Canada is not dirty after all. The cleaning is OK. It is not a big problem for a temporary stay. It is also close to Yorkville and is the cheapest hotel nearby. The breakfast is great and the price-performance ratio is very high.Dari€148
🧳 Tips for a Smooth Arrival in Canada
📸 Screenshot your ArriveCAN receipt or QR code
🛬 Have your hotel address and eTA/visa info ready
📱 Use your phone or tablet — works great on mobile
✈️ Submit your info 1–3 days before your flight
💳 Don’t forget your eTA if entering Canada by air!
📶 BONUS: Stay Connected in Canada, Don’t forget to pre-purchase a Canada eSIM or travel SIM card so you can access maps, emails, and show your ArriveCAN code on the go!
🍁Explore Canada Now!
Canada is making travel smarter and more digital — and once you’ve sorted your ArriveCAN submission, you can focus on the exciting parts: finding the best halal food in Toronto, visiting Niagara Falls, or skiing in Whistler.
👉 Book your flight to Canada on Trip.com ✈️
👉 Reserve top-rated hotels in Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal 🏨
👉 Get your Canada eSIM to stay online from the moment you land 📱
Safe travels, and bon voyage! 🍁
🙋♂️ FAQs: Canada Arrival Card (Advance Declaration)
📌 1. Is the Canada Arrival Card (CAD) mandatory?
No, it’s not mandatory yet, but strongly recommended. Submitting the Advance Declaration via ArriveCAN helps speed up your arrival process at major Canadian airports.📌 2. Is CAD the same as a visa?
No. The Canada Advance Declaration is not a visa. Malaysians entering Canada by air must apply for an eTA or a visitor visa, depending on your eligibility. CAD is simply a customs and immigration declaration — similar to the old paper card you’d fill out on the plane.📌 3. Who needs to submit the Advance Declaration?
All international travellers arriving at major airports like Toronto (YYZ), Vancouver (YVR), or Montreal (YUL) can submit it. It's optional for now, but may become mandatory in the near future.📌 4. How do I submit the Canada Advance Declaration?
You can submit it: 🖥️ Online: https://arrivecan.cbsa-asfc.cloud-nuage.canada.ca 📱 Via the ArriveCAN mobile app (iOS & Android)📌 5. When should I submit it?
You can fill it out within 72 hours before arriving in Canada. Try to do it 1–2 days before your flight for peace of mind.📌 6. What info is required?
You'll need to provide: Passport details Flight info & arrival airport Canadian address (hotel/family/friend) Declarations (e.g., food, gifts, cash)📌 7. Do I still need to fill out a paper form on the plane?
No, not if you submit the CAD online. Your declaration will be synced digitally — you’ll just need to scan the QR code at the airport kiosk.📌 8. What happens after I submit the declaration?
You’ll receive a receipt with a QR code. 🛂 Show or scan it at the airport kiosk (or eGate) upon arrival for a faster process.📌 9. Can I edit my submission if my flight changes?
Yes. If your travel details change, you can resubmit a new declaration via ArriveCAN.📌 10. Is ArriveCAN and the Advance Declaration free?
✅ Yes — it’s completely free. Never pay any third-party to fill this form.📌 11. Which airports accept the Canada Advance Declaration?
As of now, CAD is accepted at: Toronto Pearson (YYZ) Vancouver (YVR) Montreal (YUL) Calgary (YYC) Edmonton, Halifax, Ottawa, Quebec City, Winnipeg, Billy Bishop (YTZ)