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
Great132 Ulasan
Entertainment District Toronto|0.51km dari pusat bandar
This hotel was well worth the splurge!! Great location and the staff are so friendly and accommodating. They were always quick to help and the rooms were super clean. The pool and gym were also very nice.Dari€359
Great113 Ulasan
Niagara Toronto|3.2km dari pusat bandar
Very nice..Beautiful view. I would stay there again. A little disappointed with the size of the pool and having to reserve a 2 hour window to be poolside but besides that it was the perfect distance from both BMO field and The Budweiser Stage. Staff were courteous and friendly too.Dari€219
Amazing120 Ulasan
Church and Wellesley Toronto|2.12km dari pusat bandar
A very good hotel with great service, sanitation and hardware. The price of hotels of the same level in North America is basically the same, much more expensive than that in China. Breakfast is not a buffet, it is all ordered.Dari€379
Amazing106 Ulasan
Toronto|2.12km dari pusat bandar
When staying at the hotel, the front desk informed that all non-alcoholic beverages in the mini-bar are free because they have been prepaid.
After that, bring some desserts.
Someone knocked on the door at night, asking if a turndown service was needed.
Before leaving, I was told that there are additional charges: facility charge $12, Neighbourhood Mktg $4.89. This is required upon check-in.Dari€373
Very Good101 Ulasan
Downtown Toronto Toronto|1.84km dari pusat bandar
The breakfast was very rich, the chef was very warm, the restaurant had a classic temperament, and I saw a chic wedding reception in the restaurant. It was really a very good hotel! The location is in the university town, surrounded by high-end residences, Remowa is next to it, the intersection is facing Hermes.... The bottom of the alley can directly enter the Victorian University campus, the living function is super good, from the BAY of Metro Line 2 STATION is also very close and the traffic is very convenient.Dari€251
0 Ulasan
Downtown Toronto Toronto|1.77km dari pusat bandar
Located in Toronto's Old Toronto, RivetStays - The Parade 1 offers a great stay experience for those traveling for fun or business.Parking is available at the property.Dari€55
0 Ulasan
Downtown Toronto Toronto|1.91km dari pusat bandar
Set in Toronto's Old Toronto, RivetStays - The Dan Leckie is positioned to meet the needs of those traveling for fun or business.Dari€75
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
Visited on a business trip. The location was excellent, but the facilities were outdated and in poor condition. The female front desk staff was unfriendly. I asked for a towel, but they said they didn't have enough and gave me a pool towel... I didn't use the restaurant, so I can't comment on that. The male front desk staff was very friendly.Dari€126
Great128 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€142
Very Good332 Ulasan
Downtown Toronto Toronto|0.42km dari pusat bandar
Fantastic hotel with friendly and helpful staff, clean and tidy and excellent location.
This hotel added to our experience in Toronto and we will definitely stay here again when we return.
Great amenities. The hotel room was excellent t with great furniture and a very comfortable bed.
View from our room was outstanding.Dari€122
Great67 Ulasan
Financial District Toronto|0.46km dari pusat bandar
We stayed at this hotel for 5 nights and all is good. It was a lovely surprise as it was a last minute booking after our Airbnb (paid) reservation became unresponsive. We are very glad we found this Suites. We particularly like the sitting room where we could sit down for a rest and watch TV, have a takeaway for dinner. The microwave comes in very handy (although we love to have a basic kitchen!) .
Location: about 5 mins walk from the Queen station, there is actually an exit right in front of the hotel but you need to know how to navigate underground. It would be handy if it rains. It's 7 mins walk to the Eaton Centre where there are urban eateries, and you can take a tram to Chinatown. About 20 mins walk to CN tower and the harbour front, although you may want to just catch the subway. There is a 24-h supermarket across the road.
Service: really friendly hotel staff check in and out, one of the housekeeping lady is also very friendly. No fault at all.
The room is quite modern, spacious and new. If I had to find something to say, I would prefer to have the duvet put inside a cover rather than sandwiched between two bedsheets (which seemed to be the norm in Canada?), but I'm not fuss about it.
All in all, we will definitely come back again.Dari€120
Very Good109 Ulasan
Toronto|13.08km dari pusat bandar
Excellent location with direct access to subway st. Lots of restaurants nearby, supermarket and drugstore were also nearby.
Reasonable room rate
nice and cozy view from room
drawback:
shower was quite slow.
no bottled water provided
no kettle provided.
no self laundry facilityDari€100
Very Good114 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|1.13km 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
Great76 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€141
Great128 Ulasan
Garden District Toronto|0.37km dari pusat bandar
The hotel is located on one of Toronto's busiest streets, with theaters on either side and Haidilao right behind. I ate there twice and it was quite good. The lobby is small and a bit dimly lit, but everything else is quite good, and the service is very friendly. The largest shopping mall is also nearby. The room windows can be opened a bit.Dari€101
Very Good129 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€173
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€68
Great94 Ulasan
The Harbourfront Toronto|1.45km dari pusat bandar
The hotel is ideally situated of the front of the lake with the ferries to the islands just outside. An underground stop is just across the road with links to Union station and elsewhere. There are also a selection of buses that pass and a hop on hop off stop is about 10 mins walk. You can walk most places in central Toronto from hotel if you wish and are happy walking. You can choose which street suits you best on your walk and change route for variation as only a block apart and will all get you to central Toronto. You are maybe about 15 mins from the Blue Jays and CN tower so hotel is in a great location. Billy Bishop airport is about a 20 min walk and would be convenient if you can get flights to or from there to your destination. The communal areas in the hotel look very nice, as is the entrance if being dropped off by car. However there is work going on around the outside of the hotel and if walking to and from the hotel it isn’t so pleasant on the eye. My bedroom was spacious but felt dated and would be nice to see a more updated look. However the view onto the lake more than made up for that minor irritation. The staff were all great and helpful when asked. There was various things going on from regular activities in the leisure area to free ice cream and wine ( not together unfortunately ) and music in the afternoon. The leisure facilities were great with a pool, sauna, steam room and gym as well as an outside area (5th floor) for sitting outside while the kids could play. There was a tennis court and a basket ball hoop. There was also an oppertunity to use cycles and go for a run possibly with a guide. We didn’t eat at the hotel so couldn’t comment but the did have a restaurant on the top of there south tower that would give great views. We did grab a coffee and snack from across the street and would enjoy sitting on the benches just along from the hotel looking into the lake in the morning. All in all one of the older hotels ( I think) in a great location with great views and facilities which met our needs.Dari€142
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€116
Great79 Ulasan
Toronto|2km dari pusat bandar
The hotel is in a great location, just opposite the University of Toronto and the Ontario Museum. On the left is the luxury shopping street, with LV, Chanel and other world brands. On the right is a subway station more than 100 meters away. There are also 24-hour convenience stores and department stores on both sides.
The room is large, spacious, bright and well-equipped, which is equivalent to a one-bedroom apartment, much larger than the rooms of Tokyo Empire and Hong Kong Conrad. The restaurant on the first floor is a high-end restaurant with no buffet. Breakfast costs 30 Canadian dollars per person, and dinner costs about 60 Canadian dollars per person. If you want to save money, you can go to Whole Foods 500 meters behind the side. It is very huge and has everything you need for cooked food, and there are even rice self-service lunch boxes.
Located in the wealthy area of Yorkville, Toronto, it is safe and quiet. There are no tour groups. Most of the guests are Europeans and Americans, but the hotel is also very friendly to Chinese people, with warm smiles. There are two Asian girls at the front desk who can speak some Chinese, so we checked in in two or three minutes.
The only minor issue was that the hotel asked us to pay a facility fee twice. We explained to the hotel that the Ctrip booking included all fees. The hotel said they had not received the facility fee, but after looking at our confirmation letter on Ctrip, they kindly said they would reconfirm with Ctrip and it would not affect us.Dari€173
Very Good132 Ulasan
Downtown Toronto Toronto|1km dari pusat bandar
The InterContinental Toronto Centre Hotel is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Toronto, within walking distance of major attractions such as the CN Tower, Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre and Ripley's Aquarium.
IHG.COM
Rooms are spacious and comfortable, with large windows offering city views. The beds are rated as very comfortable and the overall cleanliness is excellent.
TRIPADDVISOR.COM
The hotel's Azure Restaurant and Bar serves modern Canadian cuisine, and the breakfast buffet is acclaimed for its fresh and varied menu.
IHG.COM
Amenities include an indoor saltwater pool with plenty of natural light, a state-of-the-art fitness centre and an 8,000-square-foot spa offering a variety of treatments, providing guests with a relaxing space to unwind.
IHG.COM
Overall, the InterContinental Toronto Centre Hotel is a great choice for business and leisure travelers alike due to its convenient location and excellent facilities.Dari€134
🧳 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)