Moving to Canada Checklist: Cash, Documents, Declarations

Key takeaways

Keep your passport, COPR or permit, and two copies of your goods list in your hand luggage, not in checked bags
Carrying CAD 10,000 or more in cash, drafts, cheques or securities? You must report it to the CBSA
Money in a bank account or on a card is not carried, so it is not reported at the border
Bring proof of where your money came from: bank letters, statements and sale papers
Fill in form BSF186 for your goods, even if most of your things arrive later

Which documents should be in your hand luggage?

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says to keep your key documents with you at all times, not packed in your suitcase. The officer checks them before you leave the airport.

Document	Who needs it	Why
Valid passport or travel document	Every family member	Required to enter Canada
Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and immigrant visa, if one applies	New permanent residents	The officer confirms your landing
Port of entry letter or permit approval	Students and workers	The officer issues your permit
Two copies of your goods list (or form BSF186)	Anyone bringing personal or household goods	Needed for the second interview about goods
Vaccination records	Every family member	IRCC lists them as health documents to bring
Marriage, birth and adoption certificates	Families	Proof of family relationships
Driver's licence, International Driving Permit and a reference from your car insurance company	Drivers	Helps when you apply for a provincial licence and insurance
School records, diplomas, degrees, and trade or professional certificates and licences	Workers and students	For jobs, schools and licensing bodies

IRCC lists most of these items on its page about crossing the border as a newcomer (modified February 7, 2025). That page is written for new permanent residents, so students and workers should also follow the instructions in their own approval letter. Make paper copies and keep scans in a secure online folder.

How much cash can you carry, and when must you declare it?

There is no limit on how much money you can bring. But if the total of what you carry is CAD 10,000 or more, you must report it to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). This total includes cash in any currency and monetary instruments such as bank drafts, cheques, money orders, travellers' cheques, stocks and bonds.

The full rule, the form and the penalties are in our guide on how to declare money at the border. If you are not sure whether something like a draft or a cheque counts, read what counts as a monetary instrument.

"More than" or "or more"? IRCC's newcomer page says to tell an official if you carry "more than" CAN$10,000. The law and the CBSA say CAN$10,000 or more. The Act says a report is needed when the value is equal to or greater than $10,000. So at exactly $10,000, you report.

Cash is risky to carry. Most newcomers bring a small amount for the first days and move the rest by wire or transfer. Compare the options in the best way to bring money to Canada.

What money papers should you bring?

Two different people may ask about your money. The border officer may ask how much you have with you. Later, your Canadian bank may ask where large deposits came from. Keep these papers together in your hand luggage:

Bank letters. Express Entry applicants under the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs must show proof of funds. IRCC asks for an official letter from each bank on its letterhead, with your balance and your average balance for the past 6 months. IRCC also says you must be able to legally access the money in Canada when you arrive. See proof of funds for Express Entry.
Recent bank statements for the accounts the money came from.
Sale papers if your savings came from selling a home, car, land or shares.
Gift letters if family gave you money.
Transfer receipts and home-country tax papers, such as Form A2 and tax collected at source (TCS) certificates if you sent money from India.

Proof of funds and source of funds are not the same thing. Our guide on source of funds vs proof of funds explains what each one asks for.

What about your personal and household goods?

New permanent residents are usually "settlers" under customs rules. Settlers can bring personal and household goods that they owned, possessed and used before arriving, free of duty, if they list them correctly.

Prepare two copies of a list of everything you bring. IRCC suggests a typed list with the value, make, model and serial number of each item.
Split the list into goods you carry now and goods to follow (shipped later), with their money value.
You can use CBSA form BSF186, Personal Effects Accounting Document, and give it to the officer when you arrive.
Do this even if your shipment arrives later. Goods not listed on your first arrival can lose the duty-free treatment.

The rules for goods and the rules for money are separate. Our guide on settlers' effects vs funds explains both.

What happens at the border?

IRCC describes two interviews when you arrive as a new permanent resident:

First interview. A CBSA officer checks your travel documents and asks about your health and how much money you have with you. This is where you report CAD 10,000 or more.
Second interview: personal goods. You give the officer your list of goods with you and your list of goods to follow.

If you report money, you may need to fill in the CBSA's individual report form. Keep your bank papers ready in case you are asked where the money came from.

Money you leave at home or send later

Money you keep in a bank account abroad, or send by wire, is not declared at the Canadian border. But your home country may have its own rules on taking cash out, and on moving money abroad. Check the guide for where you are coming from:

India: bringing money from India and NRE and NRO accounts
Philippines: carrying cash out of the Philippines
China: bringing money from China

After you become a resident of Canada, you report your world income to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This includes interest on savings you keep abroad.

Printable checklist

2 to 4 weeks before you fly

☐ Passport valid for every family member
☐ COPR, visa or permit approval letter printed
☐ Goods list typed, two copies, split into "with me" and "to follow", with values
☐ BSF186 filled in (optional, but saves time)
☐ Bank letters and 6 months of statements printed
☐ Sale papers and gift letters for large amounts
☐ Canadian bank account opened, if your bank allows it from abroad
☐ Large amounts sent by wire, not carried

Travel day

☐ All documents in hand luggage, not checked bags
☐ Cash, drafts and cheques added up in Canadian dollars
☐ Total CAD 10,000 or more? Answer "yes" on the kiosk or tell the officer
☐ Do not split money between family members to stay under the limit

First weeks in Canada

☐ Keep your stamped goods list for when the shipment arrives
☐ Deposit drafts and cheques at your bank, with source papers ready
☐ Keep all papers: you may need them for your bank or your first tax return

Common questions

Do I have to show proof of funds at the airport?

IRCC says Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades applicants must be able to legally access their funds in Canada when they arrive, and the officer may ask how much money you have. Carry your bank letters in your hand luggage so you can show them if asked.

Is money in my bank account counted toward CAD 10,000?

No. The rule covers cash and monetary instruments you physically carry or send by mail or courier. Money that stays in a bank account, or that you spend by card, is not carried across the border.

Should my family declare money together?

Each person reports what they carry, but the regulations do not give a clear rule for families. If the family together carries CAD 10,000 or more, tell the officer about the full amount. Never split money between people to stay under the limit.

What if my goods arrive after me?

List them as goods to follow on your list or BSF186 when you first arrive. The CBSA memorandum on settlers says there is no time limit for importing goods to follow that were listed when you arrived.

Where do I get form BSF186?

It is on the CBSA forms website, called BSF186, Personal Effects Accounting Document. You can fill it in before you travel and give it to the officer.

Sources

Checked against these sources on October 10, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

What to carry when moving to Canada: cash, documents and declarations checklist