Below we list the best way to contact the Canadian and United States government agencies regulate the border and everything that goes through it.
Canadian Agencies that Regulate the Border
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
The Border Information Service (BIS) is the call center for the CBSA. At this number you can ask any type of question related to crossing into Canada. Unlike the U.S. Border Services, Canada doesn’t publish the phone numbers for its ports. They want you to call this information service and they will then transfer your call to the port you need.
You can call the BIS at 800-461-9999 from within Canada, or 204-983-3500 or 506-636-5064 from outside the country. The call center is only open 8am to 4pm. You can access recorded general information, or press 0 to speak to a live agent. You may need to wait for a bit on hold, as they get a high volume of calls.
You can also email a question to the CBSA through their website.
If you are having problems with Canadian border officials, you may want to review a copy of the information they have about you in their files. See our page on requesting your personal information under the the Canadian Privacy Act for more information. Given that the the U.S and Canada are now swapping information, it is possible that any problems with U.S. border officials would be in this file as well.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
The Citizenship and Immigration office establishes the rules as to who can cross into Canada. This includes both tourists and someone seeking citizenship and immigration. Their call center can answer questions in English and French at 1-888-242‑2100 within Canada, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, or you have a speech impediment and use a text telephone, you can access the TTY service from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. your local time by calling 1-888-576‑8502.
Passport Canada
If you have questions about Canadian passports, you will want to contact Passport Canada. Their website answers many frequently asked questions. You can also call them at (800)-567-6868 or (819)-997-8338.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
The RCMP handles firearms licensing, importation and related issues. Their hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm nationwide.
Telephone: 1 800 731-4000 (toll-free number)
Email: [email protected]
Address:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Canadian Firearms Program
Ottawa, ON K1A 0R2
Transport Canada
Within Canada: 1-800-333-0371
Outside Canada: (613) 998-8616
Fax: (613) 998-8541
Vehicle Importation: Transport Canada Information on Importing a Vehicle
Canadian Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV)
Within North America: 1-888-848-8240 (English and French)
Outside North America: 1-416-626-6812
Website: www.riv.ca
Importing information: www.riv.ca/ImportingAVehicle.aspx
E-mail Address: [email protected]
Compliments and Complaints about Canadian Border Service Agency Officials
You can submit either a compliment for a job well done or a complaint about your border crossing experience. The CBSA has a webpage where you can submit a compliment or complaint about Canadian border services. You can submit a report anonymously or you can request a reply.
American Agencies that Regulate the U.S. Border
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
The US CBP is the United States agency that regulates the country’s borders. You can find answers to many common questions on the U.S. CBP INFO Center website. You can also call them for any type of information related to crossing the border. Their phone number is (877) 227-5511 or (202) 325-8000 from outside the U.S. The call center is open Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m., and then again from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time. You can try emailing your question to the CBP using a link on their website, although we have had users report they never received an answer.
Unlike Canadian Customs, you can always call the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol at the specific border crossing you will be using. We have the telephone number for each office on the specific page for that port. See our complete list of all U.S. / Canadian border crossings to find the port you will be using.
United State Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS)
The USCIS is the U.S. Homeland Security department that handles all citizenship and immigration issues. Their National Customer Service Center (NCSC) toll-free number is 1-800-375-5283 or 1-800-767-1833 (TDD for the hearing impaired).
U.S. State Department Travel Website
The State Department website is the definitive source for travel documentation, citizenship, and immigration issues.
If you are having problems with American border officials, you may want to review a copy of the information the U.S. government has about you in their files. See our page on requesting your personal information under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act. Given that the the U.S and Canada are now swapping information, it is possible any problems with Canadian border officials would be in this file as well.
Compliments and Complaints about US Customs and Border Protection Officials
You can submit either a compliment for a job well done or a complaint about your border crossing experience. You can find the U.S. Border Patrol compliment and complaint form on their website. You can submit a report anonymously or you can request a reply.
We have a complete section of this website devoted to the instruction for importing a vehicle into the United States or Canada. Below are the most important agencies you need to be aware of.
U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
We have a complete section of this website devoted to the instruction for importing a vehicle into the United States or Canada. Below are the most important agencies you need to be aware of.
This is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
Vehicle Hotline: 1-800-424-9393 or 202-366-5313
Fax: (202) 366-1024
General website: www.nhtsa.gov
Information on Importing a Vehicle
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality
Telephone (Imports Hotline): 202-564-9240
Faxback System: 202-564-9660
Fax: (202) 565-2057
Information on Importing a Vehicle