DETROIT – Nearly a year and a half after the US-Canadian border closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Americans were finally able to cross land borders for non essential travel Monday.
Update: Fully vaccinated Americans can enter Canada starting Monday
But it was a trickle as opposed to a tsunami of American visitors crossing at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel Monday.
“You know it’s a step in the right direction. I think people are happy to go back to Canada to visit family or if they have a secondary home there,” said Devin Chamberlain, U.S. Port Director.
Read: Canada reopens its border for vaccinated US visitors
Read more: Vaccinated Americans given the green light to cross into Canada -- What to know
US citizens and legal permanent residents will have to show more than their passport to enter Canada.
They must prove they’re fully vaccinated, show documentation of a negative test result within three days before crossing and register on the arriveCAN app.
The app requires travelers have a quarantine plan and be prepared to isolate if needed even though they’re vaccinated.
Returning home to America though is the same as it was pre-pandemic.
“The more they can do to be prepared by doing their homework, the better their trip will be,” said Chamberlain.
While it’s not as simple to cross into Canada as it was before Americans can finally shop, vacation or visit our neighbors on the other side of the Detroit river.
More: US-Canada news