Recommendations for a visitor obtaining Canadian currency?

booblvr

New member
May 6, 2011
1
0
0
Northern California
I'll be visiting Vancouver from the states in about a month and I was wondering what's the recommended method for obtaining Canadian currency.

Can I go to a bank on the US side and get cash in Canadian dollars?
Should I just go to a bank once I'm in Canada and use the ATM? Any worries about ATM/credit card company going on alert from a cash withdraw from Canada?
Should I go to a bank in Canada with US cash?

What do you do?


Thanks!
 

badbadboy

Well-known member
Nov 2, 2006
9,548
300
83
In Lust Mostly
I'll be visiting Vancouver from the states in about a month and I was wondering what's the recommended method for obtaining Canadian currency.

Can I go to a bank on the US side and get cash in Canadian dollars?
Should I just go to a bank once I'm in Canada and use the ATM? Any worries about ATM/credit card company going on alert from a cash withdraw from Canada?
Should I go to a bank in Canada with US cash?

What do you do?


Thanks!
All of the above work fine IMHO.

You may find some currency exchangers give a better rate than established Canadian Banks. When I travel to the USA I carry USD cash, bank cards and credit cards. Never had a problem ever. You may want to advise your bank and credit card companies of your travel plans too.

Be mindful of bringing > $10K cash if you are thinking of carrying a lot of cash. You will have some explaining to do if the CBSO find it.
 
Jun 15, 2010
442
7
18
Vancouver & Tofino
All of the above work fine IMHO.

You may find some currency exchangers give a better rate than established Canadian Banks. When I travel to the USA I carry USD cash, bank cards and credit cards. Never had a problem ever. You may want to advise your bank and credit card companies of your travel plans too.

Be mindful of bringing > $10K cash if you are thinking of carrying a lot of cash. You will have some explaining to do if the CBSO find it.
Great advice badbadboy. I've been questioned even with 5k cash but this is going down to the States. I simply provided my bank slip proving the withdrawal. I would advise booblvr to do the same. Happy safe travels.

Peace.
 

badbadboy

Well-known member
Nov 2, 2006
9,548
300
83
In Lust Mostly
Great advice badbadboy. I've been questioned even with 5k cash but this is going down to the States. I simply provided my bank slip proving the withdrawal. I would advise booblvr to do the same. Happy safe travels.

Peace.
I came back from Vegas a few years back with $3K in hundreds in my pocket. Not all of it was winnings but I certainly got asked a bunch of questions about where I was and what I was doing. I just kept saying it back to them - "we are allowed to carry up to $10K, right?".
 

Kali.Kaos

New member
Aug 17, 2009
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I go to the US fairly often and usually change canadian dollars into american at a Money Mart. They generally have around the same exchange rate as most banks and are open weekends and late if you can't make it into a bank.
 

threepeat

New member
Sep 20, 2004
946
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Edmonton
I came back from Vegas a few years back with $3K in hundreds in my pocket. Not all of it was winnings but I certainly got asked a bunch of questions about where I was and what I was doing. I just kept saying it back to them - "we are allowed to carry up to $10K, right?".
If I recall correctly, the Bank Secrecy Act has a loophole that goes along the lines of "$10K or less if you have reason to be suspicious."
 
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