Memorandum of Understanding
Executive Summary
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), governs the sharing of biographic entry data regarding all travellers crossing the border by land at any Common Land Border Port of Entry (POE).
Canada and the U.S. exchange entry data to create exit records. This enables both countries to more effectively manage their common border. Such data may be used to verify travel dates or residency, or for any other lawful purposes consistent with each country’s domestic laws and policies.
Data is shared through a secure electronic system-to-system connection that meets each country’s security requirement.
Biographic information exchanged under this MOU is a traveller’s first name; middle names; last name; date of birth; nationality/citizenship; gender; document type; document number; document issuing country; as well as the POE; and date and time of entry. Subsequent and onward disclosure of data shared under this MOU is authorized in a manner that is consistent with the purposes outlined in the MOU, and respective of each country’s domestic laws and policies.
DHS through CBP and the CBSA will protect data exchanged using appropriate technical, security, and organizational measures to guard against loss, corruption, misuse, unauthorized access, or any other risks to the security, confidentiality, or integrity of the information. Biographic Entry Data received under the MOU will be retained and disposed of by DHS through CBP in accordance with its domestic laws and policies. The CBSA will retain Biographic Entry Data for no more than 15 years and will dispose of this information in accordance with its domestic laws and policies.
The MOU was signed on June 18, 2019, in Washington, D.C. by the heads of both agencies.
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