Snowbirding
Wintering south with an RV: Alberta Health Care’s limits and travel health insurance, entering the United States and how long you can stay, counting days, crossing with food, pets and propane, vehicles, and coming home through the Canada Border Services Agency. Rules change, so check every official page before you travel.
On this page
- What snowbirding means for an Albertan
- The before-you-go checklist
- Health care and travel insurance
- Entering the United States
- Counting days
- Crossing with food
- Crossing with pets
- Propane and the RV at the border
- Vehicle registration and insurance
- Coming home through the CBSA
- The house you leave behind
What snowbirding means for an Albertan
A snowbird is someone who leaves the Canadian winter for somewhere warmer, usually for weeks or months. Many go to the southern United States with an RV; others winter in a milder part of Canada.
Gary has thought about it a lot. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Long-Term Visitor Areas, the desert camping areas many snowbirds use, had real appeal as an alternative to a cold winter here. For now he’s decided not to go, because of the political situation and because the Canadian dollar doesn’t go far down there.
A long winter away touches four sets of rules at once: Alberta Health Care’s absence rules, US entry and length-of-stay rules, tax residency in both countries, and Canadian customs when you come home. Each one has its own day count, and they don’t line up neatly.
Rules change, sometimes quickly. US entry and registration rules changed in 2025, and border, insurance and tax rules can change again. This page was checked against official sources in November 2026, but read the current official pages linked here before every trip.
The before-you-go checklist
- Contact Alberta Health Care about your planned absence. See health care.
- Buy travel health insurance for the whole trip. See travel health insurance.
- Check your passport is valid for the whole trip, with time to spare.
- Check current US entry rules, including registration. See entering the United States.
- Plan your day count. See counting days.
- Call your vehicle and RV insurer about US coverage. See vehicles.
- Renew anything that expires while you’re away: registration, driver’s licence, prescriptions.
- Get pet paperwork in order for both directions. See pets.
- Service the RV. See maintenance.
- Set up the house and the mail. See the house you leave behind.
- Ask your phone provider about a US travel plan. See internet and phone.
- Sign up for Registration of Canadians Abroad, as travel.gc.ca recommends.
Health care and travel insurance
What Alberta Health Care covers outside Canada
The Government of Alberta is clear that the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) covers only limited costs outside the country:
- Emergency care only. Only insured emergency physician and hospital services received outside Canada are eligible. Elective care isn’t covered.
- Alberta rates, not US rates. Physician services are paid at what an Alberta physician would be paid, or the amount charged if that’s less. Hospital services are paid up to a fixed daily maximum for inpatient and outpatient care.
- You pay the rest. You’re responsible for the difference between what you’re charged and what AHCIP reimburses, and reimbursement is in Canadian dollars.
- Ambulance isn’t covered. The Government of Alberta lists air and ground ambulance services outside Canada as not covered at all. Make sure your travel insurance covers both.
- Travel insurance is strongly recommended by the Government of Alberta for anyone leaving the country.
The Government of Canada puts it more bluntly: provincial and territorial health plans “rarely cover any of the costs of medical care outside Canada,” foreign hospitals can be very expensive and may require cash payment in advance, and the Government of Canada will not pay or lend money for your medical bills.
Staying covered while you’re away
- You can keep AHCIP coverage while you’re outside Canada for fewer than 6 consecutive months, as long as you return to Alberta and keep a permanent residence there.
- For repeated vacation absences, Alberta says you might be eligible for continued coverage if you’re away up to 212 days in a 12-month period. Contact AHCIP before you leave and again when you return.
- Alberta also asks you to contact AHCIP if you won’t be in Alberta for at least 183 days in a 12-month period. The page doesn’t explain how that fits with the 212-day allowance, which is one more reason to call before you go.
Call AHCIP before every long trip. Travel health insurance is generally sold to people who are covered by a provincial plan, so losing AHCIP coverage could affect your travel insurance too. Ask your insurer. Confirm your dates with AHCIP and keep a record of the call.
Choosing travel health insurance
Global Affairs Canada says travel health insurance should include or have provisions for pre-existing medical conditions, medical evacuation and repatriation. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada warns that a policy may not cover conditions you had before you applied, and to read your policy carefully.
- Cover the whole trip, from the day you leave Alberta to the day you return. Check the maximum trip length the policy allows.
- Read the pre-existing condition rules. Some policies only cover a condition that has been stable, with no change in medication or treatment, for a set period before you leave. A new prescription or a change in dose can matter. Ask your insurer exactly what counts.
- Answer any medical questionnaire completely and accurately. A mistake, even an honest one, can give the insurer grounds to refuse a claim.
- Check what’s covered: hospital, doctors, ambulance, prescriptions, evacuation home, and the return of your vehicle and RV if you can’t drive.
- Know what to do in an emergency. Many policies ask you to call their assistance line before treatment, or as soon as possible. Check yours. Carry the policy number and phone number with your health card.
- Relying on group or retiree coverage? Get the details, including trip-length limits and trips home partway through, in writing.
Entering the United States
Documents
Travel.gc.ca recommends a valid Canadian passport as the only reliable and universally accepted travel document. Canadians don’t normally need a visa for a tourist visit.
How long you can stay
According to travel.gc.ca, Canadian visitors “can usually stay in the United States for 6 months without a visa,” and you must declare how long you intend to stay when you enter. A maximum admission period of 6 months is the norm for Canadians, but it’s set by US officials at the port of entry, not guaranteed. To stay longer, you must apply for an extension from US Citizenship and Immigration Services before your authorized stay ends.
- Six months is a maximum. Your health coverage limits may be shorter. See counting days.
- Don’t overstay. Travel.gc.ca warns there are consequences for staying beyond your authorized time.
- Have proof of your ties to Canada handy, such as your home address and your planned return date, in case you’re asked.
The registration rule for longer stays
Travel.gc.ca says Canadians and other foreign nationals visiting the United States for periods longer than 30 days must be registered with the US government. Some travellers are registered automatically when they enter; travel.gc.ca says you can check by looking up your I-94 admission record. Canadians who drive across at a land crossing are not always issued one, so check soon after you arrive. If you weren’t, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website explains whether and how to register. This rule took effect in 2025, so make sure you read the current version before you leave.
Other things to know
- Cannabis. It’s illegal under US federal law, even in states where it’s legal. Travel.gc.ca warns that previous use could mean being denied entry, and never to cross the border with any amount.
- Firearms have strict rules in both directions. The CBSA requires every firearm and weapon to be declared when you enter Canada, and the US has its own rules. Research both well ahead of time.
From Lethbridge, the most direct way south is Highway 4 to the Coutts crossing. Leaving in late fall or early winter means watching the forecast not just here, but along the whole route, including the high, open stretches of Montana where blowing snow and strong crosswinds can close roads. A day’s delay is better than towing into a ground blizzard. Our What to wear guide helps with dressing for a cold start and a warm finish.
Counting days
Snowbirds juggle several different day counts. Keep a calendar, on paper or in your phone, with every day you’re in and out of Alberta and the United States.
| Rule | What it counts | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta Health Care | Fewer than 6 consecutive months outside Canada; repeated vacation absences up to 212 days in 12 months may be allowed; contact AHCIP if you won’t be in Alberta 183 days in 12 months. | Government of Alberta, AHCIP absences |
| US length of stay | Usually up to 6 months, as set by US officials when you enter. If an officer thinks you spend more time in the US than in Canada, you may have to prove you’re only visiting. | Travel.gc.ca, United States |
| US registration | Visits longer than 30 days. | Travel.gc.ca and US Citizenship and Immigration Services |
| US tax: substantial presence test | At least 31 days this year, and 183 days over three years counting all of this year’s days, one-third of last year’s and one-sixth of the year before’s. | Internal Revenue Service |
| Your travel insurance | The policy’s maximum trip length, from the day you leave Alberta. | Your policy |
US tax and Form 8840
The US Internal Revenue Service’s substantial presence test can make a long-staying visitor a US resident for tax purposes. Because the test counts parts of previous years, regular snowbirds can meet it without ever staying close to six months in a single winter.
The IRS’s closer connection exception lets you be treated as a non-resident if, among other conditions, you were in the US for fewer than 183 days during the year and kept a tax home and a closer connection to Canada. To claim it, the IRS says you must file Form 8840 on time. If you don’t, you generally can’t claim the exception.
On the Canadian side, the Canada Revenue Agency says people who spend part of the year in the US for health or vacation, but keep residential ties in Canada, are usually still factual residents of Canada and report their worldwide income here.
What it means for you: by the IRS formula, someone who spends about 122 days (four months) in the US every year meets the substantial presence test by the third year. If you’re anywhere near that, read the IRS and CRA pages linked below, and ask a tax professional who works with snowbirds whether you need to file Form 8840.
Crossing with food
Both countries restrict food, plants and animal products to keep out pests and diseases, and an RV fridge and pantry count.
Going into the United States
US Customs and Border Protection says restricted items include meats, fruits, vegetables, plants, soil, and products made from animal or plant materials. Agricultural items that aren’t allowed are taken and destroyed at the border.
Coming back to Canada
The CBSA says you must declare all food, plants, animal and related products that you bring into Canada. Some are restricted or prohibited, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) lets you check the current rules for a specific item. Some foods also have quantity limits above which duties apply. Firewood needs a permit to enter Canada; the CBSA’s advice is to buy firewood locally and burn it on site.
- Cross with a near-empty fridge. Eat up fresh produce and meat in the days before you cross, and restock on the other side.
- Declare everything when asked. Declaring an item that turns out to be allowed costs nothing; not declaring can mean fines.
- Keep food in its original packaging with labels where you can, so it’s easy to identify.
Crossing with pets
Dogs going into the United States
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sets the rules for dogs entering the US. Canada isn’t on the CDC’s high-risk list, so for dogs coming from Canada its current requirements are:
- The dog must be at least 6 months old.
- It must have a microchip that can be read with a universal scanner.
- You need a receipt for the CDC Dog Import Form, completed online. Each dog needs its own form, and the receipt is valid for 6 months unless the dog visits a high-risk country, or another low-risk country, in that time.
- The dog must appear healthy when it arrives.
Travel.gc.ca adds that pets may need an import permit, health certificate or proof of vaccination. Check the current rules before each trip.
Coming back to Canada
Canadian pets returning home must meet Canada’s import requirements. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s online tool asks about the type of animal, its age and where it’s coming from, then tells you what paperwork you need. For dogs and cats older than 3 months, carry a rabies vaccination certificate signed by a veterinarian, along with your pet’s other records, and check the CFIA’s requirements before you leave Canada, not on the way home.
Propane and the RV at the border
We couldn’t find a single official Canadian or US page that sets out the rules for RV propane at the land border, so treat this as practical guidance and follow any instruction a border officer gives you.
- Travel with the propane off if your RV’s manual says to, and be ready to show officers that the cylinders are closed if asked.
- Check the date on your cylinders. The Canada Safety Council says propane cylinders in Canada must be inspected and requalified or replaced every 10 years, and it’s illegal to fill an outdated cylinder. Rules and cylinder markings differ between countries, and a filling station can refuse a cylinder it isn’t allowed to fill. Requalify or replace old cylinders before you go.
- Some tunnels, bridges and ferries restrict vehicles carrying propane. If your route includes one, check its rules ahead of time.
- Spare fuel, if you carry any, belongs in approved containers, secured outside the living space. Carry only what you need.
More on propane safety is on RV systems.
Vehicle registration and insurance
- Keep your Alberta registration current. If it expires while you’re away, renew before you leave. Alberta allows online renewal through an Alberta.ca account if there are no changes, such as to your name or address, and no outstanding fines. Setting up a verified account can take up to 10 business days because the activation code comes by mail, so do it early.
- Check your driver’s licence expiry date too. Travel.gc.ca says you can drive in the United States with a valid Canadian driver’s licence.
- Confirm your insurance in writing. Ask your insurer whether your truck, car and RV are covered in the US, for how long, and whether there are any limits on long trips. Travel.gc.ca notes that many states have mandatory automobile insurance requirements. Carry your proof of insurance.
- Repairs done in the US must be declared when you come back into Canada. The CBSA says duty and taxes may apply, though emergency repairs can be exempt if you declare them and have documentation. Keep every repair receipt.
- Don’t buy a vehicle or RV in the US to bring home without checking the CBSA and Registrar of Imported Vehicles requirements first.
Coming home through the CBSA
The Canada Border Services Agency’s “I Declare” guide is the plain-language reference for returning residents. The key points for snowbirds:
- You’re still a resident. The CBSA says if you spend six months or less abroad for health or pleasure, it still considers you a resident of Canada.
- Declare everything you bought or received while away, including gifts and duty-free purchases. If you’re unsure whether to declare something, declare it.
- Personal exemptions depend on how long you’ve been away: there are different allowances for trips of more than 24 hours, more than 48 hours and more than 7 days. After 7 days, alcohol and tobacco must be with you when you enter; other goods can be shipped. The CBSA page lists the current amounts.
- Keep receipts handy for purchases and repairs. Duties on some goods change with trade conditions, so check the CBSA site before big purchases.
- Penalties are real. Undeclared goods can be seized, and alcohol and tobacco that aren’t properly declared are seized permanently.
The house you leave behind
- Ask your home insurer what it requires while the house is empty, such as how often someone must check it and whether the heat must stay on. Get the answer in writing.
- Arrange a house-checker you trust, with a key, your contact details and your insurer’s.
- Protect the plumbing. Keep the heat on at a safe setting, and consider shutting off the main water valve. A burst pipe in January can do a lot of damage before anyone notices.
- Arrange snow clearing for the walks.
- Mail. Canada Post’s Mail Forwarding has a temporary relocation option for snowbirds; it doesn’t forward parcels. Or ask a family member to collect and scan it.
Leaving from Lethbridge: crossings and timing
Four Alberta crossings into Montana are within a morning’s drive of Lethbridge. Only one is open around the clock, and one is closed by the time most snowbirds leave.
| Crossing | Alberta highway | Canadian (CBSA) hours, as listed in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Coutts–Sweetgrass | Highway 4 south from Lethbridge, continuing as Interstate 15 in Montana | Open 24 hours; the only Alberta–Montana crossing that is |
| Carway–Piegan | Highway 2 south of Cardston | 7 am to 11 pm, every day |
| Del Bonita | Highway 62 | 9 am to 6 pm from September 16 to May 31; 8 am to 9 pm from June 1 to September 15 |
| Chief Mountain | Through Waterton Lakes National Park | Summer only: May 15 to September 30 in 2026 |
- Hours change. Check the CBSA office pages and border wait times before you go, or call the CBSA Border Information Service at 1-800-461-9999. The US side sets its own hours, so check those too.
- Coming home late? Plan on Coutts. The smaller crossings close in the evening.
- Mind the clocks. Alberta Time is UTC−6 all year from November 1, 2026. Montana still sets its clocks back in the fall, so in winter it’s an hour earlier there than here. Check which time zone a posted closing time uses.
Departure-week weather
Lethbridge’s November normals (1981–2010) show a daily mean of −1.2 °C, about 25 nights at or below freezing and about 7 days with snow. Southern wind warnings often name the Cardston, Magrath and Del Bonita areas, right along the routes south.
- Check 511 Alberta for Highway 4 and Montana’s 511 travel information for Interstate 15 the evening before and the morning you leave.
- If blowing snow or strong crosswinds are forecast for the open country on either side of the border, wait a day. Our Crosswind Checker helps with the first leg.
Handy tools for this
- Crosswind Checker: Check the wind against your vehicle before a highway trip. Most useful for RVs, trailers and high-sided vehicles.
- Lethbridge Daylight: Sunrise, sunset and how much daylight Lethbridge gets, today and through the year.
Sources
- Government of Alberta, Health care coverage outside Canada: alberta.ca
- Government of Alberta, Leaving Alberta affects health care coverage: alberta.ca
- Government of Canada, Travel insurance: travel.gc.ca
- Global Affairs Canada, Advice for Canadian travellers: Buy travel insurance: canada.ca
- Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, Health insurance: canada.ca
- Government of Canada, United States travel advice: travel.gc.ca
- Government of Canada, Advice for Canadians in Arizona: travel.gc.ca
- Internal Revenue Service, Topic no. 851, Resident and nonresident aliens: irs.gov
- Internal Revenue Service, Closer connection exception to the substantial presence test: irs.gov
- Canada Revenue Agency, Canadian residents going down south: canada.ca
- Canada Border Services Agency, I Declare: A guide for residents returning to Canada: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- US Customs and Border Protection, Bringing food into the U.S.: cbp.gov
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Entry requirements for dogs from dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries: cdc.gov
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Bringing animals to Canada: Importing and travelling with pets: inspection.canada.ca
- US Department of Agriculture, Pet travel from the United States to Canada (rabies certificate for dogs and cats over 3 months): aphis.usda.gov
- Canada Safety Council, Fuel for summer activities: canadasafetycouncil.org
- Government of Alberta, Renew your vehicle registration: alberta.ca
- Canada Post, Mail Forwarding: canadapost-postescanada.ca
- Canada Border Services Agency, office directory: Carway (707), Highway 2 South, 07:00 to 23:00 daily: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- Canada Border Services Agency, office directory: Del Bonita, Highway 62 South, seasonal traveller hours: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- Canada Border Services Agency, office directory: Coutts (705), Highway 4 South: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- Canada Border Services Agency, Chief Mountain port of entry opens for the summer season (May 15 to September 30, 2026; Border Information Service 1-800-461-9999): canada.ca
- Canada Border Services Agency, Border wait times: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- CBC News Calgary, Alberta and Montana seek extended border hours (Coutts the only Alberta–Montana crossing open all hours): cbc.ca
- Travel Alberta, Coutts (24-hour crossing to Sweetgrass, Montana, via Highway 4): travelalberta.com
- Government of Alberta, Alberta’s new time system (UTC−6 from November 1, 2026): alberta.ca
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010, Lethbridge A (November daily mean, nights at or below freezing, days with snow): climate.weather.gc.ca
- Government of Alberta, 511 Alberta: 511.alberta.ca
- Montana Department of Transportation, 511 Travel Info: mdt.mt.gov
- Lethbridge News Now, Wind warning issued for southwest Alberta (October 1, 2024): lethbridgenewsnow.com
This page is general information, not legal, tax, medical or insurance advice. Border, health coverage, tax and insurance rules change. Check the official pages linked above before every trip, and talk to Alberta Health, your insurer or a tax professional about your own situation.