Visitors to Canada must obtain a visa from one of the Canadian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens from one of the visa-exempt countries.
All visa-exempt travellers to Canada (except United States citizens and permanent residents) have been required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) when arriving in Canada by air since 10 November 2016. Travellers were able to apply early as of 1 August 2015.
Applications of visitor visas, work permits, study permits and certain types of permanent residency can be submitted online. However, such applicants must provide their biometrics (photograph and fingerprints) as a part of their application process. Depending on the country by which the passport was issued, a visa application may have to be submitted at a visa application centre at a Canadian diplomatic mission.
Visa policy map
Visa exemption Holders of ordinary passports issued by the following countries and territories are able to visit Canada without a visa for a period of up to 6 months. They are required to obtain an eTA if they arrive by air, except for U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and citizens of France residing in Saint Pierre and Miquelon arriving directly from the territory, who are exempt from the eTA requirement and are barred from applying for an eTA. Citizens of certain countries must arrive by air when not holding a Canadian visa.
Visitors are eligible if they are in good health, can convince an immigration officer that they have ties (job, home, financial assets or family) that will take them back to their home country and have enough money for their stay. In some cases a medical exam or a letter of invitation may be required. Immigration officials have the discretion to limit the duration that visitors may enter the country as well as impose additional conditions.
All European Union member states All European Free Trade Association member states
Date of visa changes Unknown: Andorra, Cyprus, Liechtenstein, Portugal, Switzerland, Vatican Australian, Barbados, British, Irish, New Zealand, Papua New Guinean, Samoa, Singaporean, Solomon Islands and United States citizens have never needed a visa to gain access to Canada
February 1949: Turkey (cancelled in 1987) 1 July 1949: Sweden 15 October 1949: Denmark 1 December 1949: Belgium and Luxembourg 1 January 1950: Netherlands 1 April 1950: Norway 1 May 1950: France? 15 April 1952: Monaco? 9 November 1952: Italy 1 May 1953: Germany? 1956: Austria 1 January 1959: Finland 30 October 1959: Greece (?) 25 January 1960: Spain (?) 1 November 1962: Iceland 15 November 1962: San Marino 20 September 1964: Japan 9 March 1984: Israel 1 November 1984: Brunei 1 May 1994: South Korea 1 August 1995: Slovenia 1 July 1997: Hong Kong 27 September 2006: Estonia 31 October 2007: Czech Republic (resumed), Latvia 29 February 2008: Hungary (resumed), Lithuania,For biometric passports only from 1 January 2009 Poland and Slovakia 28 March 2009: Croatia 22 November 2010: Taiwan 14 November 2013: Czech Republic (resumed) 22 November 2014: Chile (resumed) 1 December 2016: Mexico (resumed) 1 December 2017: Bulgaria and Romania 5 June 2018: United Arab Emirates 25 November 2025: Qatar
Cancelled:
N/A: South Africa 28 September 1978: Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ghana and Uganda 1 December 1978: Iran 20 December 1979: Chile (was resumed on 1 February 1995) 25 September 1980: Haiti 15 October 1981: India 7 September 1983: Bangladesh and Sri Lanka 14 March 1984: Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica and Peru 21 November 1985: Dominican Republic 17 July 1986: Portugal (was resumed) 7 January 1987: Gambia, Sierra Leone, Mauritius, Tanzania, Turkey 6 July 1987: Brazil 18 September 1987: Bolivia and Honduras 4 December 1987: Fiji 7 September 1988: Panama 28 November 1988: Nicaragua 11 December 1988: Trinidad and Tobago 6 August 1990: Argentina and Kenya 16 May 1991: Tonga 4 May 1992: Belize, Lesotho, Malawi, Paraguay, Seychelles, Suriname, Uruguay and Zambia 1 August 1995: Venezuela 5 June 1996: ChileWas applied from 1 February 1995 (was resumed in 2014) 8 October 1997: Czech RepublicWas applied from 1 April 1996 (was resumed in 2007 until 13 July 2009) 5 December 2001: Dominica, Grenada, HungaryWas applied from 1 November 1994 (was resumed in 2008), Kiribati, Nauru, Tuvalu, Vanuatu,Was applied from 18 April 1983 Zimbabwe 5 September 2002: Saudi ArabiaWas applied from 6 April 1984 24 September 2002: Malaysia 11 May 2004: Costa Rica 13 July 2009: Czech Republic (was resumed in 2013) and Mexico (was resumed in 2016 until 29 February 2024) 13 September 2012: Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia,Was applied from 1990 Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 22 November 2014: Saint Kitts and Nevis 27 June 2017: Antigua and Barbuda 29 February 2024: Mexico
Allowed stay On entry, Canada Border Services Officers (BSO) stamp passports or travel documents and visitors are granted a stay of 6 months from the date of entry. If a specific date was written on the stamp, however, the visitor must leave Canada before that date. Visitors wishing to extend their status date must apply 30 days before it expires.
Inclusion criteria In order to be added to the visa waiver list a country has to fulfil about 40 conditions, grouped into 7 categories: socio-economic conditions immigration issues travel document integrity safety and security issues border management human rights issues bilateral considerations.
The decision is made by analyzing all of the criteria in an overall review instead of a checklist so there is a certain level of flexibility.
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) In December 2013, the Canadian government announced intention to introduce a system named Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), similar to the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), as part of an action plan to establish a common approach to screening visa-exempt foreign nationals. The Privacy Commissioner of Canada expressed concern over the plan. Travellers were able to apply as early as August 1, 2015 and the scheme went into full effect on November 10, 2016.
Visitors can apply through the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and are required to pay a cost recovery fee of . Visitors have to provide biographic details, passport and background information which includes additional citizenship, available funds, employment information and contact details. Applicants also have to answer questions about their health, immigration history and on any convictions they may have. Unlike a visa application, there are fewer questions in general and no question on their detailed travel plan. Following a risk assessment of the applicant, an eTA valid for multiple entries to Canada over a period of up to five years or until the passport's expiration date, whichever is shorter, should be issued.
Visa-exempt citizens An eTA is mandatory for all visa-exempt citizens when arriving by air (except for U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents). However, an eTA is not necessary for overland entry via one of the land border crossings with the U.S. or entry by sea, except entry by sea (excluding cruise ships) from Saint Pierre and Miquelon, in which case an eTA is still required. Following arrival at a port of entry, admission into Canada is given at the discretion of the Canada Border Services Agency.
Substitute Visa Citizens of the following countries who have held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years or who hold a valid non-immigrant U.S. visa may apply for an eTA, instead of a visa, to travel to Canada by air. However, a valid Canadian visa is still required for them to travel to Canada by land or sea.
Most people using a UN refugee travel document to travel to Canada need a visitor visa.
eTA exemption Canadian travellers both Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents do not need a visa or an eTA to enter Canada. What you need depends on whether you are a Canadian citizen or a Canadian permanent resident. Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, need a valid Canadian passport. American-Canadians can travel with a valid Canadian or US passport. Dual Canadian citizens can no longer travel to or transit through Canada by air with a non-Canadian passport. You need a valid Canadian passport to board your flight. If your country needs you to enter and exit that country using a passport issued by its government, you will still need a valid Canadian passport to board your flight to Canada. Make sure to carry both passports when you travel. Canadian permanent residents need a valid permanent resident card or permanent resident travel document.
The following foreign citizens are exempted from obtaining an eTA: holders of a valid Canadian refugee travel document are exempt from both the visa and eTA requirements. French citizens who reside in Saint Pierre and Miquelon and enter Canada directly from the territory; holders of Canadian visas; visitors, students or workers with a valid study, work or temporary resident permit who only visit the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon, provided that they return to Canada before their period of authorized stay expires; Foreign nationals who transit through a Canadian airport under the Transit Without Visa or China Transit Program Visiting armed force members from a designated state; Air Crew members Persons who are conducting inspections of flight operation procedures or cabin safety of a commercial air carrier operating international flights and holding sufficient proof of valid documentation Holders of a valid diplomatic, official or service passport issued by one of the Visa-Exempt Countries and Territories
In addition, persons on a flight that originates from or travels to the United States and stops in Canada for refuelling do not need an eTA, nor do those on a flight that has made an emergency landing in Canada.
The following persons do not require an eTA to enter Canada by air, and are, in fact, barred from applying for an eTA: Canadian citizens (including dual citizens) Permanent residents of Canada (including those who have not formally renounced their permanent residency). U.S. citizens and nationals Lawful permanent residents of the U.S.
Dual citizens and permanent residents Canadian travellers both Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents do not need a visa or an eTA to enter Canada. What you need depends on whether you are a Canadian citizen or a Canadian permanent resident. Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, need a valid Canadian passport. American-Canadians can travel with a valid Canadian or US passport. Dual Canadian citizens can no longer travel to or transit through Canada by air with a non-Canadian passport. You need a valid Canadian passport to board your flight. If your country needs you to enter and exit that country using a passport issued by its government, you will still need a valid Canadian passport to board your flight to Canada. Make sure to carry both passports when you travel. Canadian permanent residents need a valid permanent resident card or permanent resident travel document.
Canadian citizens who also have citizenship or nationality of a visa-exempt country (except the United States) and do not have a valid Canadian passport are barred from applying for an eTA and are required to enter Canada with a Canadian passport when arriving in Canada by air. However, those who have a flight to Canada in 10 days and meet the requirements can apply for a one-time special authorization online, which is valid for a maximum of 4 days from the applicants' travel starting date and a single entry to Canada. To be eligible, they must meet one of the following requirements:
have previously held a Canadian passport; have received a certificate of Canadian citizenship; or, have been granted Canadian citizenship after becoming a permanent resident (i.e., a naturalized citizen).