Canada eTA Visa Waiver

According to Canada’s visa policy, citizens of over 130 nationalities must obtain a Canadian embassy or consular visa before traveling, regardless of the purpose or duration of their stay.

Applicants are required to apply at a Canadian Embassy or Consulate in their country of residence well in advance to allow sufficient processing time. This includes making an appointment, submitting supporting documentation depending on the type of visa, and providing biometric data (fingerprints and a recent photograph).

The validity of an approved visa depends on the purpose of travel. Visitors may be eligible for a tourist visa if they are in good health, demonstrate strong ties to their home country (such as employment, property, financial assets, or family), and have sufficient funds for their stay. Some applicants may also need to submit a medical exam or a letter of invitation.

Countries whose citizens require a Canadian Embassy or Consular visa include:

• Afghanistan

• Albania

• Algeria

• Angola

• Armenia

• Azerbaijan

• Bahrain

• Bangladesh

• Belarus

• Belize

• Benin

• Bhutan

• Bolivia

• Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Botswana

• Burkina Faso

• Burundi

• Cambodia

• Cameroon

• Cape Verde

• Central African Republic

• Chad

• China

• Colombia

• Comoros

• Congo

• Cuba

• Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Djibouti

• Dominica

• Dominican Republic

• Ecuador

• Egypt

• El Salvador

• Eswatini

• Equatorial Guinea

• Eritrea

• Ethiopia

• Federated States of Micronesia

• Fiji

• Gabon

• Gambia

• Georgia

• Ghana

• Grenada

• Guatemala

• Guinea

• Guinea Bissau

• Guyana

• Haiti

• Honduras

• India

• Indonesia

• Iran

• Iraq

• Ivory Coast

• Jamaica

• Jordan

• Kazakhstan

• Kenya

• Kiribati

• Kuwait

• Kyrgyzstan

• Laos

• Lebanon

• Lesotho

• Liberia

• Libya

• Macau

• Macedonia

• Madagascar

• Malawi

• Malaysia

• Maldives

• Mali

• Marshall Islands

• Mauritania

• Mauritius

• Moldova

• Mongolia

• Montenegro

• Mozambique

• Myanmar

• Namibia

• Nauru

• Nepal

• Nicaragua

• Niger

• Nigeria

• North Korea

• Oman

• Pakistan

• Palau

• Palestinian Territory

• Paraguay

• Peru

• Puerto Rico

• Qatar

• Russian Federation

• Rwanda

• São Tomé and Príncipe

• Saudi Arabia

• Senegal

• Serbia

• Sierra Leone

• Somalia

• South Africa

• South Sudan

• Sri Lanka

• Sudan

• Suriname

• Syrian Arab Republic

• Tajikistan

• Tanzania

• Timor-Leste

• Togo

• Tonga

• Tunisia

• Turkey

• Turkmenistan

• Tuvalu

• Uganda

• Ukraine

• Uzbekistan

• Vanuatu

• Venezuela

• Vietnam

• Yemen

• Zambia

• Zimbabwe

CAN+ Program and Other Visa Options

Some travelers who have visited Canada in the last 10 years or hold a valid US visa may qualify for the CAN+ program, which simplifies and speeds up the visa application process. CAN+ applicants provide less supporting documentation and may qualify for expedited processing.

Additionally, parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents can apply for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, allowing stays of up to 5 years per visit and multiple entries over a period of up to 10 years.

US permanent residents and citizens of visa-exempt countries may also apply through these programs, but will need to obtain a Canada eTA after visa approval, as no visa label is issued in their passport.

US citizens do not need an eTA to travel to Canada or to transit through Canadian airports. They can enter Canada for tourism, business, or family visits and stay for up to 6 months within a 1-year period without applying for a travel authorization. Travelers must present proof of US citizenship or nationality upon arrival.

This exemption also applies to foreign nationals who are lawful permanent residents of the United States, provided they hold a valid US Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) or a valid Alien Documentation Identification and Telecommunication (ADIT) stamp.

Travelers must show proof of their US permanent residence status along with their passport or another acceptable travel document when crossing a Canadian land border from the United States.

All travelers entering Canada under this exemption must be in good health, demonstrate strong ties to their country of residence, and have sufficient financial means for their stay. In some cases, Canadian authorities may require a medical examination or a letter of invitation to grant entry.

Whether you need a transit visa for Canada depends on several factors, including your mode of travel (air, land, or sea), the length of your stay, your nationality, and other requirements.

Visa Required Nationalities

You must obtain a Canadian transit visa if you are from a visa-required country and:

• Your international flight stops at a Canadian airport en route to another country.

• You are connecting between two international flights at a Canadian airport.

• You will transit through Canada for 48 hours or less.

• You do not hold a valid Canadian visitor visa.

Visa-Exempt Nationalities

All visa-exempt travelers, except US citizens and US permanent residents, must have a Canada eTA if transiting by air.

US citizens and US permanent residents may transit through Canada without a visa or eTA, regardless of their final destination or travel mode.

Transit Visa Exemptions

Under Canada’s Transit Without Visa (TWOV) and China Transit Program (CTP), certain non-visa-exempt travelers to and from the United States may be exempt from a consular Canadian transit visa if they meet all of the following:

• Possess a valid US visa issued by a US embassy.

• Travel on an approved airline, including:

  • Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Air China, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan Airlines, Philippine Airlines, WestJet, Xiamen Airlines

  • Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz Air, Sky Regional Airlines, or Air Georgian

• Transit through a participating Canadian international airport.

• If arriving from outside the United States, clear US immigration and customs at the airport during Canadian preclearance operating hours on the same day.

Eligible travelers must remain in the designated international transit area when arriving in Canada from the US, or the post-preclearance area when arriving from a third country, after completing US immigration and customs procedures.

Special Notes on US Visas

• Travelers must have a valid, unexpired US visa to clear US immigration and customs while transiting through Canada.

• An expired US visa may be used for transit from the United States to a third country, provided the traveler is not under a removal or deportation order and has not overstayed their authorized US stay.