Most travellers need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to, or transit through, a Canadian airport.
Most travellers need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to, or transit through, a Canadian airport.
What you need depends on:
- the type of travel document you will travel with;
- the country that issued your travel document;
- your nationality; and
- how you will travel to Canada.
If you do not have the proper documents, such as an eTA or visa, you may be delayed or prevented from boarding your flight to Canada.
Before you apply, find out what you need to travel to Canada.
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Answers others found useful
Do I need a Canadian visa if I have a United States visa?
Yes, most travelers need a visitor visa or an eTA to travel to, or transit through, Canada.
What you need depends on:
- the type of travel document you will travel with;
- the country that issued your travel document;
- your nationality; and
- how you will travel to Canada.
Before you apply, find out what you need.
How do I apply for an eTA for travel to Canada?
To apply you must have a valid passport from a visa-exempt country, a valid credit and an email address.
It costs $7 CAD to get an eTA and only takes a few minutes to apply. Approved eTAs are valid for up to five years.
Apply now for an eTA
I am visiting the U.S. and I want to come to Canada. Do I need an eTA?
Most travellers need a visitor visa or an eTA to travel to, or transit through, Canada.
What you need depends on:
- the type of travel document you will travel with;
- the country that issued your travel document;
- your nationality; and
- how you will travel to Canada.
Before you apply, find out what you need Top of Form
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Do I need a visa if I’m just travelling through Canada on my way to another country?
The document you need to transit through Canada depends on a few factors, including if you plan to visit Canada.
You can answer a few questions to find the document you need to transit through Canada.
Visa-required travellers
You’re considered a visa-required traveller if you’re from a visa-required country.
You need a visitor visa if:
- you visit Canada (even if you’re travelling by air and it’s for less than 48 hours)
- stay in Canada more than 48 hours while transiting, or
- you’re crossing the border by:
- bus
- car
- train
- boat
- cruise ship
You need a transit visa if:
- your international flight stops at a Canadian airport on its way to another country
- you’ll be connecting between 2 international flights at a Canadian airport
- you’ll transit through Canada in 48 hours or less, and
- you don’t have a valid visitor visa
Visa-exempt travelers
You’re considered a visa-exempt traveler if you’re from an eTA-required country.
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you’re from an eTA-required country.
You don’t need an eTA if you’re transiting through Canada and you enter by train, bus, boat or cruise ship. You do need to bring the right travel documents.
How do I help a family member or friend apply to visit Canada?
Anyone who plans to visit Canada must apply from outside of Canada before they travel.
What your friend or family member needs depends on:
- the type of travel document they will travel with;
- the country that issued their travel document;
- their nationality; and
- how they will travel to Canada.
Before applying, find out what document(s) they need.
If they need a visitor visa, you may provide your family member or friend with a letter of invitation in support of their visa application. A letter of invitation can help, but it does not guarantee the person will get a visa.
am travelling with my minor child without my spouse. What documents must I present?
You must present the following documents:
- A copy of the child’s birth certificate
- A letter of authorization signed by the parent who is not travelling, containing their address and telephone number, in English or French if possible, and
- A photocopy of the non-accompanying parent’s signed passport or national identity card
If the parents are separated or divorced, and share custody of the child, the parent travelling with the child should carry copies of the legal custody documents.
If the parents are separated or divorced and one of them has sole custody of the child, the letter of authorization may be signed by that parent only and they should bring a copy of the custody papers.
If one of the child’s parents is deceased, the travelling parent should bring a copy of the death certificate.
For more information, see Minor children travelling to Canada.
What’s the difference between a visitor visa and a visitor record?
A visitor visa (also known as a temporary resident visa) is an official document citizens from visa-required countries need to get to travel to and enter Canada as a visitor for up to 6 months.
- We stick the visitor visa in your passport.
- It shows that you meet the requirements to enter Canada.
- It includes the date by which you must arrive in Canada.
- The date is not an expiry date for your stay in Canada.
- If you apply for a study or work permit for the first time, you’ll automatically get a visitor visa when we approve your application.
A visitor record is a document that a border services officer may issue to you to extend or restrict your stay in Canada. If you want to stay in Canada for more than 6 months, you have to tell the border services officer.
You may also get a visitor record after we approve your application to extend your stay or restore your status. A visitor record is issued either by the Canada Border Services Agency or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
- You need to apply for a visitor record when:
- you first arrive at the port of entry and you know you want to stay longer than 6 months; or
- you’re in Canada and decide you want to stay longer.
- You must apply at least 30 days before your authorized stay in Canada expires.
- It’s an independent document (not placed in your passport).
- It includes an expiry date for your stay in Canada.
- That’s the date by which you must leave Canada.
Do I need to apply for both a visitor visa and an eTA?
No. If you plan to travel to Canada, you need a valid visitor visa OR a valid eTA.
The one you need depends on:
- the type of travel document you will travel with;
- the country that issued your travel document;
- your nationality; and
- how you will travel to Canada.
Before you apply, answer a few questions to find out what you need to travel to Canada.
If you already have a valid Canadian visitor visa you don’t need to apply for an eTA – even if you’re eligible for an eTA. You can travel with your visa until it expires.
If you apply for an initial work or study permit before you travel to Canada, you’ll get a visa or an eTA automatically once your work or study permit application is approved. You don’t need to apply for a visa or an eTA, or pay extra fees.
- If we issue you a visa, we’ll stick in your passport.
- If we issue you an eTA, your eTA number will be included in the letter of introduction we will send you when your study or work permit is approved. Keep this number in case you need to contact us about your eTA.