To travel to Canada, you may need a visa. However, there are groups of people or citizens of some countries that can travel to Canada without a visa This group of people enjoys the Canada Visa Waiver Program. Check if you need a visa to travel to Canada here. You can also learn how to travel to Canada without a visa here.
To travel to Canada, most people require either a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), but not both. Some people may only require a valid passport (Canada Visa Waiver Program).
Check out this website for visa information to see if you need a visa to travel to Canada. Biometrics (as needed): If you are from a country whose citizens are required to have a Canada entry visa, you should apply for one well in advance of your departure date.
How To Travel To Canada Without Visa
Here are some tips on how to visit Canada without a visa:
The following 55 countries can travel to Canada without a visa (Canada visa-exempt) and must apply for an eTA:
Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Vatican City.
See Also: 5 Easiest Ways To Travel To Canada – Immigrate To Canada Now
The United States is also visa-exempt, but US citizens are not required to apply for an eTA when visiting Canada.
Visa-Exempt (eTA eligible) Travellers: Canada Visa Waiver Program
The following travelers require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to board their flight to Canada. However, these visitors do not need an eTA if they enter by land or sea, such as driving from the United States or arriving by bus, train, or boat, including cruise ships. The countries that enjoy Canada Visa Waiver Program are:
- Andorra
- Austria
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- British citizen
- British overseas citizen (re-admissible to the United Kingdom)
- A British National (Overseas)
- British overseas territory citizen with citizenship through birth, naturalization, descent, or registration in one of the British overseas territories of:
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- The British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Saint Helena
- Pitcairn Island
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- British Subject with a right of abode in the United Kingdom
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China must have a passport issued by Hong Kong SAR.
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel, must have a national Israeli passport
- Italy
- Japan
- Republic of Korea
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Papua New Guinea
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania (electronic passport holders only)
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan, must have an ordinary passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes the personal identification number
- United Arab Emirates
- Vatican City State, must have a passport or travel document issued by the Vatican.
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) Exemptions
The following categories of people are under eTA exempt. Canada Visa Waiver Program – includes:
1. Foreign nationals with official Canadian documents:
- Travelers with a valid Canadian visa.
- Travelers with valid status in Canada (e.g. visitor, student, or worker) who re-enters Canada after only visiting the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon.
2. Travel and Official Representatives:
- Flight crew, civil aviation inspectors, and accident investigators working in Canada.
- Members of armed forces (excluding the civilian component of armed forces) from a country designated under the Visiting Forces Act who are visiting Canada for official purposes.
- Diplomats accredited by the Government of Canada.
3. Foreign Nationals in the Following Situations:
- French citizens who live in Saint Pierre and Miquelon and are flying directly to Canada from St. Pierre and Miquelon.
- Foreign nationals who are passengers destined to, or coming from, the United States on a flight that stops in Canada solely to refuel and
- Have proper documents to enter the United States, or
- were lawfully admitted to the United States.
- Foreign nationals who are passengers on a flight that makes an unscheduled stop in Canada.
- Foreign nationals who transit through a Canadian airport under the Transit Without Visa or China Transit Program.
Entry Requirements by Country/Territory
In most cases, you must now provide your fingerprints and a photograph (biometrics) after applying for the travel visa. However, what you need will vary depending on where you are coming from, how you are traveling, and what documents you are traveling with.
Canadian citizens: how to travel to Canada without visa
Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, must have a valid Canadian passport. American Canadians can travel with a valid Canadian or US passport.
US citizens: Canada Visa Waiver Program
Citizens of the United States must carry proper identification, such as a valid US passport.
Canadian Permanent Residents
Permanent residents of Canada must have a valid permanent resident card or permanent resident travel document.
Lawful Permanent Residents of the U.S. – how to travel to Canada without visa
Lawful permanent residents of the United States must show these documents for all modes of travel to Canada beginning April 26, 2022:
- a valid passport from their country of nationality (or an equivalent acceptable travel document) and
- a valid green card (or equivalent valid proof of status in the United States).
Also Read: How To Travel To Canada Without Visa – A Canada Travel Guide
Visa-Required Travelers: Canada Visa Waiver Program
The following travelers require a visa to come to Canada by any method of travel – plane, car, bus, train, or cruise ship.
Note: Holders of Foreign passports and Stateless individuals need a visa to visit or transit Canada.
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon, Republic of
- Cape Verde
- The central African Republic
- Chad
- China, People’s Republic of
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo, Democratic Republic of
- Congo, Republic of
- Costa Rica, Republic of
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- East Timor
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel, must have a valid Israeli “Travel Document in lieu of National Passport”
- Ivory Coast
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Korea, North
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Macao Special Administrative Region
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives Islands
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia, Fed. States
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestinian Authority
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Romania (holder of a non-electronic passport, such as a temporary passport)
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Sao Tomé e Principe
- Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines (St. Vincent)
- Sudan
- Surinam
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Taiwan, must have a passport other than ordinary passports issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that include their personal identification number
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Workers and Students: Canada Visa Waiver Program
You must also meet Canada’s entry requirements if you are a worker or student. A work permit or a study permit is not the same as a visa. In most cases, you’ll also need a valid visitor visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA) to enter Canada.
If you’re applying for your first study or work permit
If you require a visa or an eTA, we will automatically issue one if your application is approved. When visiting Canada, make sure you have the following:
- your letter of introduction
- valid passport or travel document
- if you’re visa-required, it must contain the visa sticker that we put in it
- More so, if you need an eTA and you’re flying to a Canadian airport, it must be the passport that’s electronically linked to your eTA.
If you already have a work or study permit
- If you need a visa, make sure your visitor visa is still valid if you leave and return to Canada.
- You must travel with a valid study or work permit, passport, and travel documents.
- If you require an eTA and are flying to a Canadian airport, bring a passport that is electronically linked to your eTA visa. how to travel to Canada without visa.
If you’re eligible to work or study without a permit
You are considered a visitor to Canada if you are eligible to work or study without a permit. You must meet the entry requirements for citizens of your home country.
Visiting your children and grandchildren in Canada
If you are the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may be eligible for a super visa. A super visa allows you to visit your children or grandchildren for up to 5 years at a time. It is a visa that allows for multiple entries for a period of up to ten years. When you enter Canada, a border services officer will tell you how long you can stay.
Read Also: How To Apply For US Visa Online-US Visa Application Processes
Conclusion on how to travel to Canada without visa
Most people need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada – not both. Some people may only need their valid ID card
When visiting a country that does not require a visa, you may only need to present your passport. This means you won’t have to visit an embassy or wait several days for a visa to be processed before traveling, though you may need to obtain advance approval or start your application online before leaving. Canada Visa Waiver Program
If you want to extend your visit, you must apply at a Canadian immigration office or online before your Visitor Visa expires. This list would have been easier to compile if we had included countries that required visas; however, you can find a list of all of the countries that are permitted to visit Canada without a visa above.
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