Canada tourist visa requirements are easy to understand. The entire visa application process is online. Canada typically issues long-term multiple-entry visas valid for 5 to 10 years.
Even if you are not planning on traveling to Canada right away, getting a Canadian tourist visa can be useful for two reasons.
- Canada visitor visas are typically long-term visas (5 to 10 years). Apply for one now and you will have it for the next 10 years.
- Quite a few countries including Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama EXEMPT visa for those with a Canadian multiple entry visa.
CANADA TOURIST VISA REQUIREMENTS BY NATIONALITY
Minimum passport validity to enter Canada as a tourist
Passport must be valid for the entire stay in Canada
Example: If you will be entering Canada on Feb 10 and will be leaving Canada on Feb 25, your passport must be valid till Feb 25.
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Visa EXEMPT nationalities (eTA not required)
- United States
Visa EXEMPT nationalities (eTA required)
- Must apply for Canada eTA prior to arrival in Canada by air
- Canada eTA is not required if traveling by land from the US
- Andorra
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Brunei
- Cayman Islands
- Chile
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Falkland Islands
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Montserrat
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Papua New Guinea
- Pitcairn
- Poland
- Portugal
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- St. Helena
- South Korea
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- United Kingdom
- Vatican City
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Visa REQUIRED nationalities
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo (Democratic Republic of)
- Congo (Republic of)
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- 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
- Ivory Coast
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Macao
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestine
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Sudan
- Surinam
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Visa EXEMPT with US Green card
- Must hold a valid US Green card
- Must apply for Canada eTA prior to arrival in Canada by air
- Canada eTA is NOT REQUIRED if traveling by land from the US
- All nationalities
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Visa EXEMPT with US visa or expired Canada tourist visa
- Must hold a valid used/unused multiple-entry US non-immigrant visa (B1, B2, B1/B2, F1, J1, H1, L1) (OR) an expired Canadian visitor visa (TRV) held in the past 10 years
- Must apply for Canada eTA prior to arrival in Canada
- Applicable to air travel only
- Brazil
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CANADA eTA (ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION)
Canada eTA is a travel authorization that needs to be obtained online prior to traveling to Canada.
Canada eTA is MANDATORY for all visa EXEMPT nationalities.
Who needs Canada eTA?
Canada eTA is REQUIRED for all visa EXEMPT nationalities entering Canada for tourism or transit. If you are visa EXEMPT, you DO NOT NEED a visa but you REQUIRE an eTA to enter Canada.
Who does not need an eTA?
The following does not need an eTA to enter Canada.
- Canadian dual citizens
- Canadian permanent residents
- United States passport holders
- Passport holders with a valid Canadian visa (tourist, student, work, etc.)
Is Canada eTA a visa?
No. Canada eTA is NOT a visa. It’s just an online authorization that you would need to obtain prior to your trip to Canada.
Can you use ESTA to enter Canada?
You CANNOT use ESTA (United States Electronic System for Travel Authorization) to enter Canada. ESTA is a travel authorization to enter the US. It cannot be used for Canada. Even if you hold a valid ESTA, you would still need to apply for eTA to travel to Canada.
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