Three Types of Visitor
What you need to enter Canada depends on your citizenship and how you arrive. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sorts visitors into three main groups:
- Visa-exempt travellers (including citizens of the UK, Australia, Japan and most of Europe) need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to or transit through a Canadian airport.
- Visa-required travellers need a visitor visa, also called a temporary resident visa, however they arrive.
- Travellers exempt from both, mainly US citizens and US lawful permanent residents.
Check your own nationality on the official IRCC "Find out if you need a visa or eTA" tool before booking. Rules change, and neighbouring countries are often treated differently.
The eTA: Who Needs It and How to Apply
An eTA is an electronic authorization linked to your passport. It is required only for air travel: visa-exempt travellers arriving by car, bus, train or boat generally do not need one, with an exception for sea travel from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.
The official fee is CAN$7, paid by card when you submit the online form. You need a valid passport, an email address and a payment card. IRCC says most applications are approved within minutes, but some applicants are asked for more documents by email within 72 hours, so apply before you book flights. An eTA is generally valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need a new eTA.
Apply only through the Government of Canada website. Many third-party sites look official and charge far more than CAN$7 for the same form.
The Conditional eTA Program
Citizens of some visa-required countries can apply for an eTA instead of a visa if they are flying to Canada and meet extra conditions. In general, these are having held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years or holding a valid US non-immigrant visa. The countries currently listed by IRCC are Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.
Two recent changes matter. Mexican citizens lost visa-free eTA access in 2024 and now need a visa unless they qualify under these conditions. IRCC also says some citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia have been able to apply for an eTA instead of a visitor visa since May 26, 2026. If you do not meet the conditions, or you are arriving by land or sea, you need a visitor visa.
Visitor Visas
A visitor visa is applied for online and is placed in your passport. The IRCC processing fee is CAN$100 per person, or CAN$500 for a family of five or more applying together. Most applicants must also give fingerprints and a photo (biometrics) at a visa application centre; the biometrics fee has been CAN$85 per person or CAN$170 per family, but confirm it on the IRCC fee list when you apply.
Processing times vary widely by country of residence and season, from days to many weeks, so check IRCC's current processing time tool. A visa officer decides whether you receive a single-entry or multiple-entry visa. Multiple-entry visas can be valid for up to 10 years, or until your passport or biometrics expire.
US Citizens and US Permanent Residents
US citizens need neither an eTA nor a visa. A valid US passport is the most reliable document, and it is required to board flights. Without a passport, travellers arriving by land or water can use documents that together show full name, date of birth and citizenship.
US lawful permanent residents have been exempt from the eTA since April 26, 2022. When flying, they must show a valid passport from their country of nationality and proof of US status, such as a green card. When arriving by land or water directly from the US, the green card alone is sufficient.
At the Border
An eTA or visa lets you board a flight, but it does not guarantee entry. A Canada Border Services Agency officer makes the final decision. Be ready to show:
- Your passport, valid for your entire stay
- Proof of onward or return travel
- Evidence that you can support yourself, such as bank statements or credit cards
- Your accommodation details or an invitation letter if visiting family
Most visitors may stay up to six months. The officer can set a shorter or longer period and will mark it in your passport or on a visitor record. Children need the same documents as adults; a parent travelling alone with a child should carry a consent letter from the other parent.
Before You Book
IRCC notices change during the year. For example, temporary Ebola-related entry measures for certain travellers have been extended to November 27, 2026. Check the IRCC and travel.gc.ca pages a few weeks before departure, apply for your eTA or visa before buying non-refundable tickets, and make sure your passport details match your application exactly.
