Travel visa information

Most travellers need either an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or a visa to visit Canada, depending upon their citizenship.

As of March 15, 2016, travellers with passports from eTA-required countries who enter Canada by air will need an eTA.

The authorization is electronically linked to the traveller’s passport and is valid for five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.  

Applying for an eTA is done online, costs $7 Canadian dollars and takes just a few minutes. Most eTA-eligible applicants will get their authorization within minutes of submitting the online form.  

U.S. citizens do not need an eTA to enter Canada.
For a list of eTA and visa requirements by country please visit the Government of Canada’s website.

Mexican travellers arriving by air who don’t have a US visa need to apply for a Canadian visa.

To visit Canada, travellers will need to meet basic requirements: 

• Have a valid travel document, such as a passport
• Be in good health
• Have no criminal or immigration-related convictions
• Convince an immigration officer that they have ties—such as a job, home, financial assets or family—that will take them back to their home country
• Convince an immigration officer that they will leave Canada at the end of their visit
• Have enough money for the duration of their stay.

Most visitors are allowed a six-month stay from the day they enter Canada. This is subject to permission by a border services officer at the port of entry. If the officer authorizes a stay less than six months, they will indicate on the traveller's passport the date they must leave Canada.

For more detailed information, learn more about entry requirements from the Government of Canada.