Do I Need a Visa to Visit Canada? Requirements by Country

It depends on your passport. Citizens of visa-required countries need a visitor visa. Visa-exempt citizens need an eTA (CAD $7) to fly to or through a Canadian airport, and generally none by land or sea. US citizens need neither. Check your nationality with the Visa Checker, then confirm on IRCC’s entry-requirements page.

Check your passport with the Visa Checker

Last verified: November 2026

$7
IRCC’s fee for an eTA, CAD
17
Visa-required countries in the table to IRPR s.7.01(1), whose citizens may fly on an eTA if they meet the conditions

IRCC sets the fee. The Visa Checker shows which passports are in the table.

Which document does my passport need?

The deciding factor is your country of citizenship. Citizens of visa-required countries need a visitor visa (temporary resident visa, or TRV), which is a sticker placed in your passport after you apply online and, in many cases, give biometrics. Citizens of visa-exempt countries do not need a visa, but if they fly to or transit through a Canadian airport they need an eTA instead.

You only ever need one of the two, not both. US citizens need neither a visa nor an eTA, though they still need acceptable travel documents.

What each traveller needs, by how they arrive
Traveller	Flying to or through a Canadian airport	By land or water
Visa-required national	Visitor visa (TRV)	Visitor visa (TRV)
Visa-required national in the IRPR s.7.01(1) table who meets the conditions	An eTA instead of a visa	Visitor visa (TRV)
Visa-exempt national	An eTA (CAD $7)	Generally no eTA
US citizen	Neither, with acceptable travel documents	Neither, with acceptable travel documents
US lawful permanent resident	A passport from the country of nationality plus a valid green card	Directly from the US or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon: the green card or equivalent proof of US status, and no passport (IRPR s.52(2)(b))

When does a visa-exempt traveller need an eTA?

An electronic travel authorization (eTA) is an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals who travel to Canada by air. It is electronically linked to your passport, costs CAD $7, and is valid for up to 5 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. With a valid eTA you can travel to Canada as often as you like for short stays, normally up to six months per visit.

The eTA requirement is tied to flying. Visa-exempt travellers generally do not need one when arriving by car, bus, train, or boat, including a cruise ship.

To apply you need a valid passport, a credit or debit card, and an email address. Most applications are approved within minutes, though some take several days if you are asked to submit supporting documents. IRCC advises applying before you book your flight, and says to apply only on the official Government of Canada website.

The rule

Visa-exempt nationals need an electronic travel authorization (eTA) when they fly to or transit through a Canadian airport, but generally not when arriving by land or water.

IRCC, canada.caVerify on canada.ca

What do US citizens and US green-card holders need?

US citizens need neither a visitor visa nor an eTA, but they need acceptable travel documents to prove citizenship and identity. Whatever your age, the CBSA recommends a valid passport, and also accepts documents that show your full name, date of birth and citizenship. Airlines can ask for different documents than the CBSA.

US lawful permanent residents (green-card holders) need neither a visa nor an eTA: they are visa-exempt under IRPR s.190(1)(c) and have been eTA-exempt since April 26, 2022 under IRPR s.7.1(3)(b). To fly to or transit through Canada, they carry a valid passport from their country of nationality together with valid proof of their US status, such as a valid permanent resident card (Form I-551).

Arriving by land or water directly from the US or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, IRCC and the CBSA ask only for the green card or equivalent proof of US status, and no passport (IRPR s.52(2)(b)).

Can a citizen of a visa-required country fly on an eTA instead?

Under an expanded eligibility stream sometimes called eTA-X, citizens of select visa-required countries may apply for an eTA instead of a visa to fly to Canada. As published by IRCC and set out in IRPR s.7.01(2), the stream covers travellers who have held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years, or who currently hold a valid US non-immigrant visa. The US visa must be valid on the day you apply for the eTA, though it does not need to be valid on the day you travel.

This stream applies only to citizens of the countries in the table to IRPR s.7.01(1), and only when flying. The list has grown over time: Indonesia and Malaysia were added effective May 26, 2026. The Visa Checker shows whether your passport is in the table.

Separately, citizens of Qatar have been visa-exempt since November 25, 2025, and need an eTA to fly to Canada.

How do I confirm my own status?

Start with your passport, not your residence. Your entry requirement is driven by the citizenship on the passport you will travel on. If you hold more than one passport, check each one, because one nationality may be visa-exempt while another is visa-required.

Next, factor in how you will arrive. Air travel triggers the eTA requirement for visa-exempt travellers and is the only way the eTA-X stream applies. Arriving by land or sea does not remove the visa requirement for visa-required nationals.

Finally, confirm with two sources: the Visa Checker for a quick read on your nationality, then the official Government of Canada entry-requirements page, which is the authoritative source. Canada has both added and removed countries from the visa-exempt category in recent years, so confirm the current status close to your travel date.

Which free tool checks your own case?

Free, with no account. What you enter in a tool stays in your browser.

What do people ask?

Do I need a visa or an eTA to visit Canada?

It depends on your citizenship. Visa-required nationals need a visitor visa (TRV). Visa-exempt nationals who fly to or transit through a Canadian airport need an electronic travel authorization (eTA). You need one or the other, never both, and US citizens need neither. Check your passport with ClearToEnter’s Visa Check tool, then confirm on IRCC’s entry-requirements page.

How much does an eTA cost and how long is it valid?

An eTA costs CAD $7 and is valid for up to 5 years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. With it you can visit Canada as often as you like for short stays, normally up to six months at a time. Most applications are approved within minutes. Apply only on the official Government of Canada site. The eTA vs Visitor Visa guide compares the two documents.

Do US citizens need a visa or an eTA to enter Canada?

No. US citizens need neither a visitor visa nor an eTA. They still need acceptable travel documents that prove citizenship and identity: the CBSA recommends a valid passport whatever their age, and airlines can ask for different documents than the CBSA. Confirm the current rules with the Canada Border Services Agency before you go. The How Long Can You Stay guide covers visitor stay limits.

I have a US green card. What do I need to fly to Canada?

Your passport and your green card. US lawful permanent residents are visa-exempt under IRPR s.190(1)(c) and have been eTA-exempt since April 26, 2022 under IRPR s.7.1(3)(b). To fly to or through Canada, carry a valid passport from your country of nationality and valid proof of US status, such as your permanent resident card (Form I-551). The US Green Card Holders guide covers entry in detail.

Do I need an eTA if I drive into Canada?

Generally no. The eTA applies to visa-exempt travellers who fly to or transit through a Canadian airport, so arriving by car, bus, train or boat, including a cruise ship, generally needs no eTA. Visa-required nationals still need a visitor visa however they arrive, because the eTA option for some of them covers air travel only. The eTA vs Visitor Visa guide explains the difference.

My country needs a visa. Can I use an eTA instead?

Possibly, for air travel only. Under the stream sometimes called eTA-X, citizens of select visa-required countries can apply for an eTA if they held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years or hold a valid US non-immigrant visa. Arriving by land or sea still needs a visitor visa, and an officer decides at the border. The Visitor Visa guide explains the full visa application.

Which countries are visa-exempt for Canada?

The list changes as Canada adds and removes countries, so check your own passport. ClearToEnter’s Visa Check tool shows whether a nationality typically needs a visa or an eTA, and IRCC’s entry-requirements page gives the official status for every country and territory. If the two ever disagree, the IRCC page is the authority. Check close to your travel date, because the list moves.

Can I be refused entry even with a visa or eTA?

Yes. A visa or eTA lets you travel to a Canadian port of entry, and a border services officer decides whether you may enter and for how long. That holds for every nationality and every document. Carry supporting documents, such as proof of funds and your return plans, and be ready to answer questions about your visit. The Proof of Funds for a Visitor Visa guide covers what to show.

Part of:Visiting Canada

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.