Individuals wishing to visit Canada as tourists, to visit friends and family or for other short-term purposes (such as business meetings or attending conferences) will require either a Temporary Resident Visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
Whether you require a visa or an eTA will depend on your travel documents, your nationality and how you intend to enter Canada (e.g. by air, by sea, by road).
Note: This advice relates to the Temporary Resident Visa for visitors to Canada. For information regarding the Temporary Resident Permit for individuals who have been refused a visa or eTA, please click here.
Canada Visitor Visas
Most temporary visitors to Canada will require a Temporary Resident Visa, including those who are transiting through a Canadian airport en route to a destination outside Canada. If granted, a Temporary Resident Visa will usually be valid for up to six months.
In order to get a Temporary Resident Visa, individuals should:
- hold a valid passport or other suitable travel document
- have no criminal or immigration-related convictions
- have enough funds available for the duration of their planned stay in Canada
- be able to satisfy immigration officials that they have ties to their home country and that they plan to leave Canada at the end of their trip
Applications for a visitor visa for Canada can be submitted online or via a representative, such as a qualified migration agent. As part of the application process, you may be asked to provide additional information such as a police certificate or results from a medical exam before you receive a decision. You may also have to appear in person at a service point in your country or region to provide fingerprints and a photograph.
Each application for a Canadian visitor visa costs CAD $100, or CAD $500 for a family of five or more people applying at the same time. There is an additional biometrics fee where these are requested, costing CAD $85 per person or CAD $170 per family of two or more people applying at the same time and place.
If your application is successful, you will be asked to send your documentation to Canadian authorities so that they can physically add the visa to your passport.
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
The eTA is a visa waiver program for certain foreign nationals for visits of up to six months at a time. Once an eTA has been granted, it is valid for up to five years or until the expiry date of the passport initially used to apply for the eTA.
An application for an eTA costs CAD $7 and can be submitted in just a few minutes via the Canadian government’s official eTA platform.
You can apply for an eTA if:
- you are a national of one of the following countries or territories which is exempt from from requiring a visa for short visits to Canada, and are travelling by air:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- British citizens/British National (Overseas)/British overseas citizens/British overseas territory citizens/British subjects with right of abode in the United Kingdom
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong SAR
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Republic of Korea
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Papua New Guinea
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Swden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Arab Emirates
- Vatican City State
- you are a national of one of the following non-exempt countries and are travelling by air:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Costa Rica
- Mexico
- Morocco
- Panama
- Philippines
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Seychelles
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uruguay
Visitor Visa and eTA Exemptions
Canadian citizens and permanent residents do not require a visitor visa or eTA but should ensure their travel documentation and proof of status is up-to-date to avoid complications and delays when travelling.
Citizens and lawful permanent residents of the United States are also exempt from requiring a visitor visa or eTA to travel to Canada.
Visiting your children and grandchildren in Canada
Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents may be eligible to apply for a Parent and Grandparent Super Visa. This special family visit visa allows the holder to travel to and stay in Canada for up to five years at a time in order to visit their children or grandchildren.