Online Canada Visa Frequently Asked Questions

Travelers entering Canada for business, transit, or tourism must get a Canada eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) starting in August 2015. Visa-Free or Visa-Exempt nations are those that are permitted to travel to Canada without obtaining a paper visa. On an eTA, citizens from these countries can travel/visit Canada for up to 6 months.

The United Kingdom, all European Union member states, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Singapore are among these countries.

All citizens of these 57 countries will now need to apply for a Canada Electronic Travel Authorization. To put it another way, inhabitants of the 57 visa-exempt countries must get a Canada eTA online before visiting Canada. Citizens of Canada and permanent residents of the United States are free from the eTA requirement.

Canadian citizens or permanent residents and United States citizens are exempt from eTA requirement.

To travel to or transit through Canada, most visitors will either require a Visitor Visa or Online Canada Visa (Canada eTA). What you require is determined by the following factors

  • Country of passport or nationality - If you are a citizens of one of the visa-exempt country, you are eligible to apply for Online Canada Visa Application or Canada eTA.
  • Entering by airport or land or sea - Canada eTA is required when entering by air. If you are entering Canada by land or sea, you will not require Canada eTA.
  • Visa-required country - If you are not a citizen of visa-exempt country, you will need Canada Visitor Visa to enter Canada (whether by air or land or sea) or Canada Transit Visa if your requirement is to just transit through a Canadian airport.

The Online Canada Visa is valid for 5 years from the date of issuance or until the expiration date of the passport, whichever comes first, and can be used for numerous trips.

The Canada eTA is valid for stayos of up to 6 months and can be used for business, tourism, or transportation.

The traveller can stay in Canada for up to 6 months on the Canada eTA, but the exact length of their stay will be determined and stamped on their passport by border officials at the airport.

Your stay can also be extended on request, once you are in Canada.

Yes, throughout the validity term of the Canada Electronic Travel Authorization (Canada eTA), it is good for multiple entries.

To enter Canada, nationals from countries that previously did not require a visa, known as Visa Free countries, must first get an Online Canada Visa or Canada Electronic Travel Authorization.

Before coming to Canada, all nationals and citizens of the 57 visa-free countries must apply online for a Canada Electronic Travel Authorization.

For a period of five (5) years, this Canada Electronic Travel Authorization will be valid.

Citizens as well as Permanent Residents of the United States are exempt from the Canada eTA requirement. To travel to Canada, US residents do not require a Canada Visa or Canada eTA.

Citizens of Canada or permanent residents of Canada, as well as citizens and green card holders of the United States, do not require Canada eTA.

It is important to note that if you are Canadian Permanent Resident and have a valid passport from one of the visa-free countries, you are not eligible to apply for Canada eTA.

As part of recent changes to Canada eTA program, U.S. green card holders or lawful permanent resident of the United States (U.S.), no longer  need Canada eTA.

Documents you'll need when you travel

Air travel

At check-in, you'll need to show airline staff proof of your valid status as a permanent resident of the U.S. 

All methods of travel

When you arrive in Canada, a border services officer will ask to see your passport and proof of your valid status as a permanent resident of the U.S. or other documents.

When you travel, make sure to bring
- a valid passport from your country of nationality
- proof of your status as a permanent resident of the U.S., such as a valid green card (officially known as a permanent resident card)

Yes, even if your transit will take less than 48 hours and you are from an eTA eligible nation, you will need a Canadian eTA.

If you are a citizen of a nation that isn't eligible for the eTA or is not visa-exempt, you will need a transit visa to travel through Canada without stopping or visiting. Passengers in transit must remain in the International Airport's transit area. You must apply for a Visitor Visa before travelling to Canada if you want to exit the airport.

If you are travelling to or from the United States, you might not require a transit visa or an eTA. The Transit Without Visa Program (TWOV) and the China Transit Program (CTP) allow some foreign citizens to transit through Canada without a Canadian transit visa on their journey to and from the United States if they satisfy certain criteria.

Visa-exempt nations include the following countries:

Conditional Canada eTA

Passport holders of the following countries are eligible to apply for a Canada eTA only if they satisfy the conditions listed below:

Conditions:

  • All nationalities held a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Canada Visitor Visa in the last ten (10) years.

OR

  • All nationalities must hold a current and valid U.S. nonimmigrant visa.

If you want to travel to Canada aboard a cruise ship, you will not require a Canada eTA. Travellers who are only flying into Canada on commercial or chartered flights must have an eTA

You must have a valid passport from a visa-exempt country, and be in good health.

Most eTA applications are granted within 24 hours, while some may take up to 72 hours to be authorised. If more information is needed to process your application, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will contact you. You can find the Canada Visa Application on our website.

Canada eTA is non-transferable. If you have gotten a new passport since your last eTA approval, you will need to reapply for an eTA.

Aside from acquiring a new passport, you must reapply for the Canada eTA if your prior eTA has expired after 5 years or if your name, sex, or nationality has changed

There are no age restrictions. If you are qualified for a Canada eTA, you must get one regardless of your age to go to Canada. Online Canada Visa Application for minors must be filled by one of family or a legal guardian.

Visitors can come to Canada with a Canadian Travel Visa attached to their passport, but they can also apply for a Canada eTA on a passport issued by a Visa-exempt nation if they so want.

The Online Canada Visa application is completed fully online. The application must be filled out online with all required information and submitted when the application fee has been paid. The outcome of the application will be emailed to the applicant.

No, you will not be able to board any aircraft to Canada unless you have secured a valid eTA for the country.

To travel to or transit through Canada, most visitors require either a Visitor Visa or Online Canada Visa (aka Canada eTA). You can find the Canada Visa Application on our website.

The parent or legal guardian of someone below 18 may apply for them on their behalf. You would need to have their passport, contact, travel, employment, and other background information and would also need to specify in the application that you are applying on somebody else’s behalf as well as specify your relationship with them.

No. Canada eTA is valid from the day it is issued until it expires. You can travel to Canada at any time throughout this timeframe.

Canada eTA may be obtained quickly and conveniently from anywhere with an internet connection, saving you time on Canada visa applications at Canadian missions or entry points into Canada (only if you are eligible).

Personal information provided in the Canada Visa Application System is not sold, rented, or otherwise used for commercial purposes by the Republic of Canada. Any information collected at each phase of the application procedure, as well as the Canada eTA provided at the conclusion, is held in high-security systems. The applicant is solely responsible for the protection of the e-soft Visa’s and physical copies

Yes. Each traveller needs their own Canada eTA.

No, your electronic visa is not valid. You will need to get a new Online Canada Visa.

If you want to stay in Canada longer than your e-Visa permits allow, you must apply for a residence permit at the nearest Provincial Directorate of Migration Management. Please keep in mind that an e-Visa may only be used for tourism and trade. Other forms of visa applications (work visas, student visas, etc.) must be filed at Canadian embassies or consulates. If you wish to extend your stay period, you may be fined, deported, or prohibited from returning to Canada for a period.

The email containing your Canada eTA information will be mailed to your email id within 72 hours.

No, an eTA simply ensures that you will be able to fly to Canada. If you don't have all of your paperwork in order, such as your passport, if you pose a health or financial risk, or if you have a criminal/terrorist background or previous immigration troubles, border officers at the airport can deny you admission.

Your Canada eTA will be stored electronically, but you must carry your connected Passport with you to the airport.

No, Canada eTA does not allow you to work in Canada or join Canadian labour market. You should apply for a work permit. However you are allowed business related activies.