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Temporary residents: Countries designated for the purposes of the Visiting Forces Act

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

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Military members

A foreign national is exempt from the requirement to obtain a temporary resident visa, as per R190(3)(d) if:

  • they are seeking to enter and remain in Canada solely to carry out official duties as a member of the armed forces of a country that is a designated state for the purposes of the Visiting Forces Act (VFA), unless they have been designated under that Act as a civilian component of those armed forces

Note: They are also exempt from the requirement to hold a passport under R52(2)(e) and the requirement to obtain:

To demonstrate that they qualify for the exemptions indicated above, military members must provide and carry:

  • personal identity card issued by the sending State showing names, date of birth, rank and number (if any), service, and photograph; and
  • individual or collective movement order, issued by an appropriate agency of the sending State and certifying to the status of the individual or group as a member or members of a force and to the movement ordered; or
  • Invitation letter or other appropriate documentation issued by Canada’s Department of National Defence.

Although exempt from the passport requirement, they are required to provide proof of their status in their country of origin.

Family members of military members are not exempt from passport, biometric, visa and medical requirements, but are exempt from visa and biometric processing fees as per R296(2)(b) and R315.1(2)(d)(iv).

Note: Members of a country’s armed forces who are exempt from requiring a TRV and a passport may choose to request a TRV to facilitate travel to Canada under the VFA. In this case, they are not required to pay visa processing fees or provide biometric information.

Civilian personnel

  • Civilian personnel are not exempt from passport, biometric, visa/eTA and medical examination requirements.
  • However, personnel who have been designated as a civilian component of the visiting force under the VFA, and their family members, are not required to pay visa processing and biometric fees as per R296(2)(b) and R315.1(2)(d)(iv).

The following countries are designated states for the purposes of the Visiting Forces Act:

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