Electronic travel authorization (eTA): Citizens from some visa-required countries

Citizens from some visa-required countries may be eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), instead of a visa, to travel to Canada by air.

On this page

• Who can apply
  • Eligible visa-required countries
• You need a visitor visa to come to Canada by car, bus, train or boat
• Travellers who already have a Canadian visa
• Canadian citizens
• Canadian permanent residents
• What you need to board your flight
• Rules and recommendations for common travel scenarios

Who can apply

You are eligible to apply for an eTA if you meet all 3 requirements:

• you’ve held a Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa) in the past 10 years or currently hold a valid United States (U.S.) nonimmigrant visa
  • Your U.S. nonimmigrant visa must be valid on the day you apply for your eTA, but doesn’t need to be valid when you travel to Canada.
• you’re coming to Canada for a short visit, business or tourist activity (normally for stays of up to 6 months)
• you’re flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport using a valid passport from one of the eligible visa-required countries

If you do not meet all of the requirements, you need a visitor visa (temporary resident visa) to travel to Canada.

Eligible visa-required countries

• 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

You need a visitor visa to come to Canada by car, bus, train or boat

Travellers with a passport from one of the eligible countries still need a valid visitor visa (temporary resident visa) if

• driving to Canada from the U.S. by car or
• arriving by bus, train or boat, including a cruise ship (even if they are not leaving the ship)

Travellers who already have a valid Canadian visa

If you already have a valid Canadian visa, you don’t need an eTA to fly to Canada and should continue to travel with your visitor visa (temporary resident visa) until it expires.

Canadian citizens

Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, can’t apply for an eTA and need a valid Canadian passport to travel to Canada by air.

Canadian permanent residents

Canadian permanent residents can’t apply for an eTA and need a valid permanent resident card or permanent resident travel document.

What you need to board your flight to Canada if you have an eTA

When you fly to Canada, you must travel with the same passport you used to apply for an eTA. If you get a new passport after applying for an eTA, you must apply for a new eTA with your new passport.

You should travel with your old passport if it contains either

• your expired Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa)
• your valid U.S. nonimmigrant visa

Rules and recommendations for common travel scenarios