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
- 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 (US) nonimmigrant visa
- Your US 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 temporary stay (normally for 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.
We recommend that you also bring your old passport if it contains either
- your expired Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa)
- your valid US nonimmigrant visa
- Your visa must be valid when you apply for your eTA, but not necessarily when you travel to Canada.
Rules and recommendations for common travel scenarios
| How you are travelling to Canada | What travel document you will need |
|---|---|
| Flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport, and you are eligible to apply for an eTA | You can apply for either an eTA or visa. |
| Flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport, but you are not eligible for an eTA | You need a visa. |
| Flying to Canada with your family, and you are eligible to apply for an eTA but family members are not | You can apply for an eTA or visa. Your family members need a visa. |
| Driving to Canada from the US, or arriving by bus, train or boat, including a cruise ship stopover (even if you don’t plan to leave the ship) | You need a visa. |
| Departing from and returning to Canada on a boat, including a cruise ship, that travels outside Canada | You need a visa. |
| Travelling between Canada and the US via any combination of plane, train, car, bus or boat | Your best option is to apply for a visa, as it provides the most flexibility. If you’re already in Canada, you can travel directly to the US or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon then return directly to Canada by air, car, bus, train or boat without a visitor visa, as long as you return during your period of authorized stay in Canada. If you leave either of those countries before you return to Canada (including travelling into international waters by boat), you need
|
| Planning to fly to Canada and you already have a valid Canadian visa | You can travel with that visa until it expires. |
| Flying to Canada to work or study for more than 6 months. | You need to apply for a work or study permit. When your permit is approved, you will be given a temporary resident visa, which will allow you to board your flight to Canada. |
| Flying back to Canada to work or study after renewing your work or study permit. | You can continue to use your visa if it’s still valid. If your visa expired, you will be given an eTA when renewing your permit. You must apply for a new visa if you travel to Canada by car, bus, train or boat. |
| Most people need a visa or an eTA to travel to Canada - not both. Find out what you need to travel to Canada. | |
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