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Canada · Entry rules

Who needs a visa for Canada?

Entry rules for Canada by nationality, for short tourist or business visits, from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), checked .

In brief

Citizens of 1 countries and territories can visit Canada without a visa, most for up to 180 days. 53 can apply for an eVisa or ETA online. Everyone else, 144 nationalities, needs a visa.

Canada visa fee: The visitor visa fee is CAN$100.00 per person, the same for single and multiple entry; IRCC decides which visa to give. ≈ USD 71 or EUR 64 at the ECB rate of . Official fee. Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, checked .

Canada visa processing time: IRCC processes most visitor visa applications in a few weeks or less; times depend on the visa office and on extra steps such as an interview, a medical exam or a police certificate. Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, checked , read from an archived copy of 30 Sep 2026.

Canada eTA fee: An eTA costs CAD 7, and you can apply and pay for only one person at a time. ≈ USD 4.98 or EUR 4.46 at the ECB rate of . Official fee. Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, checked , read from an archived copy of 24 Oct 2026.

Canada eTA processing time: Most applicants get their eTA approval by email within minutes, but some requests take several days if supporting documents are requested. Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, checked , read from an archived copy of 24 Oct 2026.

Visa-free
1
On arrival
0
eVisa or ETA
53
Visa required
144

About 6.9 bn people (86% of the world's other nationalities by population) need a visa arranged before they travel to Canada: a visa, an eVisa or a visa only with another permit.

Checked 4 Nov 2026Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship CanadaReport a change

Most commonIndiaUnited StatesUnited KingdomPhilippinesUnited Arab EmiratesHong KongAll passports

Canada entry rules at a glance

GroupStayNationalitiesExamplesSource
Visa-free6 months1United StatesImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
ETA, with conditions6 months48United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Japan, GermanyImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
ETA, with conditions6 months5Romania, Israel, Hong Kong, TaiwanImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Visa requiredNot stated144India, Philippines, China, IndonesiaImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
With another visa or permitNormally up to 6 months15Philippines, Brazil, Mexico, ThailandImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
With another visa or permitNot stated2Indonesia, MalaysiaImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Visa-free for 6 months: the US

1 nationality

No visa is needed for stays of up to 6 months.

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), checked You don’t need a visa or an eTA to travel to Canada if you are one of the following: a US national or permanent resident

ETA for 6 months with conditions: the UK, the UAE, Japan and 45 more

48 nationalities

ETA only when flying in; by land or sea a passport is enough.

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), checked You need an eTA and a valid passport to board your flight to Canada if you’re a citizen of any of the countries or territories listed below. You don’t need a visitor visa.

ETA for 6 months with conditions: Romania, Israel, Hong Kong and 2 more

5 nationalities

ETA only when flying in; only with a Hong Kong SAR passport, a national Israeli passport, a Romanian electronic passport, a Taiwan ordinary passport with the personal ID number, or a Holy See passport or travel document.

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), checked You need an eTA and a valid passport to board your flight to Canada if you’re a citizen of any of the countries or territories listed below. You don’t need a visitor visa.

Visa required: India, the Philippines, China and 141 more

144 nationalities

Apply for a visa before you travel.

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), checked If you’re a citizen of any of the countries or territories listed below, you need a valid visitor visa and a valid passport to visit or transit through Canada.

With another visa or a residence permit, normally up to 6 months: the Philippines, Brazil, Mexico and 12 more

15 nationalities

ETA instead of a visa, only when flying in, if you held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years or now hold a valid US nonimmigrant visa.

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), checked You’ve held a Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa) in the past 10 years or you currently hold a valid United States (US) nonimmigrant visa (NIV).

With another visa or a residence permit: Indonesia and Malaysia

2 nationalities

ETA instead of a visa, only when flying in, if you held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years or now hold a valid US nonimmigrant visa (from 26 May 2026).

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), checked Canada has partially lifted the visa requirement on Indonesia and Malaysia, adding them to the list of eligible visa-required countries under the Electronic Travel Authorization Expansion (eTA-X) program.

Where to apply

Apply for the ETA only on the official site, canada.ca. Look-alike sites charge extra for the same form. A visa is applied for at an embassy or consulate of Canada, or the visa centre it names, in the country where you live.

These rules cover ordinary passports and short visits; work, study and transit have their own rules. Our guides: Canada eTA: who needs one and how to apply, Canada visitor visa: who needs one and how to apply, Canada visa for US green card holders, Canada transit visa: who needs one.

Most searched passports

FAQ

Do I need a visa to visit Canada?

It depends on your passport: 1 nationalities are visa-free, 53 can use an eVisa or ETA and 144 need a visa. Choose your passport above.

Do Indian citizens need a visa for Canada?

Yes. Indian citizens need a visa before they travel to Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), checked 4 Nov 2026).

Do US citizens need a visa for Canada?

No, not for a short stay. US citizens can visit Canada visa-free for up to 6 months (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), checked 4 Nov 2026).

Can I apply for a Canada visa online?

Yes, if you are eligible: 53 nationalities can apply online for an eVisa or ETA. Apply only at canada.ca.

Sources and changes

  1. Entry requirements by country (IRCC)canada.ca · checked 4 Nov 2026
  2. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)canada.ca · checked 4 Nov 2026
  3. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)canada.ca · checked 4 Nov 2026
  4. Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227 (Justice Laws, Government of Canada)laws-lois.justice.gc.ca · checked 4 Nov 2026
  5. Apply for an eTA (IRCC)canada.ca · checked 4 Nov 2026
  6. Visitor visa (IRCC)canada.ca · checked 4 Nov 2026
  1. All groups checked against Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). No change since.

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