Do I Need A Visa To Enter Canada?

Is it possible to enter Canada without a visa? People tend to see Canada as a place of permanent residence, to some a place of study, to others a place to get that perfect job, while some also think of it as a tourist centre.

Anyway, the case may be, Canada is a great place to visit. A lot of people wonder if they can enter Canada without a Visa.

In as much as entering Canada requires some official documents and permits, some people are permitted to enter Canada by default using their country’s passport, while others may only need an Electronic Travel Authorization for Canada.

If you are in the quest to know if you need a visa to enter Canada, then this post will guide you through knowing your status and your requirements to enter Canada.

Confirm If You Need A Visa To Enter Canada?

Some factors influence the need for a visa to enter Canada. These factors include:

• The type of travel document you will use to travel (e.g. passport, national identification card, driver’s license, etc.).
• What country’s travel document it is.
• Where you are from. (Your nationality).
• Your means of travelling to Canada (air, land, or sea).

We recommend that you use your passport as your travel document. We will outline countries that need a Canadian visa to enter Canada, those that need just a travel authorization, and those that do not need a visa at all. You can check where you fit in.

Countries That Need a Canada Visa?

As many as 148 countries out of 195 countries which is the total number of countries in the world need a visa to enter Canada.

Basically, they will have to apply for a visa depending on the reason they wish to enter Canada. The below table shows a list of countries whose nationals need a visa to enter Canada:

Which Countries Need eTA To Enter Canada?

eTA is an acronym for “Electronic Travel Authorization”. If you are in a country that has free access to many countries attached to their passports, you are in luck as you may not need a visa to enter Canada. Instead, you may need an eTA.

All you have to do is get your information, and the electronic system checks for your eligibility to enter Canada without a visa.

Countries in this category only need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) if they are entering Canada by air. If they wish to enter by either land or sea, then they will be required to use their passports only.

See Countries That Fall Under This Category Here.

Which Countries Do Not Need a Visa for Canada?

Countries in this category do not need a visa nor an eTA to enter Canada, they are referred to as visa exempted.

The below groups fall under this category.

• People with valid Canada visa from a previous application;
• People with valid status in Canada but have left Canada to visit either the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon;
• French citizens who live in either Saint Pierre or Miquelon and are flying directly to Canada from Saint Pierre and Miquelon;
• Any person who is going or coming from the United States on a flight which has to stop in Canada to refuel, who have:
  • A valid document that permits their entry into the United States;
  • Already been admitted into the United States lawfully;
• People on a flight that has to make an unscheduled stop in Canada for any reason;
• People transiting through a Canadian airport and are allowed to transit without a visa or people who are part of the China Transit Program;
• People who happen to be flight crews, accident investigators, or civil aviation inspectors who are or will be working in the time of their stay in Canada;
• People who are members of the Armed Forces (excluding civilian components of the armed forces) from any country which is part of the Visiting Forces Act, coming to Canada on official duties and responsibilities;
• Diplomats that have been accredited by the Government of Canada;

What category do you fall under? We wish you luck in your endeavour to enter Canada, whichever category you fall under, entering Canada is a possibility.