List of countries that need a visa for Canada, those who need eTA and those that are exempt from visa requirements.
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A Canada visa is a passport stamp issued by a Canadian Consulate or Embassy in a foreign country which allows the passport holder to enter Canada. Depending on the type of visa, this stamp could be used to stay in Canada temporarily or move there permanently.
Most people will need a visa which grants them entry, although there are nationals of countries which will only need a travel authorization, or they are completely exempt and can enter freely with their passports without needing a visa.
This article will go through the details and answer the question of who needs a visa to go to Canada.
What Determines if You Need a Visa for Canada?
In terms of the travel document, it is best to travel to Canada with a passport, and depending on the country that issued it, you can decide how to travel. The sections below will cover the countries which need a Canadian visa, those that only need a travel authorization, and the groups of people who are visa exempt.
Which countries need a Canada visa?
There are around 148 countries which need a visa to enter Canada. The nationals of these countries will have to go through the process of applying for a visa depending on their reason for wanting to visit the country. They can get different types of visas such as those for visiting, studying, working, or even immigrating. The countries in the drop-down list below will need Canadian visas to enter the country.
Which Countries Need a Canada eTA?
Some countries have more freedom of movement around the world and so they might not need a visa to enter Canada. They will however need a travel authorization.
With the development of technology, Canada has developed this system electronically. This means that the applicants will only need to enter their personal information and the system will evaluate whether they are allowed to go to Canada based on data it gets across different databases.
The nationals of these countries will only need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) if they are going to Canada by airplane. If they are not flying to Canada but will enter by land or sea, then they do not need an eTA so they can enter with only their passports.
The following countries fall into the group that needs an eTA to enter Canada by air.
Which Countries Do Not Need a Visa for Canada?
Finally, besides countries who need a visa and those that need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), there are instances when some people might not need either one.
How to Check Whether You Need a Visa for Canada?
Besides going through the country list and looking through the requirements, another way you can answer your question of do I need a visa to visit Canada is by using the Canadian Government immigration portal.
The officials have created a short questionnaire where you will answer a few questions and it will determine if you need a visa for Canada or not. You can find the questionnaire in this website.