Visa requirements for
Canadian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Canada.
As of 2024, Canadian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 188 countries and territories, ranking the
Canadian passport 7th in the world according to the
Henley Passport Index.[1]
Visa requirements map
Visa requirements
The following table indicates the entry requirements and duration of stay for a given country, along with any notes that may be relevant for that given country.
30 day visa free access available to travellers that arrive and depart via
Minsk International Airport and are not arriving from or planning to depart to a
Russian Federation airport.[26] Otherwise a visa is required. Visas can be issued on arrival at the
Minsk International Airport if the support documents are submitted at least 3 business days before arrival.[27]
The Canadian government advises its citizens not to visit Burkina Faso due to the threat posed by terrorism, kidnapping and the instability of the political situation.[46]
From December 2021, passengers of all countries that previously required a visa can now obtain visas on arrival at
Bujumbura International Airport and all land borders.[48]
72-hour visit without a visa when in transit at Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Guilin, Harbin, Kunming, Qingdao, Wuhan, Xi'an and Xiamen.
144-hour visit without a visa when in transit through Beijing Capital International Airport, Dalian, Hangzhou, Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport in Hebei, Nanjing, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Shanghai Railway Station and the Port of Shanghai; Shenyang and Tianjin Binhai International Airport
Tourist card is generally included in airfare, with most Canadians unaware that they need a tourist visa for Cuba due to the tourist card being handed out on flights, but it can also be purchased from the airline transporting the passenger into Cuba and must be obtained before taking a flight that will land in Cuba.
Tourist card is valid up to 90 days stay for Canadian citizens.
May enter on an ID card if not departing from the United States.
Beginning on 1 December 2020, all travellers to Grenada will be required to complete an online application in order to receive a Pure Safe Travel Authorization Certificate to enter Grenada.[111]
The Canadian government advises its citizens not to visit Haiti due to the threat posed by kidnappings, gang violence and the potential for civil unrest.[118]
Canadians who are or have been Pakistani nationals or have had ancestors who are or have been Pakistani nationals are required to follow a stringent and longer procedure.[125]
Canadian citizens who want to travel to Iran, need to do so with a fully organized tour. Applying for an Iranian visa without booking a complete tour from a local travel agency will result in getting rejected by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Tourists for Kish Island do not require a visa for a total of 14 days.[129][circular reference]
The Canadian government advises its citizens not to visit Iran due to the volatile security situation, the regional threat of terrorism and the possibility of arbitrary detention[130]
Visa can be obtained upon arrival, it will cost a total of 40 JOD, obtainable at most international ports of entry and land border crossings. (except
King Hussein/Allenby Bridge)
The Canadian government advises its citizens not to visit North Korea due to the uncertain security situation caused by its
nuclear weapons development program and highly repressive regime.[149]
Extendable for 2 additional months; granted free of charge at
Beirut International Airport or any other port of entry if there is no Israeli visa or seal, holding a telephone number, an address in Lebanon, and a non-refundable return or circle trip ticket.
The Canadian government advises its citizens not to visit Libya due to persistent insecurity, including
sustained armed conflict, a high risk of terrorist attacks, an unpredictable political situation and a high crime rate.[168]
Holders of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa may be granted a New Zealand Resident Visa on arrival permitting indefinite stay (pursuant to the
Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement), subject to meeting character requirements and obtaining an Electronic Travel Authority prior to departure.[204] Such travelers are not required to pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy.[203]
3 months within any 6-month period, regardless of previous time spent in other
Schengen countries, but including time spent in other Nordic countries.[213][214]
Cruise ship passengers cruising in and out of a Russian port within 72 hours, who spend each night on board, and who only leave the ship on tours organized by the cruise company, do not require a tourist visa.[235]
The Canadian government advises its citizens not to visit Russia due to the
Russo-Ukrainian War.[236]
The Canadian government advises its citizens not to visit Somalia due to the extremely volatile security situation and high threat of domestic terrorism.[257]
Printed visa authorization must be presented at the time of travel.
The Canadian government advises its citizens not to visit South Sudan due to armed conflicts, inter-ethnic violence and high levels of violent crime.[261]
The Canadian government advises its citizens not to visit Syria due to the
ongoing armed conflict, terrorism, criminality, arbitrary detention, torture and forced disappearance.[278]
ESTA exempt. Canada passport holders do not have to get a ESTA.[308]
6 month stay rather than typical 90 day VWP stay.
Most non immigrant statuses can be applied for on arrival at a port of entry.
Canada is not a Visa Waiver Program country, the permission to travel is from US immigration law.[309][310]
Canadian Passport required and must be valid for the period of intended stay.[307]
Canadian Passport exemptions only for nationals of Canada with a NEXUS card embarking in Canada or USA.[307] For frequent travellers there is
NEXUS card program designed to let pre-approved, low-risk travellers cross the
Canada–United States border quickly.[311]
The Canadian government advises its citizens not to visit Venezuela due to the significant level of violent crime, the unstable political and economic situations and the decline in basic living conditions.[318]
Eritrea (outside
Asmara) — visa covers
Asmara only; to travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20
Eritrean nakfa).[327]
Mayotte — Visa not required for 90 days with a 180-day period.
Réunion — Visa not required for 90 days within a 180-day period.
North Korea outside
Pyongyang - People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent moving)
Abkhazia — Visa required.[357] Visa on arrival available if arriving from Russian border only by train or car and must possess a multi entry Russian visa to be eligible and must exit via Russian border only.
Mount Athos — Special permit required (4 days:
EUR 25 for
Orthodox visitors, EUR 35 for non-Orthodox visitors, EUR 18 for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100
Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.[358][359]
Jan Mayen — permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[365] and permit issued by the
Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[366]
Canada has diplomatic and consular offices (including
honorary consuls) in over 270 locations in approximately 180 foreign countries. In some countries Canadians may receive consular assistance from Australian missions under the
Canada–Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement. On the last page of a standard Canadian passport, under "Reach Us", it states "In case of an emergency you can reach us by: contacting the nearest Canadian government office (in countries where there is no Canadian office, you should contact the nearest British or Australian office...)".
Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.[405] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being valid or available.
Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.[408][409]
Passport validity length
Very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a valid passport on arrival.
However many countries and groupings now require only an identity card – especially from their neighbours. Other countries may have special bilateral arrangements that depart from the generality of their passport validity length policies to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens[410][411] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).[412]
Some countries, such as Japan,[413] Ireland and the United Kingdom,[414] require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.
In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain,[415] Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,[416] Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru,[417] Philippines,[418] Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.[419]
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.
Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honduras, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand.
Similarly, the
EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all
European Union countries (except Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.
Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.
Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.
Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives[420] and South Africa.
Criminal record
Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,[421] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a
criminal record while others impose restrictions
depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.
Persona non grata
The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning entry into that country. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.[422]
Israeli stamps
Kuwait,[423] Lebanon,[424] Libya,[425] Syria,[426] and Yemen[427] do not allow entry to people with
passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.
To circumvent this
Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at
Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017[update]) stamped at
Erez when passing into and out of
Gaza.[citation needed]
Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.
Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be
fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to change planes rather than go
landside.[428]
Fingerprinting countries/regions include Afghanistan,[429][430] Argentina,[431] Brunei, Cambodia,[432] China,[433] Ethiopia,[434] Ghana, Guinea,[435] India, Japan,[436][437] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),[438] Malaysia upon entry and departure,[439] Mongolia, Saudi Arabia,[440] Singapore, South Korea,[441] Taiwan, Thailand,[442] Uganda,[443] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement
exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by domestic legislation),[444][445][446] intends to implement
facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.[447]
Together with fingerprint and face recognition,
iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in
e-passports[448] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.[449][450] The United States
Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to greatly increase the biometric data it collects at US borders.[451] In 2018, Singapore began trials of iris scanning at three land and maritime immigration checkpoints.[452][453]
Canadian citizens were made eligible for eVisas by
India (1 May 2015),[466]Brazil (25 January 2018, visa free since 17 June 2019)[467] and
Angola (30 March 2018).[468]
^Total number includes tourists, business travelers, students, exchange visitors, temporary workers and families, diplomats and other representatives and all other classes of nonimmigrant admissions (I-94).
^"eGate". customs.govt.nz. New Zealand Customs Service. Archived from
the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
^
ab"Paying the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy". immigration.govt.nz. Immigration New Zealand. Retrieved 1 February 2021. Many tourists, people on working holidays, and some students and workers coming to New Zealand must pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) of NZD $35.
^"Information about: Australian Resident Visa". immigration.govt.nz. Immigration New Zealand. Retrieved 21 May 2020. Australian citizens and permanent residents can visit, work and live in New Zealand. You do not need a visa before you travel to New Zealand.
^Agency, Government of Canada, Canada Border Services.
"NEXUS - Eligibility". www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca. Archived from
the original on 25 December 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2017.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)
^Division, c=AU;o=Commonwealth of Australia;ou=Department of the Environment and Energy;ou=Australian Antarctic.
"Frequently asked questions". www.heardisland.aq. Retrieved 29 June 2017.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)
^Baker, Vicky (20 June 2013).
"Passport expiry dates and blank pages: what are the rules?". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2024. The number of remaining blank pages a passport should have is also an issue. Some travellers have reported arriving with one or less than one full page left and waiting for hours at immigration, until an official reluctantly grants them entry. The FCO lists no hard and fast rules because, in many cases, there aren't any.
^"Yellow Fever". Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). African Union. Retrieved 23 August 2021. African countries that requires (sic) Yellow Fever vaccination certificate: Countries that require vaccination for all travellers older that 9 months or 1 year: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameron, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte d'lvoire, DRC, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Niger, Togo.
^"Fièvre jaune" (in French). 2 September 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
^"Yellow Fever". Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). African Union. Retrieved 23 August 2021. African countries that requires Yellow Fever vaccination certificate: Countries that requires (sic) vaccination for travellers from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission or transit for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
^"Visitor Visa". travel.state.gov. US Department of State. Retrieved 13 January 2024. Passport valid for travel to the United States – Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements). Each individual who needs a visa must submit a separate application, including any family members listed in your passport.
^"Countries whose citizens are allowed to enter Turkey with their expired passports". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Republic of Turkey. Archived from
the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2018. Countries whose citizens are allowed to enter Turkey with their expired passports: 1. Germany – Passports expired within the last year / ID's expired within the last year, 2. Belgium - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 3. France - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 4. Spain - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 5. Switzerland - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 6. Luxemburg - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 7. Portugal - Passports expired within the last 5 years, 8. Bulgaria – Valid ordinary passport
^"Frequently Asked Questions". Embassy of Japan in Malaysia. Retrieved 13 January 2024. Q: Do I need at least 6 months passport validity in order to enter Japan? A: Japan does not have any regulations relating to passport validity, so long as your passport will be valid until after you leave Japan.
^"Entering the UK". Gov.UK. Retrieved 17 March 2021. You're not from an EEA country: you must have a valid passport to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.
^Calder, Simon (24 April 2017). "Airline lobbying for a relaxation of draconian rules for London-Auckland travellers". The Independent.
Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Travellers heading west from the UK to New Zealand may soon be able to avoid the onerous requirement to clear US border control during the refuelling stop at Los Angeles airport (LAX). Unlike almost every other country in the world, the US insists on a full immigration check even for passengers who simply intend to re-board their plane to continue onwards to a foreign destination. Air New Zealand, which flies daily from Heathrow via Los Angeles to Auckland, says there are currently "strict requirements for travellers" in transit at LAX. Through passengers to Auckland on flight NZ1 or Heathrow on NZ2 must apply in advance for an ESTA (online visa) even though they have no intention of staying in the US. They also have to undergo screening by the Transportation Security Administration.
^"China to Start Fingerprinting Foreign Visitors". Air Canada. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Effective April 27, 2018, border control authorities at all of China's ports of entry, including its airports, will start collecting the fingerprints of all foreign visitors aged between 14 and 70. Diplomatic passport holders and beneficiaries of reciprocal agreements are exempted..
^"Immigration & Visas FAQs". Kenya Airports Authority. Retrieved 6 May 2019. Will visitors still have their digital photo and fingerprints taken at the immigration desk on arrival? Yes, the need to have photos and fingerprints taken upon arrival is to authenticate that the person who applied for the Visa is the same person at the port of entry
^"Malaysia". CountryReports. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
^Brown, Theresa Cardinal (9 May 2016).
"Biometric Entry-Exit Update: CBP Developing Land Border Process". Bipartisan Policy Center. Retrieved 25 April 2019. While a requirement for a biometric entry-exit system has been in law for over a decade, it is not yet a reality. Many reasons for the long gestating development have been documented in BPC's 2014 report Entry-Exit System: Progress, Challenges, and Outlook, including the technological, operational, and cost challenges of creating exit systems and infrastructure where none exist today. However, many critics, especially in Congress, simply accused the Department of Homeland security of dragging its feet... the major operational, logistical, and technical challenge in implementing exit capability at our ports has been the land borders. Unlike airports and seaports, the land border environment is not physically controlled, there is no means to get advance information on who is arriving, and the sheer volume of travel—both vehicular and pedestrian—creates challenges in any system to not further exacerbate delays. While biometric exit for land vehicular traffic is still in the "what if" stage, CBP is moving ahead and piloting systems and technology to use with the large population of pedestrian crossers at the U.S.-Mexico border.
^Lipton, Eric (21 May 2013).
"U.S. Quietly Monitors Foreigners' Departures at the Canadian Border". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019. Long demanded by lawmakers in Congress, it is considered a critical step to developing a coherent program to curb illegal immigration, as historically about 30 percent to 40 percent of illegal immigrants in the United States arrived on tourist visas or other legal means and then never left, according to estimates by Homeland Security officials.
^Lipton, Eric (15 December 2006).
"Administration to Drop Effort to Track if Visitors Leave". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019. Efforts to determine whether visitors actually leave have faltered. Departure monitoring would help officials hunt for foreigners who have not left, if necessary. Domestic security officials say, however, it would be too expensive to conduct fingerprint or facial recognition scans for land departures.
^"Iris Scanner Could Replace Emirates ID In UAE". SimplyDXB. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2018. The breach of privacy is probably the biggest threat to the biometric technique of iris recognition. Secondly, a device error can false reject or false accept the identity which can also have some heinous consequences. Lastly, the method isn't the most cost-effective one. It is complex and therefore expensive. Furthermore, the maintenance of devices and data can also be relatively burdensome. However, thanks to the oil money and spending ability of Dubai, they are economically equipped to effectively embrace this system.
^Roberts, Jeff John (12 September 2016).
"Homeland Security Plans to Expand Fingerprint and Eye Scanning at Borders". Fortune. Fortune Media IP Limited. Retrieved 24 April 2019. Unlike with documents, it's very hard for a traveler to present a forged copy of a fingerprint or iris. That's why the U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to vastly expand the amount of biometric data it collects at the borders. According to Passcode, a new program will ramp up a process to scan fingers and eyes in order to stop people entering and exiting the country on someone else's passport.
^"Singapore tests eye scans at immigration checkpoints". Reuters. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2019. Singapore has started scanning travellers' eyes at some of its border checkpoints, its immigration authority said on Monday, in a trial of expensive technology that could one day replace fingerprint verification.
1British Overseas Territories.
2 These countries span the conventional boundary between Europe and Asia.
3 Partially recognized.
4Unincorporated territory of the United States.
5 Part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
6Egypt spans the boundary between Africa and Asia.