If you are not a Canadian citizen, find out what documents you need to enter Canada. Then discover the places you can visit while you are here.
To limit the further spread of COVID-19 in Canada, border restrictions are in place for all travellers entering Canada. Visit COVID-19: Travel, testing and borders to find out if you can enter Canada.
Use a passport for international travel. It is the only reliable and universally accepted travel and identification document.
Permanent residents of Canada should have their Permanent Resident Card with them when they travel to Canada by public transit (plane, train, bus or boat) or when they transit through a Canadian airport.
Citizens of the United States need a valid U.S. passport to fly to or transit through a Canadian airport.
Citizens of the United States coming to Canada by car, bus, train or boat need to carry proper identification and meet the basic requirements to enter Canada.
Citizens of the United States who are also Canadian citizens should bring a valid Canadian passport and a valid U.S. passport or travel document to board a flight from the Unites States to Canada. Carrying both documents may help simplify both your entry into Canada and your return to the United States.
Permanent residents of the United States need a valid Alien Registration Card and a passport to enter Canada.
Dual Canadian citizens need a valid Canadian passport to board a flight to, or transit through, Canada by air.
If your other country of citizenship needs you to enter and exit that country using a passport issued by its government, you will still need a valid Canadian passport to board your flight to Canada. Make sure you carry both passports when you travel.
Most non-Canadians need either a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada, but not both. Some people may only need their valid passport.
Find out if you need a visa or an eTA to enter Canada
You may need to get a visa before arriving in Canada. Visas are issued by Canadian government offices abroad. Not all of these offices have visa officers, but those that do not will direct you to the nearest visa office.
If you don’t need a visa to travel to Canada, you will likely need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to, or transit through, a Canadian airport.
Find out about Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
If you are planning to visit Canada, Destination Canada provides information about planning a trip, from booking resources to getting around while you are here. It also has information on where to go and what to see and do, so you can make the most of your stay.
To apply for a Canadian passport, you must be 16 years of age or older. You must submit an application to Passport Canada (part of Citizenship and Immigration Canada) along with the following:
For more information on how to apply for a Canadian passport, visit Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Canadian citizens aged 15 years old and younger:
Enhanced Driver’s Licenses or Enhanced Identification Cards (known as EDLs) are documents that can be used instead of a passport for purposes of cross-border travel into the USA at land and water ports of entry.
The EDL program is in the process of being phased out in the following provinces where they were originally offered:
NEXUS membership is available to any law-abiding citizen or permanent resident of the United States or Canada. The program allows pre-screened, low risk travellers to more easily enter the USA and Canada. Travellers interested in participating in NEXUS must complete the application through the Global Online Enrollment System Website (GOES).
Nexus card holders will be processed with little or no delay by USA and Canadian officials at:
The Free and Secure Trade Program (FAST) is only available for commercial truck drivers. A FAST pass is available to Canadian and USA citizens with commercial driving licenses. A FAST membership card acts as proof of identity and citizenship when entering Canada in all highway lanes, including regular, non-dedicated lanes, as well as by water.
The Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) is a program that gives pre-screened, low-risk, pre-approved travellers expedited clearance through designated vehicle traffic lanes along the Southern land border ports (Mexican border). Applicants must undergo an extensive background and criminal record check, as well as an in-person interview.
Whether a permanent resident of Canada requires a visa to visit the USA depends on their country of citizenship and if they have the appropriate travel documents. The Visa Waiver Program (VWP), administered by the Department of Homeland Security, permits citizens of 38 countries to travel to the USA for business (limited activities) or as tourists for stays of up-to 90 days without a visa.
To be exempt from obtaining a visitor visa, the person must: