Some foreign nationals do not need Visa to travel to Canada. All foreign nationals who are visa-exempt for travelling to Canada, need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)  to enter Canada. An eTa is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If an applicant submits an application for a new passport at his home country and gets issued the same, then the applicant must get a new eTa. eTa allows foreign nationals to stay in Canada for up to six months at a time.

Which Foreign Nationals are visa-exempt to travel to Canada?

Following travellers need an eTA to board their flight to enter Canada. But, an eTA is not needed by these travellers, if they are entering by land or sea – for instance driving from the U.S. or coming by bus, train, or boat, including cruise ship.

• Andorra
• Australia
• Austria
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belgium
• British citizen
• British National (Overseas)
• British overseas citizen (re-admissible to the United Kingdom)
• British overseas territory citizen with citizenship through birth, descent, naturalization or registration in one of the British overseas territories of:
  • Anguilla
  • Bermuda
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
  • Gibraltar
  • Montserrat
  • Pitcairn Island
  • Saint Helena
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
• British Subject with a right of abode in the United Kingdom
• Brunei Darussalam
• Bulgaria
• Chile
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, must have a passport issued by Hong Kong SAR.
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Israel, must have a national Israeli passport
• Italy
• Japan
• Republic of Korea
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Mexico
• Monaco
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Papua New Guinea
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania (electronic passport holders only)
• Samoa
• San Marino
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan, must have an ordinary passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes the personal identification number
• United Arab Emirates
• United States, lawful permanent resident of
• Vatican City State, must have a passport or travel document issued by the Vatican.

Which travellers are exempt from eTa while travelling to Canada?

Following travellers are exempt from eTa while travelling to Canada:

• Individuals already having a valid visa to enter Canada.
• Armed forces personnel who are visiting Canada on official purposes.
• Individuals having valid student permit.
• Flight crew, civil aviation inspectors, accident investigators.
• Individuals having a valid Work permit which authorizes them to work in Canada.
• French citizens who live in and are travelling from St. Pierre and Miquelon.
• Persons entering from the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon, who already have a valid status in Canada.
• Canadian Permanent residents having PR card or PRTD document.
• Canadian citizens and dual citizens having valid Canadian passport.
• USA citizens