Find out if you need a visa to travel to Canada

Most foreign nationals (US Citizens Excluded) will also require either a VISA or an eTA. All visitors must have valid travel document and identification to enter Canada, passports are required. Travelers requiring a VISA should contact their meeting organizer to obtain a VISA Letter of Invitation to provide with their VISA Application. There is also a biometric requirement for persons coming from a country that requires a visa.

Requirements may vary depending on the country you’re travelling from — or transiting through. You may need a visitor visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization. The entry document you need depends on:

• the type of travel document you plan to travel with
• the country that issued your travel document
• your nationality
• your method of travel to Canada for this trip

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT IF YOU NEED A VISA OR AN eTA

If you require a VISA, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the information below before submitting an application to IRCC. Info Letter – IRCC Secure Network English & French

Visa-required foreign nationals must submit fingerprints and a photo (biometrics) to acquire their visa for travel to Canada.

The biometric must be collected at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) overseas, and as it forms part of the visa application, it must be provided before a visa application can be decided upon. The biometric must be given in person at any of the 139 VACs in 53 countries around the globe. The biometric cannot be collected at the airport overseas, OR upon arrival OR in Canada.

Visa Processing Times – Do not Delay, it could take 5+ months
If you require a visa to travel to Canada, you must verify visa processing times for your region and apply for your visa accordingly. Please note processing times for visa applications posted online are historical, meaning they’re measured based on how long it took to process 80% of applications in the past 6 – 8 weeks. As a result, processing times may be different than those posted online at the time of application submission. Participants are strongly encouraged to apply as early as possible ahead of their departure date in order to allow sufficient time for their application to be processed and if approved, subsequent visa issuance in their passport.  Make sure to include enough time if you need to travel to a visa application center for biometrics.