Canada Entry Requirements 2026: Visa, eTA or Passport Only
What each nationality actually needs to enter Canada — and why US citizens need less than almost everyone assumes
Last updated: October 26, 2026. Canada divides the world into three groups, and which one you are in decides the document you need before you travel: a passport only, a passport plus an eTA, or a passport plus a visitor visa. Getting the group wrong is expensive in both directions — people buy visas they did not need, and people turn up at the airport without an authorisation they did.
Which Group Are You In?
Three documents, three different groups. Find your nationality in the table, then read the section below it — the details matter more than the label.
| Who you are | Document needed | Cost | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|
| US citizen | Valid US passport only — no visa, no eTA | None | Duration of the visit |
| US lawful permanent resident | Passport plus green card — exempt from eTA since 26 April 2022 | None | Duration of the visit |
| UK citizen | eTA when arriving by air | CAD 7 | Up to 5 years |
| EU and wider Europe | eTA when arriving by air | CAD 7 | Up to 5 years |
| Australian citizen | eTA when arriving by air | CAD 7 | Up to 5 years |
| New Zealand citizen | eTA when arriving by air | CAD 7 | Up to 5 years |
| Irish citizen | eTA when arriving by air | CAD 7 | Up to 5 years |
| Nationalities outside the visa-exempt list | Visitor visa (temporary resident visa) | Higher, plus biometrics | Set on approval |
The stay limit is separate from the document. Most visitors are admitted for up to six months, and the officer at the port of entry sets the actual period. A five-year eTA authorises travel; it does not give you five years in the country.
US Citizens
US citizens are the outlier in this system: they need neither a visa nor an eTA. A valid US passport is the document, and it works whether you fly, drive or sail into Canada. That is not a recent concession — the eTA requirement was designed for visa-exempt nationals who are not American, and US citizens were carved out of it.
This is where most of the confusion on the internet comes from. A British or German traveller does need to apply for something before boarding, so guides written for that audience describe an authorisation step. US citizens reading the same advice often buy an eTA they do not need. If a site asks you to pay for an eTA and you hold a US passport, close the tab.
US green card holders
Lawful permanent residents of the United States are also exempt, as of 26 April 2022. Travel with your valid passport and your permanent resident card, and expect to show both. The exemption is for US permanent residents specifically — it does not extend to holders of other US visas, whose position depends on their nationality.
What US citizens should still carry
No authorisation does not mean no evidence. Officers can ask about the purpose and length of your visit, and about your ability to support yourself. For a business trip, a letter from your employer helps. For a family visit, an invitation is useful. And if you have ever been refused entry to Canada or another country, that history exists in the system whether or not you mention it.
UK Citizens
UK citizens do not need a visa for a visit of up to six months, but they do need an eTA when arriving by air. The eTA is applied for online at a cost of CAD 7, is linked electronically to the passport you applied with, and lasts up to five years or until that passport expires — whichever comes first.
Most applications are approved within minutes, but official guidance is to apply at least 72 hours before departure, because a small proportion are referred for manual review. Airlines check the authorisation at check-in, so an unapproved eTA means denied boarding rather than a conversation at the border.
Two practical points catch people out. First, the eTA is tied to one passport: renew the passport and you need a new eTA, even if the old one has years left. Second, the eTA is not needed for land or sea arrivals from the United States, which matters if you are driving across the border on a longer North American trip.
EU and European Citizens
Citizens of EU member states are visa-exempt for visits of up to six months and need an eTA when flying in. That covers France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Poland and the rest of the bloc, along with a wider European list that includes Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the microstates.
Nothing about the EU's own travel schemes changes this. ETIAS is a European authorisation for entering Europe, not for entering Canada, and EES is the EU's border recording system. A European traveller needs an eTA for Canada on exactly the same terms as before either of those systems existed, and the two requirements do not interact.
One nuance worth knowing: a European who holds a second passport should travel on the passport the eTA is linked to. Arriving with a different document means the authorisation does not match, and the airline cannot board you.
Australian and New Zealand Citizens
Australian and New Zealand citizens are both visa-exempt for up to six months and both need an eTA when arriving by air. The application is the same online form and the same CAD 7 fee; there is no separate Australian or New Zealand scheme.
The same passport-linkage rule applies. Note also that the eTA is an air-travel authorisation: an Australian driving into Canada from the United States does not need one, though they should carry their passport and be ready to answer the same questions about purpose and funds.
Irish Citizens
Irish citizens are visa-exempt and need an eTA when flying to Canada, on the same terms as UK citizens. Ireland's position outside the Schengen area is irrelevant to Canada, and so is the Common Travel Area arrangement with the UK — Canada treats Ireland as its own visa-exempt country and requires the authorisation independently.
A common mix-up: Irish citizens travelling to the UK need nothing extra, because of the Common Travel Area, and assume the same applies to Canada. It does not. Flying to Canada from Dublin requires an eTA just as flying from London does.
Arriving by Land from the United States
The eTA is an air-travel requirement, and this is the most misunderstood rule in the whole system. Crossing into Canada by land or sea does not require one, including at the busy land crossings from the United States.
What you do need depends on your nationality. US citizens can present a US passport, and under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative specific alternatives are accepted at land crossings, including a US passport card or an enhanced driving licence from a participating state. Everyone else should carry a passport, and visa-exempt nationals should be prepared to show they have the means to return.
| Mode of arrival | eTA required? | Document |
|---|---|---|
| Air (commercial flight) | Yes for visa-exempt nationals | Passport plus approved eTA |
| Land border from the US | No | Passport, or a WHTI-compliant alternative for US citizens |
| Sea (cruise or private vessel) | No | Passport |
If you fly into the United States and then drive into Canada, the eTA question does not arise at the Canadian border — but the US leg has its own requirements, which are covered in our ESTA validity checker and the ETA versus visa comparison.
Criminal Records and Admissibility
Admissibility is assessed separately from the document question, and no eTA or visa approval overrides it. A criminal record can make you inadmissible to Canada regardless of nationality, and the officer at the border can refuse entry even where an authorisation was granted.
How much it matters depends on the offence, the sentence and how long ago it happened. The usual routes are:
- Deemed rehabilitation — for a single conviction where enough time has passed and the offence meets the criteria, you may be treated as rehabilitated without an application.
- Individual rehabilitation — a formal application for people who do not qualify automatically, with a fee and a decision that can take many months.
- Temporary resident permit — a time-limited permission to enter for a specific purpose, considered case by case.
The practical advice is to resolve the admissibility question before booking anything. An eTA or visa application that fails on admissibility grounds produces a refusal on record, which is harder to explain on the next attempt than a clean, pre-empted application would have been.
When You Need a Visitor Visa
If your nationality is not on Canada's visa-exempt list, you need a visitor visa — the temporary resident visa — and an eTA is not available to you at any price. The two are mutually exclusive: the eTA exists only because visa-exempt travellers would otherwise need nothing at all.
The visitor visa costs considerably more than CAD 7, requires biometrics, and involves a full application package covering purpose, funds, ties and travel history. Processing takes weeks rather than minutes. Our Canada processing time guide covers the current timelines, and the proof of funds guide covers the financial evidence that decides most of these applications.
Before You Book: Four Checks
Start by confirming which group your passport falls into, because every other decision follows from it — and the three groups are not interchangeable at any point.
- Confirm your group. Passport only, passport plus eTA, or passport plus visitor visa. If you are not sure, the IRCC visa-required list is the authoritative check, not a forum post.
- Confirm how you are arriving. Flying means the eTA question applies to visa-exempt nationals; driving or sailing from the United States means it does not.
- Check the passport you will actually travel on. An eTA is tied to one passport, so a renewal before travel means a new application even if the old one has years left.
- Resolve admissibility first. A criminal record or a prior refusal is assessed separately from the document, and it is cheaper to settle it before booking than after a refusal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Canada's entry requirements for US citizens?
No visa and no eTA. US citizens enter Canada on a valid US passport for tourism or business for up to six months, whether arriving by air, land or sea. The eTA applies to visa-exempt nationals who need an authorisation to board a flight, and US citizens are exempt from that requirement, so the passport alone is the document that matters.
Do US citizens need an eTA to fly to Canada?
No. US citizens are exempt from the eTA, so flying to Canada requires a valid US passport rather than an electronic authorisation. The exemption is specific to US citizens; other visa-exempt nationals flying in do need an eTA, which is where most of the confusion comes from.
Do US green card holders need an eTA for Canada?
No, not under the current rule. As of 26 April 2022, lawful permanent residents of the United States are exempt from the eTA requirement. Travel with your valid passport and your permanent resident card, and expect to show both at the border.
What are Canada's entry requirements for UK citizens?
UK citizens do not need a visa for a visit of up to six months, but they do need an eTA when arriving by air. The eTA costs CAD 7, is linked to your passport, and lasts up to five years or until the passport expires. Arriving by land or sea from the United States does not require an eTA.
Do Australian citizens need a visa for Canada?
No. Australian citizens are visa-exempt and can stay up to six months, but they need an eTA if they fly in. The eTA is applied for online, costs CAD 7 and is usually approved within minutes, though it should be arranged at least 72 hours before departure.
What do European and EU citizens need to enter Canada?
EU citizens are visa-exempt for visits of up to six months and need an eTA when arriving by air. That applies to citizens of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal and the other member states, plus nationals of the wider European visa-exempt list.
Do Irish citizens need a visa or an eTA for Canada?
Irish citizens are visa-exempt for visits of up to six months and need an eTA when flying to Canada. Ireland sits outside the Schengen area, which is irrelevant to Canada's rules but often causes confusion, because the two countries run entirely separate immigration systems.
Do I need an eTA if I drive to Canada from the United States?
No. The eTA is an air-travel requirement. Crossing into Canada by land or sea does not require one, including at the land border from the United States. US citizens crossing by land need a valid passport, and the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative accepts specific alternatives such as a passport card or an enhanced driving licence.
Can I enter Canada with a criminal record?
A criminal record can make you inadmissible regardless of your nationality, and it is assessed separately from the visa or eTA question. Depending on the offence and how long ago it was, the options are usually deemed rehabilitation, an application for individual rehabilitation, or a temporary resident permit for a specific trip. Do not assume an approved eTA clears the admissibility question.
When do I need a visitor visa instead of an eTA?
You need a visitor visa (temporary resident visa) if your nationality is not on Canada's visa-exempt list. An eTA is only available to visa-exempt travellers arriving by air, so a national who requires a visa cannot substitute an eTA for one. The visa costs more, takes longer, and involves a full application package.
How long can I stay in Canada as a visitor?
Most visitors are admitted for up to six months, and the officer at the port of entry sets the actual period. The eTA itself is valid for up to five years but that is the authorisation, not the stay: a five-year eTA does not extend the six-month visit limit, and leaving and re-entering does not automatically reset it.
What documents should I carry when entering Canada?
A valid passport, evidence of the purpose and length of your visit, proof you can support yourself, and a return or onward ticket where one is expected. A criminal record, a previous overstay, or an earlier refusal should be disclosed rather than discovered, because misrepresentation carries a much longer ban than the original issue.
How We Fact-Check This Page
The entry-requirement groupings reflect Canada's immigration rules as published by IRCC: US citizens are exempt from both the visa and the eTA; lawful permanent residents of the United States have been exempt from the eTA since 26 April 2022; visa-exempt nationals including UK, EU, Australian, New Zealand and Irish citizens require an eTA for air travel at CAD 7, valid up to five years or until passport expiry; the eTA applies to air arrivals only; and admissibility, including criminal inadmissibility, is assessed separately from the document. Confirm the position for your own nationality on IRCC's site before booking, because the visa-exempt list changes.
Nothing here is legal advice. A criminal record, a prior refusal or a previous overstay changes the analysis, and those cases should be assessed before any application is filed.
Sources
- IRCC — Electronic travel authorization (eTA): eligibility, fee, validity and air-travel scope
- IRCC — Find out if you need a visa: the visa-exempt country list
- IRCC — Overcoming criminal inadmissibility: deemed and individual rehabilitation, temporary resident permits
- US Customs and Border Protection / Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative — accepted documents at land crossings
- IRCC — Visitors: about the process: the six-month admission and port-of-entry decision