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You are going to visit Canada? Did you know that you might need a visa to do so? Whether you need a Canada visa or not depends on different factors.

This article will explain if you need a Canada visa or not, how to make 100% sure that you need it or not.

Who needs and doesn’t need a Canada visa?

Whether you need a Canada visa or not, rides on various elements. First, you need to know that there are two types of Canada visa:

Short-stay

This group of visas allows you to stay in Canada for the short-term. The top duration of stay is six months under this category. You may not stay longer than it. Also, you may not extend the most visas of this part.

Long-stay

You have permission to stay for longer than six months under this category. It allows staying for even years. The time you can stay depends on the visa regulation.

Purpose of visit

Another determining factor is the purpose of the visit. Why do you want to visit Canada? There are different purposes for your visit:

  • Visiting friends, family, or tourist attractions.
  • Work
  • Study
  • Complete diplomatic mission
  • Do research
  • Get medical care

The visa you choose must match the purpose of your visit. The visa must allow you to do what you want. If it doesn’t, choose another type of visa.

Nationality

Your nationality is another factor that determines you need a visa or not. A few countries don’t need a visa to enter Canada. They have a visa waiver agreement with Canada. Their nationals can travel to Canada with a passport or travel document. They can stay for up to six months in the country.

US citizens are one example. If you have a passport issued from the US government, you can stay in Canada for up to six months without a visa. But the rules to study or work are different.

What is eTA, and who can apply for eTA?

Who needs a Canada visa?

A few countries need a Canada visa. They need a Canada short-stay visa. Such countries have to apply for a visa even if they want to stay in Canada for one day. The list of them are as follows Asia

AfghanistanKazakhstan
Armenia

NorthKorea

AzerbaijanKuwait
BahrainKyrgyzstan
BangladeshLaos
ChinaLebanon
East TimorMacao Special Administrative Region
GeorgiaMalaysia
IndiaMaldives Islands
IndonesiaMongolia
IranNepal
IraqOman
Israel *Pakistan
JordanRussia
Palestinian AuthoritySaudi Arabia
Sri LankaSyria
TaiwanTajikistan
ThailandTurkey
TurkmenistanVietnam
UzbekistanYemen
Qatar

*Israel citizens must have a valid Israeli “Travel Document in lieu of National Passport”

Africa

Algeria

The central African Republic

GhanaMauritiusSomalia
AngolaChadGuineaMoroccoSouth Africa
BeninComorosGuinea-BissauMozambiqueSouth Sudan
Bhutan

Democratic Republic of Congo

Ivory CoastNamibiaSudan
Botswana

The Republic of Congo,

KenyaNigerSwaziland
BurkinaDjiboutiLesothoNigeriaTanzania
FasoEgyptLiberiaPhilippinesTogo
Burma (Myanmar)Equatorial GuineaLibyaRwandaTunisia
BurundiEritreaMadagascarSao Tomé e PrincipeUganda
CambodiaEthiopiaMalawiSenegalZambia

The Republic of Cameroon

GabonMaliSeychelles

Zimbabwe

Cape VerdeThe GambiaMauritaniaSierra Leone 

Europe

AlbaniaMoldova
BelarusMontenegro
Bosnia-HerzegovinaRomania
KosovoSerbia
North MacedoniaUkraine

North America

Antigua and Barbuda

El SalvadorNicaragua
BelizeGrenadaPanama

The Republic of Costa Rica,

GuatemalaKitts and Nevis
CubaHaitiLucia
DominicaHonduras

Vincent and the Grenadines (St. Vincent)

Dominican RepublicJamaica 

Oceania

FijiPalau
KiribatiTonga
Marshall IslandsTuvalu
Micronesia, Fed. StatesVanuatu
Nauru 

South America

ArgentinaBoliviaBrazil *Colombia
EcuadorGuyanaParaguayPeru
SurinamTrinidad and TobagoUruguayVenezuela

* Some Brazilian citizens may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements)

Who doesn’t need a Canada visa?

The people who fall under the below categories don’t need a Canada visa:

  • You hold a valid Canadian visa from your previous application.
  • People who have a valid Residence Permit in Canada. They have left the country to visit:
    • The US
    • Pierre
    • Miquelon
  • You are a French citizen who is living in St. Pierre and Miquelon. You are coming to Canada from the mentioned destinations.
  • Your flight passes through Canada, and you are coming or going to the US if you have entered the US or have permission to enter the US.
  • Your flight has to make a sudden unscheduled stop in Canada.
  • The following job titles that will be working in Canada while there are in the country:
    • Flight crews
    • Accident investigators
    • Civil aviation inspectors
  • The Canadian government must have accredited them.
  • People who have permission to transit through Canada.
  • People with the Military or Armed Forces, part of the Visiting Forces Act. They have official responsibilities or tasks in Canada.

How to make 100% sure you don’t need a Canada visa?

There is an easy and guaranteed way to know whether you need a Canada visa or not. The source is the Canadian government. It will tell you if you need a visa or not. But you should know the details of your visit. The official website of the Government of Canada will tell you everything. It has a tool that tells you whether you need a visa or not.

As explained, you should have a few details about your visit. The tool asks you to answer a few questions in different steps:

  • The type of your travel document
  • The country you are from.
  • The purpose of your visit.
  • Length of your stay.

If the tool stays that you need a visa, you have to apply for the visa that suits your purpose.

What is eTA, and who can apply for it?

The eTA is short for Electronic Travel Authorization. It is a replacement for a Canada visitor visa. It allows foreign nationals to enter Canada easily and fast. An eTA is an online travel document. When you have the passport of the eligible countries, you can apply online. All the procedures for an eTA are online. Even there is no sticker on your passport. When you reach the Canadian Border, the officials will check your passport. The information will appear on the system, and you may enter Canada.

Let’s sum up…

This text explained whether you need a Canada visa or not. It covered everything about whether you have to apply for a Canada visa or not. By going through the text, you make sure you need a Canada visa or not.

If you need a Canada visa and want to find the visa that suits you, visit the left-sidebar.

Providing that you have some experience with visas, write them in the comment section. Visa applicants would be delighted to know them. They are worthy tips.

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