Which One Do I Need to Visit Canada: an eTA Or a TRV?
Canada is among the countries with the most friendly immigration laws in the world. Approximately 35 million foreigners visit Canada yearly as non-immigrants (temporary residents).
Any foreigner requires either an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to enter Canada unless they are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or United States citizens.
Foreigners that need either an eTA or a TRV to enter Canada include:
- Persons with temporary work permits (temporary foreign workers)
- Tourists
- Persons on student permits (international students)
- Business visitors business visitors
A foreigner needs either an eTA or a TRV
If you come from a Visa-exempt nation, you need to apply and receive an eTA before you can board a plane to Canada. A US resident needs neither an eTA nor a TRV. They need a Green Card to access Canada whether they are US citizens or not.
If you aren’t a US citizen, a Canadian citizen, or a Canadian permanent resident, and you also do not come from a visa-exempt country, you must have a Temporary Resident Visa to enter Canada.
An eTA: what is it?
In 2016 Canada announced that all citizens from visa-exempt countries would need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization to board a flight to Canada.
An eTA is linked to the traveler’s passport electronically and has a validity period of either five years or until their passport’s expiry date, whichever comes earlier.
What is a temporary travel visa TRV?
A Temporary Travel Visa is a document that a foreigner receives from an IRCC’s visa office outside Canada that shows that the holder has met all the requirements for admission to the country as a visitor. A TRV can either be issued for multiple or a single visit.
Ordinarily, a tourist TRV does not last for more than half a year. TRVs for International students and temporary workers from abroad lasts for varying periods depending on the time it will take for the person to finish whatever they intended to do in Canada. A foreigner who is in Canada legally can I apply for an extension of the status.
However, you may still be allowed to visit Canada even if you possess a valid TRV. Failure to demonstrate to an immigration official at the port of entry that you are nature visit inCanada is temporary can lead to an entry refusal. It is common for IRCC officials to refuse a foreigner entry to Canada if they are likely to refuse to leave Canada after the expiry of their status.
- Some persons may need to undergo a medical exam as a precondition to entering Canada.
IRCC does not allow people with criminal records to visit Canada
A foreigner looking to enter Canada must demonstrate that they have funds to pay for the expenses while they’ll be in Canada.
Foreigners from some countries may need to submit their biometric information before being allowed to visit Canada.
The table below shows which citizens require an eTA and which ones require TRV to enter Canada
COUNTRY IS TRV REQUIRED? IS eTA REQUIRED?
- Afghanistan YES NO
- Albania YES NO
- Algeria YES NO
- Andorra NO YES
- Angola YES NO
- Anguilla NO YES
- Antigua & Barbuda YES NO
- Argentina YES NO
- Armenia YES NO
- Australia NO YES
- Austria NO YES
- Azerbaijan YES NO
- Bahamas NO YES
- Bahrain YES NO
- Bangladesh YES NO
- Barbados NO YES
- Belarus YES NO
- Belgium NO YES
- Belize YES NO
- Benin YES NO
- Bermuda NO YES
- Bhutan YES NO
- Bolivia YES NO
- Bosnia-Herzegovina YES NO
- Botswana YES NO
- Brazil: YES NO
- Brunei NO NO
- Bulgaria NO YES
- Burkina Faso YES NO
- Burundi YES NO
- Cambodia YES NO
- Cameroon YES NO
- Cape Verde YES NO
- Central African Republic YES NO
- Chad YES NO
- Chile NO YES
- China YES NO
- China (Hong Kong SAR) NO YES
- Colombia YES NO
- Comoros YES NO
- Congo, Democratic Republic YES NO
- Congo, Republic of YES NO
- Costa Rica YES NO
- Croatia NO YES
- Cuba YES NO
- Cyprus NO YES
- Czech Republic NO YES
- Denmark NO YES
- Djibouti YES NO
- Dominica YES NO
- Dominican Republic YES NO
- Ecuador YES NO
- Egypt YES NO
- El Salvador YES NO
- Equatorial Guinea YES NO
- Eritrea YES NO
- Estonia NO YES
- Ethiopia YES NO
- Fiji YES NO
- Finland NO YES
- France NO YES
- Gabon YES NO
- Gambia YES NO
- Georgia YES NO
- Germany NO YES
- Ghana YES NO
- Greece NO YES
- Grenada YES NO
- Guatemala YES NO
- Guinea YES NO
- Guyana YES NO
- Haiti YES NO
- Honduras YES NO
- Hungary NO YES
- Iceland NO YES
- India YES NO
- Indonesia YES NO
- Iran YES NO
- Iraq YES NO
- Ireland NO YES
- Israel (passport holders) NO YES
- Italy NO YES
- Ivory Coast YES NO
- Jamaica YES NO
- Japan NO YES
- Jordan YES NO
- Kazakhstan YES NO
- Kenya YES NO
- Kiribati YES NO
- Korea, North YES NO
- Korea, South NO YES
- Kosovo YES NO
- Kuwait YES NO
- Kyrgyzstan YES NO
- Laos YES NO
- Latvia NO YES
- Lebanon YES NO
- Lesotho YES NO
- Liberia YES NO
- Libya YES NO
- Liechtenstein NO YES
- Lithuania NO YES
- Luxembourg NO YES
- Macao YES NO
- Macedonia YES NO
- Madagascar YES NO
- Malawi YES NO
- Malaysia YES NO
- Maldives YES NO
- Mali YES NO
- Malta NO YES
- Mauritania YES NO
- Mauritius YES NO
- Mexico NO YES
- Moldova YES NO
- Monaco NO YES
- Mongolia YES NO
- Montenegro YES NO
- Morocco YES NO
- Mozambique YES NO
- Myanmar YES NO
- Namibia YES NO
- Nepal YES NO
- Netherlands NO YES
- New Zealand NO YES
- Nicaragua YES NO
- Niger YES NO
- Nigeria YES NO
- Norway NO YES
- Oman YES NO
- Pakistan YES NO
- Palau YES NO
- Panama YES NO
- Paraguay YES NO
- Peru YES NO
- Philippines YES NO
- Poland NO YES
- Portugal NO YES
- Qatar YES NO
- Romania NO YES
- Russia YES NO
- Rwanda YES NO
- San Marino NO YES
- Sao Tome e Principe YES NO
- Saudi Arabia YES NO
- Senegal YES NO
- Serbia YES NO
- Seychelles YES NO
- Sierra Leone YES NO
- Singapore NO YES
- Slovakia NO YES
- Slovenia NO YES
- Somalia YES NO
- South Africa YES NO
- Spain NO YES
- Sri Lanka YES NO
- St. Kitts & Nevis YES NO
- Sudan YES NO
- Surinam YES NO
- Swaziland YES NO
- Sweden NO YES
- Switzerland NO YES
- Syria YES NO
- Taiwan NO YES
- Tajikistan YES NO
- Tanzania YES NO
- Thailand YES NO
- Togo YES NO
- Tonga YES NO
- Trinidad and Tobago YES NO
- Tunisia YES NO
- Turkey YES NO
- Turkmenistan YES NO
- Turks and Caicos NO YES
- Tuvalu YES NO
- Uganda YES NO
- Ukraine YES NO
- United Arab Emirates NO YES
- United Kingdom NO YES
- United States of America NO NO
- Uruguay YES NO
- Uzbekistan YES NO
- Vanuatu YES NO
- Venezuela YES NO
- Vietnam YES NO
- Yemen YES NO
- Zambia YES NO
- Zimbabwe YES NO