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All About the Visa Requirements for Canadians

The visa requirements for Canadians encompass all the rules and regulations that apply to Canadians travelling abroad. More specifically, we are talking about the entry conditions each country puts in place for Canadian citizens.

According to Henley’s Passport Index, the Canadian passport is in 6th place among all the nationalities in the world, meaning it ranks very highly in terms of freedom of movement globally. So, if you’re Canadian, you can visit a large number of countries either visa-free or with an easy Visa on Arrival (VoA).

110 Visa-Free Countries for Canada

In fact, there are 110 visa-free countries for Canada, spanning all continents, so you are spoiled for choice when it comes to countries with very few entry conditions. Nonetheless, it is essential to check the specific requirements for your chosen destination before you travel, as you may need to get a visa waiver or provide additional documents upon arrival.

Other visa requirements for Canadian travellers include the embassy visa and the eVisa (Electronic Visa). The former takes the longest to get, as you need to present your application in person at one of the country’s embassies or consulates. Meanwhile, an eVisa can be obtained online, so all in all it’s a much quicker and more convenient process.

On this page, we will look at what countries require a visa for Canadian citizens and which offer visa-free travel for Canadian citizens. We will also give an overview of what the different types of travel conditions mean, so you can best prepare for future adventures.

It’s important to remember that these policies apply to those travelling for tourism, on a business trip or visiting friends and family. On the other hand, if you are travelling to a country to work, study or for other reasons, different policies will apply, and it is likely you will need to get specific permits.

How Many Canada Visa-Free Countries Are There?

As we mentioned, there is a long list of Canada passport visa-free countries. However, Canadians do need a travel permit for 135 countries across the globe, which are divided into VoAs, eVisas and embassy visas.

First of all, let’s take a look at the meaning of each category:

  • Visa exemption: This means that you can travel to the country with just your passport. In some cases, you may need to get an electronic visa waiver document in advance.
  • VoA: This is a travel authorisation document that you can get directly when you arrive in the country, so it requires very little pre-planning.
  • eVisa: This is the digital form of a standard visa that you can conveniently apply for online and receive via email. It’s becoming increasingly popular worldwide, and more countries are putting in place electronic systems every year.
  • Embassy visa: This is a travel pass that you must apply for in person at an embassy or consulate, and collect at a later stage once it has been processed.

Top Destinations for Canadian Passport Holders

Before we dive in deeper, here’s some inspiration for your next trip! Click on the country to find out all about the visa requirements for Canadian visitors:

Which Are the Canada Visa-Exempt Countries?

Here’s the list of Canadian passport visa-free countries:

These countries offer visa-free travel for Canadian citizens, which means you can spontaneously pack your bag and fly off to any of these destinations, without needing to arrange a travel permit of any kind.

In most cases, you can simply show your passport when you arrive to gain entry into the country. However, there may be additional requirements that need to be fulfilled, so you should always check the conditions for your chosen destination. For example, you may need to show additional documents, such as return flight tickets or accommodation bookings.

In addition, you should always check the validity of your passport before setting off on any journey. Most countries will ask you to have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months.

The length of stay granted by the Canada passport visa-free countries varies, but it’s generally between 14 days and 180 days. If you wish to stay longer than the time permitted, you will need to apply for an extension before you travel or while you are in the country.

Notably, Canadians can visit neighbouring America for up 6 months and Georgia for up to 360 days without a visa.

Although some countries are visa-exempt for Canadian citizens, you may need to get an online visa waiver document before you travel. This usually entails filling out a quick form online, and receiving your document by email. An example of this is the new ETIAS document introduced by the EU, which we will talk about a little later on in this article.

Visa Requirements for Canadian Citizens: Visa on Arrival (VoA)

Here is the list of countries Canadian citizens can travel to by obtaining a VoA:

Bangladesh Burkina Faso Comoros
Gabon Guinea-Bissau Lebanon
Maldives Marshall Islands Mauritania
Mozambique Palau Paraguay
Samoa Solomon Islands Somalia
Timor-Leste Togo Tonga
Tuvalu United Arab Emirates Zambia
Zimbabwe

A VoA can be obtained from border officials when you arrive in the country by filling out a short form and presenting it with your passport to border officials.

In some cases, you may be asked to show additional documents such as return flights, accommodation bookings and proof that you have sufficient funds to cover your trip. Therefore, you should always check the specific VoA requirements for Canadians for your destination before setting off.

Just like other visas required for Canadian citizens, the VoA can be either a Single Entry or a Multiple Entry permit. Moreover, it allows the visitor to stay anywhere between 7 days and 180 days, depending on the country and the purpose of your trip.

Many countries that offer a VoA to Canadian citizens also offer the option of getting an eVisa instead. When this option is available, we highly recommend taking advantage of it, as there tend to be long queues for issuing a VoA, so the eVisa will save you time. With the eVisa, you can apply online and receive the electronic travel document by email ahead of your trip.

Embassy or Consulate Visa Requirements for Canadian Citizens

Here is the full list of countries where Canadian citizens must get an embassy visa to enter:

Afghanistan Aland Islands Algeria
American Samoa Anguilla Antarctica
Aruba Bermuda Bhutan
Bonaire British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands
Burundi Cameroon Cayman Islands
Central African Republic Chad China
Christmas Island Cocos Islands Congo
Cook Islands Cuba Curacao
Democratic Republic of the Congo Equatorial Guinea Eritrea
Falkland Islands Faroe Islands French Guiana
French Polynesia Ghana Gibraltar
Greenland Guadeloupe Guam
Guernsey Iraq Isle of Man
Jersey Liberia Libya
Mali Martinique Mayotte
Montserrat Nauru New Caledonia
Niger Niue Norfolk Island
North Korea Northern Mariana Islands Pitcairn Islands
Reunion Russian Federation Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Seychelles South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Sudan
Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Syrian Arab Republic
Tokelau Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands
Wallis and Futuna Yemen

There are currently 78 countries that require embassy visas for Canadian citizens, which may seem like a lot, but it is far fewer than the number of visa-free countries for Canadian passport holders.

To obtain this type of permit, you make an appointment at the embassy or consulate of the country you wish to visit and submit an application form along with various supporting documents. As part of the process, you will be asked to leave your passport at the embassy while the travel permit is being processed, and you can pick it up once it has been issued.

Moreover, the documents you need to provide are determined by the country you are visiting and the purpose of your trip. Generally, these documents include an application form, passport photos, and return flight tickets at the very least.

For some destinations, you may need to provide many more documents to be granted a permit, which could include a bank statement, an invitation letter, and proof of employment.

As the specific conditions can vary considerably from country to country, you must check which documents you need to provide to get a visa before you make an appointment at the embassy or consulate.

What’s more, it usually takes several weeks for your travel permit to be processed. Since you need to apply in person, this is easily one of the longest and most time-consuming visa requirements for Canadians. Moreover, this is typically the most expensive type of travel permit as well.

Countries Where a Visa Is Not Permitted

The Canadian passport is one of the strongest passports in the world for travelling, so you’ll be pleased to know there are no destinations off-limits for your nationality. However, there are some places that are particularly tricky to visit or have such a complicated application process that it will truly test your patience.

For instance, Canadians visiting Iran must book an organised tour and be accompanied by a guide at all times. Additionally, you must book the tour before you submit your visa application, or it will be rejected.

Another difficult country to visit is Russia, since the visa application form for Canadians is particularly detailed. The form involves writing every country you have been to with arrival and departure dates over the last 10 years.

Countries with Upcoming New Visas in 2022

Up until now, Canadians have been able to visit European countries in the Schengen zone with just their passport. However, the EU has introduced a new visa waiver document, called the ETIAS, similar to the American ESTA and the Canadian eTA.

This simple document must be obtained a few days before you travel to Europe. Don’t worry, the process is entirely digital, and it just takes a few minutes to fill out the form online. After submitting the application, you will receive your visa waiver in your email inbox.

What’s more, the ETIAS is a Multiple Entry pass that gives you access to the 26 countries in the Schengen zone. It’s valid for up to 3 years, so you have plenty of time to explore Europe.

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