Canada is a popular long-haul trip for travellers from across Asia, but the entry rules differ a lot by passport. Some travellers only need a quick online authorization. Others need a visa, and a smaller group can choose the lighter option if they meet certain conditions. Here is how it breaks down for the passports readers ask about most.
The basic idea
Canada sorts travellers into three groups: those who need nothing extra (such as US citizens), those who need an eTA (electronic travel authorization) when flying, and those who need a visitor visa. The eTA is linked to your passport, applied for online, and needed for air travel only. A small fee applies. Approval often arrives within minutes, though some applications take several days, so apply well before you book non-refundable tickets.
Once approved, the eTA lasts as long as five years at most, and ends sooner if your passport expires. Within that window you can make repeat short visits. It does not guarantee entry, since a border officer makes the final decision on arrival.
Passports that use the eTA
These Asian passports appear on Canada’s eTA-required list:
- Japan. Japanese citizens need an eTA to fly to Canada.
- South Korea. The same applies to citizens of the Republic of Korea.
- Singapore. Singapore citizens also need an eTA before flying.
- Taiwan. The eTA applies to ordinary passports issued by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that include the personal identification number. If your passport is a different type, check the entry in the government’s country list before you plan anything.
- Hong Kong. Passports issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region qualify for the eTA. British National (Overseas) passport holders also appear on the eTA-required list.
If you are not sure which group your passport falls in, this guide to Canada eTA or visa by country gives a wider overview than any single country page.
Passports that normally need a visa, but may get an eTA
Some visa-required countries have a shortcut. Citizens of the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, among others, can sometimes apply for an eTA rather than a visa, provided all three of these are true:
- They had a Canadian visitor visa at some point in the last 10 years, or they hold a valid US non-immigrant visa today. The US visa needs to be valid when you apply, though not necessarily on the day you travel.
- They are visiting temporarily, normally for up to six months.
- They are travelling by air, either arriving in Canada or just changing planes there, on a valid passport from an eligible country.
The shortcut is for air travel. If you plan to arrive by car, bus, train or boat, including on a cruise ship, you need a visitor visa. If you are combining Canada with a US road trip or cruise, the government recommends a visa for mixed air, land and sea routes.
Two practical points. First, use the same passport you applied with, because a new passport needs a new eTA. Second, if you already hold a valid Canadian visa, you do not need an eTA and can simply use the visa until it expires.
Travellers who do not meet the conditions, for example first-time visitors without a US visa, should apply for a standard visitor visa instead.
What about layovers?
If you are changing planes in Canada on the way to somewhere else, do not assume you can skip the paperwork. Travellers from eTA-required countries need an eTA to transit through Canada by air. For visa-required countries, those who are eligible for the conditional eTA can use it for transit as well. Others may need a visitor or transit visa, so check this before you book a cheap fare with a Toronto or Vancouver connection.
Friends travelling from the US or UK
Many Asia-focused travellers have friends or colleagues joining from elsewhere, so it helps to know the difference. US citizens do not need an eTA. British citizens do, if they are flying in. Mixed groups often end up with different requirements, so each person should check their own passport.
A simple checklist before you book
- Look up your passport on the Government of Canada country list.
- If you need an eTA, apply a few days ahead rather than on departure day.
- If you may qualify for the conditional eTA, find your old visa or valid US visa details first.
- Check the name, passport number and expiry date carefully before submitting.
- Keep a copy of the approval, although it is stored electronically against your passport.
- Confirm your route: air only for the eTA, visa for land or sea arrival in the conditional group.
The full, current list of countries and conditions is on the Government of Canada entry requirements page. Rules can change, so check it again shortly before you travel.
Final thoughts
For Japanese, Korean, Singaporean, Taiwanese and Hong Kong passport holders, the process is short: apply online for the eTA, wait for approval, then fly. For Filipino, Thai, Indonesian and Malaysian travellers, it depends on your visa history. A little checking now avoids a missed flight later.
