Passports and Visas

All visitors to Canada must have a valid passport or other approved proof of citizenship. American citizens driving into Canada may use an Enhanced Drivers License or U.S. Passport Card, but these documents are not valid for air travel.

If you’re a citizen of the U.S., the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the Republic of Korea, France, Italy, Spain, or a long list of other European or Caribbean countries, you do not need a visa to visit Canada, as long as your stay won’t exceed six months.

If you’re a citizen of another country (see the list on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada [CIC] website), you must apply for a Temporary Resident Visa. It generally takes between one and four weeks for your visa to be processed; check the CIC website for current visa processing times.

Are you Visiting Family in Canada?

If you have a child or grandchild living in Canada who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, then you may be eligible for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa.

This “Super Visa” will allow you to remain in Canada for up to two years.

Even if you’re from a country that doesn’t require a visa to visit Canada, you can apply for the Super Visa if you meet the criteria and you want to remain in Canada for more than six months.

Travel Information

For more information about when to go, where to travel, and how to organize your trip, see Planning Your Trip.

You can also read more about visiting Canada in the Travel section of this website.

– Excerpted (in part) from the book, Living Abroad in Canada. To read more, buy the book.

Changing of the Guard in Ottawa, Photo ©Carolyn B. Heller