It is permissible to transit through Canada via flight, road, train or sea transport when you are on a trip to a particular country.
Besides, you can transit through Canada from almost any country of the world. Depending on your nationality, you may be required to show a Canadian visa at the port of entry.
Examples of these ports of entry include the airports, harbours and road borders in Canada.
Moreover, it is mandatory for you to provide certain documents if you want to pass through Canada to another country.
The required documents depend on a number of factors, which include:-
- Your type of passport
- If you are a US permanent resident or visa holder
- Your method of transit, that is, by air, road (car & bus), sea (boat & cruise ship) or by rail (train)
- The period of time you’ll need to journey through Canada
Obviously, you may or may not need a Canadian visitor visa, transit visa or electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) in order to transit through Canada to a certain country.
Thus, reading this article will inform you whether you need a visa or authorization from the Canadian government to transit through Canada to your destination.
In this article
- What is transiting?
- Modes of transit through Canada
- Requirements to transit through Canada
- Determine if you need a visa to transit through Canada
- Visitor visa to transit through Canada
- Canada transit visa for foreigners
- Transit without a visa through Canada
- Canada visa exempt-countries
- Canada eTA cost
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is transiting?
Generally speaking, transiting is the movement or passage from one point to another.
When you transit through Canada, this implies that you pass across the borders of Canada to another country.
Modes of transit through Canada
Indeed, there are various ways to transit through Canada to your destination country. These include via air, road, sea and rail transport.
- Air: Of course, you can transit through Canada airport by plane to a certain country. This is one of the most common modes of transit for foreigners who are travelling from one country to another.
Furthermore, transiting through Canada occurs in different ways. In the case of a connecting flight, all passengers in a plane may need to board another plane in a Canadian airport to their destination.
Moreover, your international flight to a country may need to stop in a Canadian airport for one reason or the other.
- Road (car & bus): You can definitely transit through Canada with your car or by boarding a bus or commercial road vehicle.
- Sea (boat & cruise ship): It is surely allowable for foreigners to transit through Canada by sea transport, which includes boat and cruise ship.
- Rail (train): There are possibilities to transit through Canada by rail transport, such as train to another country.
Requirements to transit through Canada
Particularly, you must have a valid passport or travelling document in order to transit through Canada to a country.
Hence, here are the documents required to apply and must be availed at the Canadian airport or border.
- All travelling documents
- ArriveCAN receipt
- Pre-entry test results
- Proof of vaccination
Determine if you need a visa to transit through Canada
This section explores whether you need a visitor visa, transit visa or an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to transit through Canada to a specific country.
Visitor visa to transit through Canada
Undoubtedly, a Canadian visitor visa is required to transit through Canada by car, bus, boat, train or cruise ship from a visa-required country.
It is equally important that you are entering Canada and passing her borders through any of these modes of transit.
You also need a visitor visa if you are coming from a visa-required country, and would have to stay in Canada for 48+ hours during transit.
In addition, a Canadian visitor visa is essential to transit through Canada regardless of if you are travelling by air for less than 48 hours.
Canada transit visa for foreigners
If you belong to any of the visa-required countries, it is certain for you to get a Canadian transit visa based on some conditions such as if;
- you don’t possess a valid Canadian visitor visa
- you need to transit through Canada in less than 48 hours
- your international flight to another country stops mid-flight at a Canadian airport
- you have to board another international flight at a Canadian airport, that is, connecting flight
Visa-required countries to transit through Canada
Of course, you need a Canadian visa if you want to transit through Canada by road, air, rail or sea from any of these visa-required countries.
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil (some Brazilians may qualify for eTA based on particular conditions)
- British subjects, subject to control
- Burkina Faso
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China (People’s Republic)
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Congo (Republic)
- Costa Rica (Republic)
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- East Timor
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel (valid Israeli travel document is required as an alternative to national passport)
- Ivory Coast
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Korea (North)
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR)
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives Islands
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia (Federated States)
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestinian Authority
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Romania (a non-electronic passport is required such as a temporary passport)
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Sao Tomé e Principe
- Saudi Arabia (Kingdom)
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Kitts and Nevis
- Lucia
- Vincent and the Grenadines (St. Vincent)
- Sudan
- Surinam
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Taiwan (must possess another passport to the one issued by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which features a personal identification number)
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Transit without a visa through Canada
Can you transit through Canada without a visa? The answer is yes.
Indeed, citizens and permanent residents of the United States of America can transit through Canada without a visa to another country by all modes of transportation.
Without doubt, you need to take all your traveling documents with you.
Additionally, you can transit through Canada without a visa if you hold a passport of one of the following countries.
- China
- Indonesia
- Philippines
- Thailand
- Taiwan (passport holders without a Personal Identification Number)
Canada visa exempt-countries
You certainly need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to pass through Canada by air. Besides, an eTA is not required to travel through Canada by road or sea from any of these countries.
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- British citizen
- ” national (Overseas)
- British overseas citizen (person re-admissible to UK)
- ” overseas territory citizen by birth, naturalization, descent or registration in any of the following territories:
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn Island
- Saint Helena
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- British (UK residents who are authorized to stay)
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China (must be a holder of Hong Kong SAR passport).
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel (national Israeli passport is required)
- Italy
- Japan
- Republic of Korea
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Papua New Guinea
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania (only electronic passport holders are eligible)
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan (must have another passport, aside from the one issued by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has a Personal Identification Number)
- United Arab Emirates
- United States (including permanent residents)
- Vatican City State (a Vatican-issued passport or travel document is required)
Canada eTA cost
Indeed, the cost of applying for an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to transit through Canada is CAD $7.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transit through Canada right now?
Yes, you can transit through Canada at any time inasmuch you have a valid passport or traveling document.
Do I need a visa to transit through Canada with an Estonian Alien’s passport?
If you are a stateless individual or an Estonian Alien’s passport holder, you definitely need a Canadian visa to transit through Canada.
Who can travel to Canada without visa?
Undoubtedly, passport holders of China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, as well as Taiwan can transit through Canada without a visa.
Can Filipinos travel to Canada without visa?
Yes, Filipino passport holders can transit through Canada to another country without visa.
Can Mexicans travel to Canada without visa?
Yes, the only way for Mexicans to travel to Canada without an eTA is by road or sea.
Can UK citizens transit through Canada?
Yes, citizens of the United Kingdom can transit through Canada with an eTA if entering by air. Nevertheless, you do not need an eTA if you are transiting by road or sea.
Conclusion
All things considered, we hope that this article helps you to transit through Canada from UK, United States, India, Mexico, Chile, South Africa, Peru, Taiwan, China, Togo, Uganda, Qatar or from any country whatsoever.
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