Canada
Canada is the world's second-largest country by total area, known for vast wilderness, multicultural cities, Rocky Mountains, Niagara Falls, and bilingual heritage (English and French). Ottawa is the capital, while Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal are major cultural and economic centers. Visitors are drawn to Niagara Falls, Banff and Jasper National Parks, Vancouver's coastal beauty, Toronto's CN Tower, Quebec City's French charm, Northern Lights in Yukon, wildlife viewing, skiing in Whistler, and friendly Canadian hospitality. Canada offers stunning natural landscapes, diverse cities, and four distinct seasons.
Optional — not required for entry
Visa Requirements for Canada
Canada's entry requirements vary by nationality. US citizens can enter with a valid passport and do not need an eTA or visa for tourism or business stays up to 6 months. Citizens of visa-exempt countries (UK, most EU countries, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and others) must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before flying to Canada. The eTA is applied for online through the official Government of Canada eTA page, costs CAD $7, and is valid for 5 years or until the passport expires. Citizens of countries not on the visa-exempt list must apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (visitor visa) through Canadian visa application centers or embassies, providing biometrics, photos, travel itinerary, proof of financial support, and ties to home country. Processing times vary by country. US permanent residents (not citizens) don't get the same automatic exemption as US citizens — they need an eTA if their own nationality is visa-exempt, or a visitor visa otherwise, the same as any other traveller of that nationality. Most visitor-visa applicants providing biometrics need to book a dedicated appointment at a visa application center, and an additional fee applies on top of the visa fee itself. While Canada doesn't set a hard minimum passport-validity rule the way some countries do, a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the trip is recommended as a safety margin against unexpected changes of plan.
Visa types
For visa-exempt nationals (UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand, etc.) flying to Canada for tourism, business, or transit.
Guides
Canada stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic — the world's second-largest country by area, with a population concentrated in a thin band along the US border and wilderness that dwarfs anything in Europe. The Rocky Mountains in Alberta and British Columbia deliver some of North America's most dramatic scenery: Banff and Jasper National Parks with their turquoise glacier-fed lakes (Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake), the Icefields Parkway connecting the two parks along 230 km of alpine road, and Whistler for skiing and mountain biking. Vancouver combines Pacific coast beauty with Asian-influenced food culture — Stanley Park, Granville Island market, mountains visible from downtown, and a dim sum scene that rivals Hong Kong. Toronto is Canada's multicultural engine: the CN Tower, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Distillery District, Kensington Market, and neighbourhoods where you can eat Ethiopian, Portuguese, Chinese, Italian, Caribbean and Korean within a single subway ride. Montreal is the francophone counterweight — Notre-Dame Basilica, the cobblestoned Vieux-Montréal, a jazz festival scene that is the world's largest, poutine, smoked meat sandwiches, and a European atmosphere that feels unlike anywhere else in North America. Quebec City is the most European city on the continent: the fortified Old Town (UNESCO), the Château Frontenac, the Plains of Abraham, and winter Carnival. Niagara Falls remains one of the planet's great natural spectacles. The Maritimes — Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island — deliver lobster shacks, lighthouse roads, Celtic culture and the Cabot Trail's coastal drama. The Northern Lights are visible from the Yukon, Northwest Territories and northern Manitoba (Churchill, the polar bear capital of the world). And the Canadian wilderness — canoeing in Algonquin, kayaking in Haida Gwaii, hiking the West Coast Trail, watching orcas off Vancouver Island — is on a scale that recalibrates what 'outdoors' means.
Canada travel guide →
The full guide — the Cabot Trail, Churchill's bears, iceberg alley and the route across the distances.
Money in Canada →
Dollars, cards and tipping culture — the practical money guide.
Eating in Canada →
Poutine's proper form, the lobster-roll coast and a food identity built on immigrant kitchens.
Getting around Canada →
Distances that demand flying, the one great train ride and when the road trip is the point.
Health & safety in Canada →
Bear country basics, winter-driving reality, wildfire-season awareness and the numbers to call.
Cities & planning
Regions
Embassies & missions
Africa · 2
- ChileOttawa
- ChinaCalgary · Montréal · Toronto · Vancouver +1
- DenmarkOttawa
- DominicaToronto
- EcuadorOttawa
- EgyptOttawa
- GermanyOttawa
- GuatemalaOttawa
- GuyanaOttawa
- IcelandWinnipeg · Ottawa · Calgary · Charlottetown +9
- IndiaToronto · Vancouver · Ottawa
- Saudi ArabiaOttawa
- South KoreaOttawa
- SwitzerlandMontréal
- ThailandVancouver · Ottawa
- TurkeyMontréal · Toronto · Vancouver · Ottawa
- United KingdomCalgary · Montréal · Toronto · Vancouver +1
- United StatesCalgary · Halifax · Montréal · Québec +3
Accredited missions for Canada
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your nationality. Visa-exempt travelers (UK, most EU countries, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and others) need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to Canada. Citizens of countries not on the visa-exempt list must apply for a visitor visa in advance.
No — US citizens can enter Canada with just a valid US passport for tourism or business stays of up to 6 months, without needing an eTA or visa.
Apply online through the official Government of Canada eTA page with your passport details. It costs CAD $7, is usually approved within minutes, and stays valid for 5 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
Planning a trip to Canada? Check what you need to enter and apply online in minutes.
Optional — not required for entry
This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.