eTA vs. Visitor Visa: Which One Do You Need to Enter Canada?

Before you can board a flight to Canada, you generally need one of two entry documents: an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or a visitor visa (Temporary Resident Visa). They sound similar, and both exist to screen travellers before they arrive, but they apply to different people and work in very different ways.

Getting this wrong isn't just an inconvenience — showing up at check-in with the wrong document, or none at all, can mean missing your flight entirely. Here's how to tell which one applies to you.

Two Documents, Two Different Traveller Groups

Canada requires nearly every foreign national flying into the country to hold one pre-screening document or the other — which one depends primarily on citizenship, not on where you're travelling from or how long you plan to stay.

• Visa-exempt nationals flying to Canada generally need an eTA.
• Visa-required nationals need a full visitor visa (TRV) instead.

Canadian citizens and permanent residents don't need either document to fly home, though PRs need to carry proof of status. And critically: both an eTA and a TRV only get you to the border. A border services officer still separately decides, at the port of entry, how long you're actually authorized to stay — holding the document is not the same as holding status.

eTA at a Glance

• Applies to most visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air
• Simple online application, generally decided quickly for straightforward cases
• Linked to the traveller's specific passport
• Carries a modest application fee — $7 CAD as of mid-2026; verify the current amount before applying, since government fees are periodically updated
• Does not apply to land or sea entries — different rules apply there

Visitor Visa (TRV) at a Glance

• Required for foreign nationals from visa-required countries, regardless of how they're travelling
• A more involved application requiring supporting documentation about the purpose and funding of the visit
• Can be single-entry or multiple-entry, valid for land, sea, or air arrival
• Carries a higher application fee than an eTA — $100 CAD per person, up to a maximum of $500 CAD for a family of five or more, as of mid-2026; confirm the current fee before applying
• Generally takes longer to process than an eTA, given the more detailed review involved

Side-by-Side Comparison

How to Tell Which One You Need

1. Check your citizenship against Canada's current visa-exempt list — this is the single biggest factor.
2. Confirm your mode of travel. Flying and arriving by land or sea can trigger different requirements even for the same nationality.
3. Don't rely on what applied last time you travelled. Exemption lists and requirements are reviewed periodically and can change.
4. Use IRCC's official eligibility tool to confirm which document (if either) you specifically need before booking travel.
5. Apply well ahead of your travel date, especially for a visitor visa, which generally takes longer to process than an eTA.

Frequently asked questions