Eligible travellers from 13 more countries now qualify for visa-free travel to Canada

Canada is a destination with a wealth of opportunities for people wishing to travel, do business or meet with family and friends. That is why it is making a commitment to its immigration programs and services by making them more efficient and equitable for people from around the world. Sean Fraser, Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the addition of 13 countries to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program. Travelers from these countries who have held a Canadian visa within the past 10 years or who currently hold a valid U.S. non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA in lieu of a visa to travel to Canada by air. Beginning today, eligible travelers from these countries will be able to benefit from the program:

 Antigua and Barbuda
 Argentina
 Costa Rica
 Morocco

 Panama
 Philippines
 St. Kitts and Nevis
 St. Lucia
 St. Vincent and the Grenadines
 Seychelles
 Thailand
 Trinidad and Tobago
 Uruguay

Introducing visa-free air travel will make it faster, easier, and more affordable for thousands of travellers to visit Canada for up to six months for either business or leisure. It will also help grow Canada’s economy by facilitating more travel, tourism and international business, and by strengthening Canada’s relationships with these countries while keeping Canadians safe. This decision will also divert thousands of applications from Canada’s visa caseload, allowing us to process visa applications more efficiently, which will benefit all visa applicants.

Individuals who already have a valid visa can continue to use it to travel to Canada. Those who are not eligible for an eTA, or who are travelling to Canada by means other than air (for example, by car, bus, train and boat—including by cruise ship), will still need a visitor visa. Travellers can visit Canada.ca/eTA to find out whether they’re eligible for an eTA and how to apply for one.