Canada Travel FAQ

Question 1

Is it safe to travel to Canada?

Accepted Answer

Exercise normal precaution in Canada. Canada is generally a safe destination for travelers.

Question 2

Do I need a visa for Canada?

Accepted Answer

Since February 29, 2024, all Mexican travellers must obtain a visa to visit Canada. If you have an eTA and do not have a valid work or study permit, your eTA is automatically cancelled. In addition, any eTA applications in progress will require you to either apply for a new eTA or a visitor visa. Mexican travellers can only apply for an eTA if they have held a Canadian Visitor visa in the past 10 years or hold a valid U.S. non-immigrant visa. If you are traveling with an eTA, it is advised to bring a printed and digital copy of your eTA conformation email and your old passport if it has either an expired Canadian visitor visa or a valid U.S. non-immigrant visa. This does not apply to Mexican Citizens living in the United States as permanent residents, as they are exempt from obtaining an eTA (however they must carry their Green Card). Dual Canadian-Mexican citizens are required to visit Canada with a valid Canadian passport. For more information, please visit [https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/campaigns/eta-work-visa-mexico.html this website]. 2024-03-06 Canada requires anybody who want to enter the country to be of "good moral character", with a strict interpretation regarding past offences. Any misdemeanor may make you inadmissible, including things not regarded as criminal offences in your home country and the country where they were committed, such as some traffic law violations. Also an active civil judgement or financial trouble, such as significant unpaid debt may make you inadmissibile. See Traveling with a criminal history#Canada. Using ArriveCAN for Immigration and Customs Travellers entering Canada by air can save time by using the optional ArriveCAN app for electronic immigration and customs declarations. The service is available at seven major airports, including Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport Montreal-Trudeau, Toronto Pearson International Airport Toronto Pearson and Vancouver International Airport Vancouver. See the [https://www.canada.ca/en/border-services-agency/services/arrivecan.html ArriveCAN website] for more information. Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to visit Canada for a stay of (generally) up to six months, [https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp#exemptions provided no work or study is undertaken] and the traveller holds a passport valid for six months beyond their intended date of departure: Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cayman Islands, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hong Kong (BNO Passport or SAR Passport), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (National Passport holders only), Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montserrat, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Poland, Portugal, Romania (biometric passports only), Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, St. Helena, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, Taiwan (must be ordinary passport including ID card number), Turks and Caicos Islands, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom (including British (Overseas) Citizens that are re-admissible to the United Kingdom), United States and Vatican City. For more information, [https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html see this page]. A visa exemption also applies to individuals holding nationalities that are not specified above if they are in possession of a US Green Card, or can provide other evidence of permanent residence in the United States. Persons who do not require a visa and who are entering for any reason other than tourism must have a letter of invitation from the individual, business, or organization that they are visiting ([https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/business/eligibility.html information about letters of invitation and what information they need to contain]). Foreigners entering Canada visa-free by plane are required to obtain an [https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html eTA] (electronic Travel Authorization) in order to be allowed on the plane. The eTA is issued by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and is similar to the US ESTA, but the fee is lower at $7 and is valid for a period of five years or until passport expiry. US citizens and permanent residents, and French citizens of Saint Pierre and Miquelon are exempt from this. The eTA is not required if you are entering by land or sea. Brazilian citizens who hold a valid US nonimmigrant visa or who have held a Canadian visa within the last 10 years also can apply for an eTA, on the condition that they arrive by air. Brazilian citizens entering Canada across the US border or by sea or who have not applied for a Canadian visa in the past 10 years or a US nonimmigrant visa must also hold a valid Canadian visa. Canada is quite strict about admitting anyone with a criminal record, and even people who would otherwise not need a visa may be denied entry or may need additional paperwork if they have a record, no matter how long ago or minor it may be. Even a drunk driving conviction counts, because that is considered a criminal offence under Canadian law. However, visitors are unlikely to be denied entry for some criminal convictions such as adultery and being an LGBT member in the native country because they have no equivalent law that prohibit these activities in Canada. Anybody with a criminal record should contact a Canadian diplomatic mission for advice before making travel plans. See Traveling with a criminal history#Canada. All others will be required to obtain a Temporary Resident Visa to enter the country. This can be done at the applicants' nearest Canadian Visa Office. Applicants are required to submit, [https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/apply-visitor-visa.html as part of their application]: A valid travel document (such as a passport) Two properly-formatted, passport-sized photos for all applicants The application fee (the fee per person is $75 for a single entry visa, $150 for a multiple entry visa or $400 for a family (multiple or single entry) Reservation confirmation (for tourists) or letter of invitation (for everybody else). Proof that you have enough money for your visit to Canada. The amount of money may vary, depending on the circumstances for your visit, how long you will stay and whether you will stay in a hotel, or with friends or relatives. You can get more information from the visa office. Other documents as required. These documents could be identification cards, proof of employment, or a proposed itinerary. Check the website of the visa office responsible for the country or region where you live for more information. If you plan to make a side trip to the United States or St Pierre and Miquelon and do not travel outside their respective borders, you can use your single entry or expired visa re-enter Canada as do so within the initial period of stay granted to you by the immigration officer when you first entered Canada. Working while in the country is forbidden without a work permit, although Canada does have several temporary work permits for youth from specific countries. See "Work" below. Quebec has been given limited autonomy in the selection of immigrants by the federal government. While its immigration rules differ slightly from the rest of Canada, these differences do not affect short-term visitors (such as tourists and business travellers) who do not plan to work or immigrate. United States citizens travelling by land (vehicle, rail, boat or foot) to Canada need only proof of citizenship and identification for short-term visits. In addition to a passport, a number of other documents may also be used to cross the border: United States Passport Card (issued by the Department of State) Enhanced Drivers License or Non-Driver Photo ID card (issued by Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington State) Enhanced Tribal ID Card Trusted Traveler Cards issued by the US Department of Homeland Security for the Canadian Border (NEXUS and FAST). DHS issued cards for the Mexican Border (SENTRI) and for international air travellers (Global Entry) cannot be used to enter Canada, but they are acceptable to re-enter the United States and may be used in the dedicated NEXUS lanes into the US, where available. American citizens can travel across the border with just a birth certificate, but if you try to re-enter the United States with your birth certificate, you will eventually be let in, but only after significant delays while U.S. Customs and Border Protection verifies the information on it with the issuing department. You may also be fined or prosecuted for non-compliance, although anything more than a written warning is unlikely for a first time violator. Residents of Greenland, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and some Caribbean nations are not required to present a passport if they can prove nationality and identity via some other means. Residents of Greenland, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, and the United States also benefit from arrangements where applications for work and study permits can be made upon arrival in Canada at the Immigration Office at the port of entry without the need for an advance Temporary Resident Visa or advance application at a consulate. However, all the paperwork normally needed for such a permit has to be submitted at the port of entry as it would at a consulate, including a letter of introduction/invitation, the appropriate paperwork issued by the institution/employer, and the appropriate fees. Canadian immigration no longer stamps the passports of most visitors; all entries are recorded electronically. If you need your passport stamped, you can request the immigration officer to do so when you enter Canada. There are no departure immigration checks in Canada.

Question 3

What is the best time to visit Canada?

Accepted Answer

The best months to visit are usually Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.

Question 4

What are the cultural customs in Canada?

Accepted Answer

Domestically, Canada has displayed success in negotiating compromises among its own culturally and linguistically varied population, a difficult task considering that language, culture, and even history vary significantly throughout the country. In contrast to the United States' traditional image of itself as a melting pot (now falling out of use), Canada prefers to consider and define itself as a mosaic of cultures and peoples. Canadians are used to living and interacting with people of different ethnic backgrounds on a daily basis and will usually be quite friendly and understanding if approached in public. Canada's multiculturali…

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