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Do you need a passport to go to Canada?

by Pilar Dujan | August 1, 2023
Mountains and lake with a Canadian flag

Canada is one of the most beautiful countries in America. It’s incredibly safe and there are many amazing places in Canada and so many different things to do! Whether you’re traveling to Vancouver, Quebec, Toronto or any of the amazing cities of Canada, there are some Canda entry requirements you have to meet. Here, we will answer to your question: do you need a passport to go to Canada?

Do you need a passport to go to Canada?

Yes, if you’re a foreign citizen traveling to Canada, you need a passport to go to Canada.

Do I need a passport to go to Canada from the US?

People from the United States that wish to visit Canada can do so with a U.S. passport or passport card. The passport has to be valid for the duration of the trip and has to have one blank page to be stamped. 

There are no currency restrictions nor mandatory vaccines to travel to Canada from the US. If you are a permanent resident of the United States, you’re going to need both a valid passport of your original nationality and a valid Green Card.

Do you need a passport to go to Canada? Canadian city on a sunny day

To travel from the UK to Canada do you need passport?

Yes, UK citizens traveling to Canada need a passport to go to Canada. Its validity has to cover the duration of your stay in the country, there’s no additional period required (i.e. 6 months). 

If the person traveling is a dual citizen (British-Canadian), they will need to provide a valid Canadian passport or they won’t be allowed entry to the country.

Do you need a passport for Canada as a Canadian?

Yes, having a valid passport is a requirement of entry for Canadian citizens. Canadian permanent residents can travel with a valid permanent resident card or permanent resident travel document.

If you have dual citizenship (Canadian-American), you can travel with a valid passport of any of the two countries.

Can you go to Canada without a passport as a minor?

No, children need to have a passport when entering Canada. However, that’s not all: adults have to provide additional information when traveling with minors. The additional information would be:

  • Proof of being the legal guardian (if that’s the case)
  • Copy of legal custody documents (if there were any)
  • Letter of consent if you’re traveling with a minor with shared custody and without the other parent or legal guardian. This also applies to when the adult is not the legal guardian nor parent of the child.
  • Birth certificate or naturalization certificate of the child.

can I go to Canada without a passport? Busy street of Canada

Do you need to apply for an eTA for Canada?

Citizens of many countries don’t need a visa for Canada when traveling: they need to apply for an ETA Canada Visa (Electronic Travel Authorization). To learn everything about the application process, you can read our article on how to get a visa for Canada

Find out if your country is part of this group using our eligibility checker. Remember that, in every case, the visa or eTA is attached to your passport. If your passport expires, so will your visa.  

Do you need a visa to travel to Canada from the US?

US citizens and permanent residents don’t need a visa nor an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization).

Do you need a visa to travel to Canada from the UK?

They don’t need a visa per se, but they will need an eTA for Canada. You can learn all about the visa for Canada from UK before traveling to Canada.