Visa Required Countries and Biometrics
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As a reminder all travelers wishing to travel to Canada will either need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). The only exception is US Citizens, who require only their passport. There is also a biometric requirement for persons coming from a country that requires a visa. Persons who require only an eTA do not need to provide a biometric.
- Starting July 31, 2018 – applicants from Europe, Middle East and Africa who would normally require a visa will need to give their biometric as part of their visa application.
- Starting December 31, 2018 – applicants from Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas who would normally require a visa will need to give their biometric as part of their visa application.
Travellers that normally requires a visa will also need to provide a biometric by the end of 2018. The biometric must be collected at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) overseas and as it forms part of the visa application, it must be provided before a visa application can be decided upon. The biometric must be given in person at any of the 139 VACs we have in 53 countries around the globe. The biometric cannotbe collected at the airport overseas, OR upon arrival OR in Canada.
Visa – exempt countries and Electronic Travel Authorizations:
All other countries will require an eTA. An eTA ($7 CAD) can be applied for on your smartphone or computer. Most applications are approved within minutes, but we recommend applying a few weeks before scheduled travel in case you need to provide additional documents (as is the case with some applicants).