Canada visa requirements for British citizens

Check your circumstances

Read these conditions alongside the entry rule. Where official guidance does not state a condition, that is not confirmation that no condition applies.

Passport type Conditions to check

IRCC lists British citizens, British nationals (overseas), British overseas citizens re-admissible to the UK, British overseas territory citizens of listed territories and British subjects with right of abode.

Official sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Trip purpose Conditions to check

The eTA is for short visits to Canada and for transit through a Canadian airport. A work or study permit is a separate application, not a visa or an eTA.

Official sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Age Conditions to check

Each family member, including a child, needs their own eTA, and you can only apply for one person at a time. Minors may need a letter authorizing their travel.

Official sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Residence Conditions to check

Lawful permanent residents of the US are exempt from the eTA and show their passport and green card. Dual Canadian citizens must travel on a Canadian passport.

Official sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Other visas or residence permits Conditions to check

You need either an eTA or a visa, never both. Canadian permanent residents cannot apply for an eTA and travel with their PR card or travel document.

Official sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Carrier and arrival route Confirmed for this scope

You need the eTA to board a flight to Canada. Arriving by car, bus, train or boat, including a cruise ship, you need only a valid passport.

Official sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Stay and visa validity Confirmed for this scope

The eTA is valid for up to 5 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, for repeated visits of normally up to 6 months at a time.

Official sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

How to apply

Apply only on the official Government of Canada eTA page. You need a valid passport, an email address and a credit or debit card for the CAD 7 fee. The form cannot be saved, so have your details ready, and check that the passport number matches the passport you will fly on: a wrong number causes problems at boarding.

Official sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

After you apply

Most applicants receive approval by email within minutes. If IRCC needs supporting documents, it emails instructions within 72 hours, and approval can then take several days, so apply before you book your flight. The eTA is linked electronically to your passport; if you get a new passport, apply for a new eTA.

Official sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

At the border

An eTA does not guarantee entry. The border officer will check your passport and may ask about your trip. You must be in good health, have no criminal or immigration convictions, show ties to home and enough money for your stay, and satisfy the officer that you will leave at the end of your visit.

Official sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Exceptions

No eTA is needed when you arrive by land or sea, except by boat from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon on a vessel that is not a cruise ship. Children traveling alone or with one parent should carry a letter of authorization and a copy of their birth certificate.

Official sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.