Canada issues clarifications on transit visa requirements for foreigners

Canada has issued clarifications on the eligibility to apply for a transit visa by a temporary resident. Foreigners transiting through Canada must be aware of the rules particularly when their destination is not Canada and they require a visa only to transit through Canada.

A Canada transit visa is a fee-exempt temporary resident visa, which is required for foreign nationals from visa-required countries who are not eligible for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to transit through Canada on their way to another country. An electronic travel authorization (eTA) is required for most visa-exempt foreign nationals traveling to or transiting through Canada by air. An eTA is valid for 5 years or until the applicant’s passport expires, whichever occurs sooner.

A Canadian temporary resident visa (TRV) is an official counterfoil document issued by a visa office that is placed in a person’s passport to show that they have met the requirements for admission to Canada as a temporary resident. Holding a TRV does not guarantee entry to Canada. The admission of foreign nationals into Canada as temporary residents is a privilege, not a right. A TRV does not guarantee entry to Canada, nor does it grant temporary resident status in Canada. Upon arrival at a Canadian POE, the foreign national is required to report to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

As per the rules, to be eligible for a Canadian transit visa, a foreign national must have proof of transiting through Canada between two international flights within less than 48 hours or be a passenger on an international flight that stops at a Canadian airport on its way to another country. Further, they need to carry a valid visa to enter their destination country.

As a Canadian transit visa holder, one needs to satisfy an officer that their purpose is solely to transit through Canada.

Transit visas are issued as a single or two-entry visa and the processing fees are exempted for them. Biometrics are required, but they are also fee exempted.

There is, however, a US transit exemption where biometrics are not required for valid US non-immigrant visas and temporary resident visa holders to transit to Canada for less than 48 hours directly to or from the US.

Further, the Transit Without Visa Program and the China Transit Program allow certain foreign nationals to transit through Canada on their way to and from the US without a Canadian transit visa, if they meet certain requirements.