Canada Visitor Visa or eTA 2026: Which One Do You Need?

Your passport decides, not where you live. A German living in Baku needs an eTA; an Indian living in Baku needs a visa. Check your passport on where your passport can travel.

The electronic travel authorization (eTA) is an online check for visa exempt travellers who fly to or transit through a Canadian airport. It is linked to your passport and is valid for up to 5 years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. A new passport needs a new eTA.

You apply on the Government of Canada site and pay CAD 7. Most people get approval by email within minutes; if Canada asks for documents, you get an email within 72 hours. An eTA is not needed if you arrive by car, bus, train or boat.

For a side by side view of ESTA, eTA, NZeTA and K ETA, read our comparison.

Citizens of these 15 countries normally need a visa, but can apply for an eTA if they fly in for a temporary stay and either held a Canadian visitor visa in the last 10 years or hold a valid US nonimmigrant visa on the day they apply: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

Since 26 May 2026, Canada also lets citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia who meet certain conditions apply for an eTA instead of a visa. Check the conditions on canada.ca before you book.

A past eTA does not count as a past Canadian visa. If you will drive from the United States or arrive by bus, train or ship, you still need a visitor visa.

The visitor visa, also called a temporary resident visa, is for tourism, family visits and business visits. Visitors can usually stay up to 6 months; the border officer sets the date. The visa can be valid for several years, up to the end of your passport.

You apply online in an IRCC account, pay the fees and then give fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre within 30 days of the biometrics letter. Biometrics usually last 10 years, so you may not need to give them again next time.

There is a Canada visa application centre in Baku for biometrics. Booking the biometrics appointment there is free; the CAD 85 fee is paid to Canada with your application. Applicants who live in Azerbaijan, both citizens and foreigners with a residence permit, can use it.

Officers look at your purpose, money, travel history and ties to home, much like for US and Schengen visas. If you are a foreigner in Azerbaijan, add your residence permit and work or study proof. Processing times change by country; check the official processing time tool before you buy tickets.

• Valid passport and copies of past visas, especially US, UK and Schengen.
• Bank statements and proof of income.
• A letter from your employer or school.
• Your Azerbaijani residence permit if you are not a citizen of Azerbaijan.
• A trip plan, and an invitation letter if you visit family.