eTA or visitor visa: which one do you need to visit Canada?

By Pardeep S. Grewal, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation · Reviewed November 12, 2026

Published November 12, 2026

Pardeep S. Grewal is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2024, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.

Updated November 12, 2026: IRCC’s eTA guidance checked that day.

Whether you need an electronic travel authorization (eTA) or a visitor visa depends on your citizenship and how you’re travelling. Travellers from visa-exempt countries need an eTA to fly to or through Canada, but not to arrive by land or sea. Citizens of countries that require a visa need a visitor visa no matter how they arrive. US citizens need neither for a visit. An eTA is linked to the passport used to apply, so a new passport needs a new eTA. Both can be refused, and since January 31, 2025, officers have broader power to cancel both. Answering the questions on either form honestly matters: a misrepresentation finding bars you for five years.

Lawgical Law Corporation, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, advises travellers on eTAs and visitor visas and handles refusals and cancellations; this guide is by Pardeep S. Grewal.

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eTA vs visitor visa

When things go wrong

• An eTA or visa cancelled; see a cancelled visa.
• A visa refusal; see visitor visa refusals.
• Turned back at the border; see being refused entry at an airport or border.

Why talk to a lawyer about an eTA or visa?

One lawyer, one file, every step:

• advising which document you need, given your history;
• answering eTA or visa questions honestly and fully;
• dealing with a refusal or cancellation;
• challenging decisions in the Federal Court.

Most eTAs are routine. But if you have a past refusal, overstay, criminal record or removal, getting the answers right the first time avoids a misrepresentation finding.

Immigration lawyers are members of a provincial law society (in our case, the Law Society of British Columbia), and only a lawyer can take a refusal to the Federal Court. An immigration consultant cannot file or argue it there.

Mistakes I have seen

• Answering “no” to a past refusal on an eTA form.
• Travelling on a new passport with an eTA linked to the old one.
• Assuming an eTA lets you drive in from the US without checking your citizenship rules.

Frequently asked questions

Do US permanent residents need an eTA?

Check IRCC’s current rules for your citizenship and travel route before you book.

Can an eTA be cancelled?

Yes. Since January 31, 2025, officers have broader power to cancel eTAs and visas.

Related guides: visitor visa refusals, being refused entry at an airport or border, not disclosing a previous refusal.

What should I do right now?

Check your citizenship against IRCC’s visa and eTA rules, and gather any past refusals or immigration history before applying.

Book a consultation with our immigration lawyers in Surrey, Abbotsford or Vancouver, or online from anywhere.

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Sources (official)

• IRCC: Electronic travel authorization (eTA)
• IRCC notice: new rules on temporary resident document cancellations (February 12, 2025; in force January 31, 2025)
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, s. 40

This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts.