Every year, hundreds and thousands of people travel to different destinations globally. Not all point-to-point destinations need to have direct flights. To overcome such situations, travellers plan their journeys in a way that they need to change flights or shift airports or be in transit for connecting flights to their destinations. Some countries have introduced and enabled a Transit Visa process for pass-through or transiting travellers. Among the many countries requiring such visas is Canada. The Canada transit visa process, while being simple and clearly outlined, is critical for travellers who pass through that country, or else they could face issues.
What is a Transit Visa?
In essence, the Transit visa is an approval document which states that the traveller is permitted to pass through the country for the purpose of onward travel by changing terminals or flights. A Transit visa does not allow travellers to leave the airport or stay in the country.
How does a Transit Visa Help?
When international travellers have to reach their destination by passing through another country because there is no direct flight, they need to spend a few hours or maybe one part of a day or night to board their next flight for the onward journey. For such short-duration transits, travellers need not pay the full visa fees or charges. Transit visas are generally cheaper and faster to obtain.
What is a Canadian Transit Visa?
When you travel through an airport in Canada to reach your destination in another country and are a citizen of a country which needs a valid visa to enter Canada, you will require a transit visa. This visa will allow you to enter Canada and stay in the airport for up to forty-eight hours. With this visa, you cannot leave the airport.
It is meant only to change the flight and board another flight for your onward journey. In a few cases and for some countries, no fees are levied on transit visas, and travellers can apply for a Canada transit visa by simply filling out the visa application form. For US citizens, a visa is not required.
How to Get a Canadian Transit Visa?
Canadian transit visas are required when any traveller on an international flight stops in Canada to change or connect to another flight on the way to the destination country. Transit duration permit vide a transit visa for any Canadian transit point varies between twenty-four and forty-eight hours and is applicable only for one transit.
To obtain a Canadian transit visa, you need to fulfill the following :
- Log onto the IRCC website and create a user account
- Fill out and apply.
- Verify and upload the requisite documents about the application type
- Check, and verify all the information filled along with the validity of the records uploaded.
- Upload and submit the application.
The Canadian visa office will then review, check and verify the application, after which the application will get approved and the visa issued. Incomplete applications get returned and rejected. The transit visa issued by Canada is applicable for any means of travel through the country. Therefore, travellers must obtain a transit visa irrespective of whether they travel by plane, train, bus, car, boat or cruise ship.
Which International Travelers Need A Canadian Transit Visa?
As per the advisory issued by Canada eTA, the list of countries from where travellers can travel visa-free into or through Canada but must apply for an eTA are :
Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Czech Republic, Estonia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Papua New Guinea, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Taiwan, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, United Kingdom, Singapore, Slovakia, Monaco, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City. Besides the above list, US citizens travellers can enter Canada without requiring a visa or an eTA.
Travellers from all other countries will need a transit visa for Canada.
While applying, travellers need to ensure that all the details filled in are accurate and in line with relevant travel documents and dates. It is vital also to ensure that the travel itinerary is precise and indicates all the details pertaining to tickets, dates of travel, flight information, and exact arrival and departure details, especially the dates and times when the flights enter and leave Canadian airports. Also, check to verify that contact and communication details are correct. Applicant names, email ids, contact telephone numbers, and addresses at origin and destination must be valid and indicated clearly in the submitted documents.
Remember, you must carry a transit visa while passing through Canada to be allowed to board your onward journey flight.