List of Countries That Requires Visa to Enter Canada in 2026 Released
- Canada published its updated 2026 directory specifying the nations subject to strict visitor visa regulations
- The traditional visa mandate applies to all methods of entry, covering air arrivals, road networks, and cruise ships
- Border rules mandate that travelers from the listed countries submit biometric profiles before receiving clearance
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its comprehensive entry protocols, releasing the definitive registry of countries whose citizens must secure a valid visitor visa before crossing Canadian borders.
The mandatory visa rule remains strictly active across all methods of entry, including arrivals by air, land, train, or sea vessel.
Source: Getty Images
Under the active 2026 guidelines, passport holders from the designated visa-required jurisdictions cannot use automated border systems and must undergo formal consular evaluation.
Furthermore, the Canadian government mandates that most visa applicants submit their digital biometric data, including fingerprints and official photographs, as part of the screening process before an entry permit can be approved.
Which countries are on the mandatory visa list?
The official document lists all nations subject to the traditional visa requirement. Citizens from the following countries are required to have a valid visitor visa and passport to visit or transit through Canada:
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cabo Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China (People's Republic)
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Congo (Republic)
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel (For holders of "Travel Document in Lieu of National Passport")
- Ivory Coast
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- North Korea
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Macao SAR
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives Islands
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Macedonia
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestine
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Romania (Holders of non-electronic/temporary passports)
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Sao Tomé e Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Taiwan (Holders of passports lacking a personal ID number)
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Türkiye
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Are there exceptions for electronic authorization?
Immigration authorities clarified that select passport holders from a few visa-required nations might be eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) instead of a full visa.
However, this concession applies exclusively to travellers arriving by air who meet strict secondary security criteria, such as holding specific historic or active foreign travel clearances.
If travellers from these conditional countries arrive via land or sea, such as on a cruise ship or driving across the border, the eTA is invalid, and a traditional physical visitor visa is mandatory. Stateless individuals and those travelling with refugee travel documents face the same visa obligations regardless of their route.
Canada introduces new asylum rules for Nigerians
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Canada has rolled out far-reaching changes to its immigration and asylum framework that will affect Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking protection, study, or work opportunities in the country.
The reforms follow the passage of Bill C-12, officially titled the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act, which received royal assent on March 26, 2026.
Source: Legit.ng
