Canadian law requires that all persons entering Canada carry both proof of citizenship and proof of identity. A valid U.S. passport, passport card, or NEXUS card satisfies these requirements for U.S. citizens.
If you travel with a valid U.S. passport, your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned date of departure from Canada.
Children under 16 need only present proof of U.S. citizenship (a valid US passport). If you plan to travel to Canada with a minor who is not your own child or for whom you do not have full legal custody, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) may require you to present a notarized affidavit of consent from the minor’s parents.
For travelers who are not US citizens or travelers without a valid Canadian visa, please visit the CBSA website for instructions on how to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization to fly to Canada.
As of March 15, 2016, visa-exempt foreign nationals are expected to have an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to or transit through Canada. Exceptions include U.S. citizens and travelers with a valid Canadian visa. Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, and Canadian permanent residents are not eligible to apply for an eTA. U.S. Permanent Residents possessing a Green Card or valid permit to re-enter the United States require an eTA. You may need an eTA before you board your flight to Canada, even if you are just transiting through the country. Once the application process is complete, most applications are approved within minutes of submission. If you do not receive immediate approval, you will receive an email from the CIC with instructions for completing your application. The authorization is electronically linked to your passport and is valid for five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. To find out if you need an eTA to travel to Canada, please visit: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp
To apply for an eTA please visit: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta-start.asp. To apply you will need a valid passport from a visa-exempt country. You cannot apply using a Refugee Travel Document. U.S. permanent residents can apply with a valid Green Card, U.S. Refugee Travel Document or a valid permit to re-enter the United States. They will also require a passport from their country of nationality.
Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, China, Columbia, Egypt, India, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, and United Arab Emirates. Citizens of Taiwan are required to hold a passport with a national identification number. If you are a citizen of the Republic of China and do not hold a passport with a national identification number, you will require a visa.
To apply for a visitor visa, please visit: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/offices/vac.asp
If you are required to travel with an eTA or visitor visa you should:
If you are a permanent resident of Canada and a citizen of a visa-exempt country or a citizen of a visa-required country, you need to travel with your Canadian permanent resident (PR) card or permanent resident travel document when flying to Canada. Otherwise, you may not be able to board your flight to Canada.
To consider your admissibility to Canada, Canadian officials assess your crime according to Canadian laws. They look at the nature of the offence, how long ago the act took place and whether any sentences were imposed. A misdemeanor offence in the United States is not automatically considered an equivalent offence in Canada. The final decision about your admissibility rests with the immigration or border services officer.
Normally you cannot enter or stay in Canada if you are inadmissible. However, there are ways of overcoming your criminal inadmissibility.
If you are inadmissible, you may become admissible again if you:
You may also be offered a temporary resident permit if:
Visits considered justified could include family emergencies or business conferences. Pleasure trips are normally not considered justified in the circumstances.
For exceptions, see What is the new policy on criminal inadmissibility?
We urge members to apply for a Visa well in advance of the Annual Meeting and as soon as possible.
If you have questions, you may email the AAA Director, Meetings and Conferences, Nate Wambold, CMP at nwambold@americananthro.org.
