I always encourage my readers to get their US visa at some point. Having a US visa will open up many doors. Of course, you can travel to the US, but you can also travel to 49 countries VISA-FREE with US visa.
But, many fear that the US visa is the most difficult to get.
Well, there is an alternative – CANADA VISA.
Canada visa is the second best visa. You can travel 36 countries VISA-FREE with Canada visa.
The best thing about Canada visa is that there is NO VISA INTERVIEW.
The US visa interview process is frightening to many. If you have been to one, you would know what I mean. The high security at the consulate, lining up in the street outside the building, intimidating visa officers, questions that you were not prepared for, and the list goes on.
If you do not have a US consulate in your city, you have to travel to the nearest city where the US consulate is. The visa fee itself is quite steep and on top of that, these travel expenses can add up.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Why should you get a Canada tourist visa?
- Which Canada visas are eligible?
- North America
- Central America
- Caribbean
- 09. Anguilla (British Territory)
- 10. Antigua and Barbuda
- 11. Aruba
- 12. Bahamas
- 13. Bermuda (British Territory)
- 14. Bonaire (Dutch Territory)
- 15. British Virgin Islands (British Territory)
- 16. Cayman Islands (British Territory)
- 17. Cuba
- 18. Curaçao
- 19. Dominican Republic
- 20. Haiti
- 21. Jamaica
- 22. Sint Maarten
- 23. Turks and Caicos (British Territory)
- South America
- Europe
- Middle East
- Asia
- Conclusion
—
Why should you get a Canada tourist visa?
Though Canada visa doesn’t offer as much VISA-FREE travel as the US visa, Canada visa has its own advantages.
- Canada visa application has no visa interview.
- Canada tourist visa is also a long-term visa. Usually issued for 10 years or until the expiration of your passport.
- The fee for Canada tourist visa is much lesser. It’s only $100 CAD.
- India and China passport holders can even take advantage of the CAN+ expedited program.
- Last but not the least, Canada itself is a beautiful country. Have you ever seen the pictures of Banff National Park? Just Google it. It’s spectacular. That’s just one example. The country is vast, diverse and a nature lover’s paradise. It’s also culturally diverse and the people are the most polite in the world.
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Which Canada visas are eligible?
Depending on the country, any of the below Canada visas can be used.
- Canada Visitor Visa (V-1)
- Canada Work Visa (W-1)
- Canada Student Visa (S-1 and SW-1)
- Canada Transit Visa (VH-1)
- Canada Permanent Resident Card
Refer to each country below for permitted Canada visa types. Some countries require the Canada visa to be multiple entries and have been used at least once to travel to Canada.
So, without further ado, let’s get started.
RELATED: How to travel 49 countries VISA-FREE with a US visa
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North America
01. Canada
- Of course!
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02. Mexico
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 180 days
- Entry rules:
- Canada visa or the PR card must be valid for the entire stay in Mexico
- Passport must be valid for the entire stay in Mexico
- Original sources:
RELATED: How to travel 35 countries VISA-FREE with a UK visa [2020 edition]
***
Central America
03. Costa Rica
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: Valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas – visitor, work and study only
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- Canada visitor visa must be valid for at least 30 days from the day of arrival
- Canada student/work visas and PR cards must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
- Original sources:
Personal experience: I have entered Costa Rica at San Jose airport with my India passport and Canada visa. Immigration procedure at the airport took about 10 minutes due to long lines. I was given only a 15-day entry.
—
04. El Salvador
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Niger
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- South Sudan
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Zambia
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 90 days total in the entire CA-4 zone (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua)
- Entry rules:
- An entry fee of $10 USD will be charged if entering by air
- If you have already entered Guatemala or Honduras, you can enter El Salvador from Guatemala or Honduras by land without any additional visa requirements as per CA-4 Border Control Agreement
- Original sources:
—
05. Guatemala
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Niger
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- South Sudan
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 90 days total in the entire CA-4 zone (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua)
- Entry rules:
- If you have already entered Honduras or El Salvador, you can enter Guatemala from Honduras or El Salvador by land without any additional visa requirements as per CA-4 Border Control Agreement.
- Original sources:
—
06. Honduras
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Hong Kong
- India
- Jamaica
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lesotho
- Macau
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Niger
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- South Sudan
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 90 days total in the entire CA-4 zone (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua)
- Entry rules:
- Visa must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
- If you have already entered Guatemala or El Salvador, you can enter Honduras from Guatemala or El Salvador by land without any additional visa requirements as per CA-4 Border Control Agreement.
- Original sources:
—
07. Nicaragua
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Armenia
- Bangladesh
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Cameroon
- Congo, Dem Rep of
- Congo, Rep of
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- India
- Iraq
- Kenya
- Laos
- Liberia
- Libya
- Mali
- Mongolia
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Syria
- Timor-Leste
- Yemen
- Vietnam
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: None
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but are eligible to obtain Visa ON ARRIVAL
- VOA fee is $50 USD, payable in USD, valid for 30 days, single-entry only
- Besides VOA fee, there is $10 USD entry fee, $2 USD land border migration fee (for land border only) and $1 USD municipality tax (for land border only) (payable in USD only)
- Original sources:
—
08. Panama
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 90 days
- Entry rules:
- Canada visa must have been used at least once to enter Canada before
- Canada visa must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
- Passport must be valid for at least 3 months from the day of arrival
- Must show proof of economic solvency for a minimum of $500 USD
- Original sources:
RELATED: 5 ways to get a proof of onward travel for your next trip
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Caribbean
09. Anguilla (British Territory)
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 90 days
- Original sources:
—
10. Antigua and Barbuda
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but are eligible to obtain Visa ON ARRIVAL
- VOA fee is $100 USD, valid for 30 days, single-entry only
- Canada visa must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
- Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
- Original sources:
—
11. Aruba
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Bolivia
- China
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- India
- Jamaica
- Peru
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card (applies to all nationalities)
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Original sources:
—
12. Bahamas
- Eligible nationalities: India passport holders only
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card (applies to all nationalities)
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- If traveling directly from Canada, the Canada PR card must be valid for at least 3 months from the day of arrival (this rule does not apply to visa holders)
- If not traveling directly from Canada, the Canada PR card must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival (this rule does not apply to visa holders)
- Original sources:
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13. Bermuda (British Territory)
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- Canada visa or PR card must be valid for a minimum of 45 days beyond the date of departure from Bermuda
- Original sources:
—
14. Bonaire (Dutch Territory)
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Bolivia
- China
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- India
- Jamaica
- Peru
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card (applies to all nationalities)
- Entry granted: 90 days
- Original sources:
—
15. British Virgin Islands (British Territory)
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: None
- Entry granted: 180 days
- Entry rules:
- Canada visa must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival (OR)
- Canada visa must have been used to enter Canada before
- Original sources:
—
16. Cayman Islands (British Territory)
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- China
- India
- Jamaica
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card (applies to all nationalities)
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- Must arrive directly from Canada
- Original sources:
—
17. Cuba
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: Valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas – visitor, work and study visas only
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- Must hold the Tourist Card (Tarjeta del Turista), which can be obtained from (a) Cuban Embassies and Consulates, (b) Authorized Airlines at the time of check-in or (c) Travel Agencies specialized in Cuba tours
- Original sources:
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18. Curaçao
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Bolivia
- China
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- India
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card (applies to all nationalities)
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Original sources:
—
19. Dominican Republic
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas, except VH-1 (transit)
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- If arriving by land or sea, must purchase a Tourist Card on arrival for $10 USD. If arriving by air, the tourist card is included in the airfare.
- Passport must be valid from at least 6 months from the day of arrival
- Original sources:
—
20. Haiti
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Colombia
- Dominican Republic
- Panama
- Cuba
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: None
- Entry granted: 90 days
- Entry rules:
- A tourist fee of $10 USD must be paid on arrival at the airport
- Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
- Original sources:
—
21. Jamaica
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Albania
- Belarus
- Bosnia and
- Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Dominican Republic
- Honduras
- Kazakhstan
- Macedonia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Romania
- Serbia
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: None
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- Canada visa must be valid for at least 30 days from the day of arrival
- Original sources:
—
22. Sint Maarten
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Bolivia
- China
- Colombia
- Cuba
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card (applies to all nationalities)
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- Canada visa must be valid for at least 30 days from the day of arrival
- Original sources:
—
23. Turks and Caicos (British Territory)
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas, except VH-1 (transit)
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 90 days
- Original sources:
RELATED: How to get Thailand Visa on Arrival – A complete guide
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South America
24. Chile
- Eligible nationalities: China passport holders only
- Permitted visas: A valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visitor visa (V-1)
- Permitted residence permits: None
- Entry granted: 90 days
- Entry rules:
- Canada visitor visa must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
- Original sources:
—
25. Peru
- Eligible nationalities: China and India passport holders only
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 180 days
- Entry rules:
- Canada visa must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
- Original sources:
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***
Europe
26. Georgia
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 90 days
- Entry rules:
- Canada visa must be valid on the day of arrival in Georgia
- Total duration of consecutive stays must not exceed 90 days in any 180 day period
- Original sources:
—
27. North Macedonia
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 15 days
- Entry rules:
- Canada visa must be valid for at least 5 days beyond the intended period of stay
- Total duration of consecutive stays must not exceed 3 months in any 6 months period
- Original sources:
—
28. United Kingdom
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 24 hours only (transit without a visa)
- Entry rules:
- Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but are eligible to request for a 24-hour entry at London’s Heathrow airport
- Must be in transit to/from Canada only
- Must arrive and depart by air
- Must hold the boarding pass for the onward flight
- Onward flight must be within 24 hours (on the same day or next day before midnight
- Granting the 24-hour entry is at the sole discretion of the immigration officer
- Original sources:
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***
Middle East
29. Jordan
- Eligible nationalities: India passport holders only
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 90 days
- Entry rules:
- Visa is NOT EXEMPT but can obtain Visa ON ARRIVAL (VOA)
- Original sources:
—
30. Oman
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Albania
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- China
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- El Salvador
- Georgia
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- India
- Iran
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Maldives
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Peru
- Russia
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- Visa in NOT EXEMPT, but are eligible to apply for eVisa
- eVisa fee is 50 OMR, valid for 1 year, multiple entry and must be used within the 1 month of approval
- Original sources:
—
31. Qatar
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas, except VH-1 (transit)
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- Visa is NOT EXEMPT but are eligible to apply for eTA and then obtain Visa ON ARRIVAL at all international airports in Qatar
- eTA is free of charge, valid for 30 days, single-entry only
- Canada visa must be valid for at least 30 days from the day of arrival
- Original sources:
FREE eBook: How to travel 56 countries VISA-FREE with a visa from US, Canada, UK, Schengen, Australia, etc.
***
Asia
32. Armenia
- Eligible nationalities: India passport holders only
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 120 days
- Entry rules:
- Visa is NOT EXEMPT but are eligible to obtain Visa ON ARRIVAL
- VOA fee is 15,000 AMD, valid for 120 days, single-entry only
- Passport must to be valid during the entire stay in Armenia
- Original sources:
—
33. Philippines
- Eligible nationalities: China and India passport holders only
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 14 days for India and 7 days for China passport holders
- Entry rules:
- Canada visa must be valid for the entire duration of stay
- Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of departure
- Original sources:
—
34. Singapore
- Eligible nationalities: China and India passport holders only
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas, except VH-1 (transit)
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 96 hours (4 days)
- Entry rules:
- Must be traveling to or from the country of passport. Example: Must be traveling to a third country from India via Singapore or traveling to India from a third country via Singapore. An example itinerary would be India-Singapore-Bali or Bali-Singapore-India.
- Both arriving and departing flights in Singapore must be on the same itinerary
- Original sources:
—
35. South Korea
- Eligible nationalities: All nationalities (except these 24 nationalities – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameron, Cuba, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Uzbekistan and Yemen)
- Permitted visas: All valid used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas, except VH-1 (transit)
- Permitted residence permits: A valid Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 30 days
- Entry rules:
- Must be traveling to go to Canada or US, Australia, New Zealand through South Korea (OR)
- Must depart from Canada or US, Australia, New Zealand to go to a third country through South Korea
- Original sources:
—
36. Taiwan
- Eligible nationalities: Following nationalities only
- Cambodia
- India
- Indonesia
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Vietnam
- Permitted visas: All valid/expired used/unused multiple-entry Canada visas
- Permitted residence permits: A valid/expired Canada permanent resident card
- Entry granted: 14 days
- Entry rules:
- Visa is EXEMPT but must apply for ROC Travel Authorization Certificate online before arrival
- ROC Travel Authorization Certificate is free of charge, valid for 90 days, multiple-entry
- If using an EXPIRED visa or PR card, the visa or PR card must have expired in the last 10 years only
- Original sources:
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***
Conclusion
There you have it! List of 36 countries you can travel VISA-FREE with Canada visa. If you don’t have a Canada visa already, it’s time to apply for one and add another 36 to your list of VISA-FREE countries.
Do you know any other country (I haven’t listed here) that offers visa exemption for Canada visa holders? Let me know in the comments below.
WRITTEN BY THIRUMAL MOTATI
Thirumal Motati is a world traveler and digital nomad from India. He is on a mission to travel to every country in the world on his Indian passport. He believes that his weak passport cannot stop him from traveling the world. Through this blog, he inspires many to take up the life of travel despite their weak passports. His guidance has helped many secure their visas and fulfill their travel dreams.
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