We love to bring you unique Canadian content here on PointsNerd and today we feature a fantastic post shared by reader Matthew from Edmonton, AB. Matthew writes an engaging blog, vividtreks.com, that uncovers his passion for travelling and story telling.
Just like the title of this post suggests, this will be a great resource for all Canadian travelers to keep a bookmark on.
After browsing through the list myself, I’m glad to confirm a visa is not required for faraway countries, Moldova and Georgia, destinations I plan to visit this Fall. The list even details the visa-free way to enter Russia, a method I have used by taking a ferry from Finland.
Without further to say, enjoy this great resource below by Matthew and be sure to visit VividTreks for more of his content.
LIST OF 134 COUNTRIES CANADIANS CAN TRAVEL WITHOUT A VISA
The Canadian passport ranks among the “top 5 most coveted passports” in the world because of how much freedom it provides (like visa-free entry) when we travel. The Canadian passport makes it super easy to get around since you could technically just show up at the borders of more than 100 countries and be allowed entry with no problems arising.
Did you know that your Canadian passport allows you visa-free entry to well over 130 different countries? Some countries even allow you to stay up to 1 year! If you didn’t, you do now. I got you. (Canadians are currently allowed into 157 countries without needing a tourist visa.)ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
**While these countries generally do not require a tourist visa, rules and regulations are subject to change. Always double check the country’s official entry requirements prior to arrival. (All mentions of a visa refer to a tourist visa.)
Use Ctrl+F and search for a country on the visa-free entry list. Or take a scroll through and find inspiration for your next country to visit!
Albania – Visa not required for stays up to 90 days per six-month period.
Andorra – Visa not required during period of intended stay.(You must have an outbound flight booked before arrival. Immigration will then determine the appropriate amount of time you’re allowed.)
Antigua and Barbuda – Visa not required, however, you must have an onward or return ticket as you will need to present it. It may also be necessary to show proof you have enough funds to sustain yourself for the duration of your stay.
Argentina – Visa not required.
Aruba – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days. (Canadians can stay in the Caribbean Netherlands (Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten) for 30 days per island for a maximum of 90 days per year.)
Austria – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Azores – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Bahamas – Visa not required for stays up to 8 months!
Barbados – Visa not required, however, the duration you are allowed to stay (up to 6 months) will be determined by an immigration officer.
Belgium – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Belize – Visa not required.
Bermuda – Visa not required.
Bolivia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days.
Bonaire – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days within a 180 day period.
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (You will be required to register with local police within 48 hours upon arrival if you plan to stay more than 3 days.)
Botswana – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
British Virgin Islands – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 6 months.
Brunei Darussalam – Visa not required for stays less than 14 days.
Bulgaria – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days every 6 months.
Canary Islands – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Cayman Islands – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 6 months.
Chile – Visa not required. (Tourists will be issued a tourist card which is valid for 90 days from date of arrival. It is required to show the card to immigration officers before leaving the country. If you have lost your card, a new one may be issued by a special police unit. If you wish to stay past 90 days, you may request for an extension for another 90 days one month prior to the expiration of your tourist card.)
Colombia – Visa not required. (You are required to have your passport stamped upon entry if you enter by land. As well, you must pay a tax which roughly amounts to CAD$85. Allotted time for stays range from 30 to 90 days. Stays may be extended up to 180 days. )
Cook Islands – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 31 days.
Costa Rica – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (The amount of time you are allowed to stay in the country will be determined by an immigration officer.)
Croatia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (You must register with local police within 48 hours upon arrival or face a fine for failure to register or, worse, expulsion from the country.)
Curaçao – Not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days. (Canadians can stay in the Caribbean Netherlands (Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten) for 30 days per island for a maximum of 90 days per year.)
Cyprus – Visa not required.
Czech Republic – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries. You must register with police within 3 working days upon arrival.)
Denmark – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Dominica – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 6 months.
Dominican Republic – Visa not required. (Upon entering the Dominican Republic, you will be required to obtain a tourist card at the cost of US$10 which is valid for 30 days. Your stay may be extended if you wish by requesting for an extension at the Department of Immigration in Santo Domingo.)
Ecuador – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days within a period of 365 days. (An extension may be granted by obtaining a permit extension. If entering by land, you must register with an Ecuadorian immigration officer at the border.)
El Salvador – Visa not required. (You must purchase a tourist card which is valid for 30-90 days at the cost of $10. The duration of your stay will be determined by local officials. An extension of your stay may be granted by applying with immigration authorities. 90 day period begins when you first enter any of the CA-4 countries.)
Estonia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Falkland Islands – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 4 months. (You will be required to present proof of travel and medical insurance before you are allowed entry into the Falkland Islands.)
Finland – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
France – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
French Guiana – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
French Polynesia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Georgia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 365 days. (If you wish to enter the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions, you are required to have your passport stamped by the regional authorities or face fines and/or incarceration.)
Germany – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Gibgraltar – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 180 days.
Greece – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Greenland – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Grenada – Visa not required.
Guadeloupe – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Guatemala – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (Passport must be stamped upon arrival. When entering by land or sea, you must find an immigration official to stamp your passport. 90 day period begins when you first enter any of the CA-4 countries.)
Guyana – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Haiti – Visa not applicable for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (You may stay beyond 90 days if approved to do so by applying to the Haitian Immigration Service before your 90 days are up.)
Honduras – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (Passport must be stamped upon arrival. When entering by air, land, or sea, you must find an immigration official to stamp your passport. 90 day period begins when you first enter any of the CA-4 countries.)
Hong Kong – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (All travellers subject to body temperature screening.)
Hungary – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Iceland – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Indonesia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days.
Ireland – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip – Visa not required for entry into Israel. (Travel to and from the West Bank falls under the jurisdiction of Palestinian and Israeli authorities. Entry to and exiting from the Gaza Strip is very restricted. Palestinian-Canadians are permitted to enter and exit the Gaza Strip only by way of the Rafah border crossing located in Egypt during open hours.)
Italy – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries. If you enter from a Schengen area country but are staying for less than 90 days, you must file a declaration of presence with local police within 8 days from arrival.)
Jamaica – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 6 months. (You must complete a Jamaican Immigration Landing Card upon checking in at the airport or during your flight. Overstaying past the date on your entry stamp is a criminal offence and may lead to fines, deportation, and even incarceration.)
Japan – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (Staying past 90 days is a criminal offence and may lead to fines, deportation, and even permanent ineligibility to re-enter Japan.)
Kazakhstan – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days. (You are required to complete a migration card when you arrive at any international airport within the country which must be stamped by 2 officials. One stamp will be from a national border control officer, another will be from a port official which is a registration of foreign citizens.)
Kiribati – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 28 days.
Korea (South) – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 180 days. (You must register your fingerprints and have a facial scan at the port of entry. Those under the age of 17 and diplomats are exempt from the screening.)
Kosovo – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Kyrgyz Republic – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 60 days. (Extension may be granted through a letter of invitation.)
Latvia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Lesotho – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 14 days. (Extensions may be granted for a total of up to 44 days without needing a visa.)
Liechtenstein – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Lithuania – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Luxembourg – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Macao – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days.
Macedonia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Malaysia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (Extensions may be granted by applying at any Malaysian Immigration office.)
Malta – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Martinique – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Mauritius – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Mayotte – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Mexico – Visa not required. (You must obtain a tourist card which is called the Multiple Migratory Form for Foreigners (FMM) from the airline or immigration authorities unless your stay is less than 72 hours within the northern border zone. The duration of your stay will usually be a maximum of 180 days. Additionally, you must pay a tourism tax amounting to roughly US$20 unless you travel to Mexico by land and stay for less than 7 days, travel to the northern border zone for less than 72 hours, or travel to Mexico on a cruise ship.)
Micronesia (FSM) – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days. (You must present a completed Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) Immigration Arrival and Departure Record. If you wish to stay more than 30 days, you may do so if you obtain a special permit.)
Moldova – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days for every 6 month period. (When entering Moldova from the Transnistrian segment of the Moldova-Ukraine border, you will be required to register within 72 hours from the moment you cross into Moldova.)
Monaco – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Mongolia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days.
Montenegro – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (If need be, you may apply for a temporary residence permit at least one week before your 90 days are up to have your stay extended.)
Montserrat – Visa not required.
Morocco – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (You may extend your stay if you obtain proper authorization to do so from the Service to Foreigners Section at a local police station at least 15 days before your 90 days are up. Failure to obtain the proper authorization while staying past 90 days will result in you being refused to exit the country until you meet a prosecutor.)
Namibia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (Overstaying may result in arrest and/or fines.)
Netherlands – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
New Caledonia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
New Zealand – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Niue – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days.
Norway – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Panama – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 180 days. (You must obtain a correctly dated entry stamp from immigration officials upon entry. If your stamp is found to be incorrectly stamped/expired, you may be fined. If you have a criminal record then you may be refused entry even if for transit to another destination. Additionally, your biometrics (fingerprints, facial scan) will be recorded at the port of entry.)
Peru – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 183 days. (Length of stay will be determined by an immigration officer. Overstaying is a criminal offence and will result in fines which must be paid before you are allowed to exit the country.)
Philippines – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days. (Extensions may be granted by applying at the Philippine Bureau of Immigration before your 30 days are up.)
Poland – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Portugal – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (If you arrive from a Schengen area country, you must register yourself as being in the country within 3 business days from the date of your arrival. Registration may be done at any immigration office or police station.)
Réunion – Same entry-exit rules as France. Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Romania – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days within any 180 period.
Russia – Visa not required for international cruise passengers who are accompanied by the cruise tour guide with the right documentation and authorization. (Some Russian international airports have transit areas with limited access to some visa free areas in Russia.)
Saint-Barthélemy – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days within a 6 month period.
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Visa not required for stays within allotted time frame. (Must have outbound flight.)
Saint Lucia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 42 days.
Saint Martin – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines – Visa not required.
Samoa – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 60 days. (Extensions may be granted by applying at an immigration office.)
San Marino – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 10 days. (Extensions may be granted by obtaining a permit of stay from the gendarmerie of San Marino. You mus register with the gendarmerie within 24 hours of arrival if you are staying more than 3 days.)
São Tomé and Principe – Visa not required for stays less than 15 days.
Senegal – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Serbia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (You must register with the local police within 24 hours from the moment you arrive in Serbia.)
Seychelles – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Singapore – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days. (You will be subject to fingerprinting upon arrival and departure.)
Sint Maarten – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 3 months. (Extensions may be requested if you have sufficient health insurance which is valid for the duration of your stay. Canadians can stay in the Caribbean Netherlands (Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten) for 30 days per island for a maximum of 90 days per year.)
Slovakia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Slovenia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Solomon Islands – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
South Africa – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (Canadians are not required to have a tourist visa to enter South Africa. However, immigration officials will issue a Temporary Residents Visa (TRV) when you arrive.)
Spain – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days in any 180 day time frame.
Swaziland – Visa not required
Sweden – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days in any 180 day time frame.
Switzerland – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (90 day period starts upon entry to any Schengen area countries.)
Taiwan – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (Extensions may be granted by request through the Taiwanese Bureau of Consular Affairs.)
Thailand – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days. (Overstaying may result in deportation, fines, and inability to re-enter Thailand up to 10 years later.)
Tokelau – A visa is not required but a special permit is. Permits are issued by Tokelau Apia Liaison Office in Apia, Samoa.
Trinidad and Tobago – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Tunisia – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (You must report to a police station or to the Ministry of the Interior when in Tunisia.)
Turks and Caicos Islands – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Ukraine – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days within a 180 day period.
United Arab Emirates – Visa not required. (You must obtain a free entry stamp which is valid for 30 days.)
United Kingdom – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 6 months.
United States – Visa not required in most circumstances except for some extensions. Length of stay is determined my both eligibility and at the discretion of an immigration officer.
Uruguay – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days. (Extensions may be granted by asking the relevant immigration authorities.)
Vanuatu – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 30 days.
Venezuela – Visa not required for stays less than or equal to 90 days.
Oh, Canada… I love ya.
For more information, check the Canadian Travel Advice and Advisories site: Here
Now that you know your visa free options, doesn’t it feel like the world’s just opened up? If I’ve missed anything, please let me know down in the comment section below.
**Note that some countries require onward/return tickets, proof of sufficient funds, and other requirements before you are allowed entry. As well, different entry-exiting rules may apply with a temporary passport, an emergency travel document. There may also be differences/exceptions due to special circumstances. Many countries allow the immigration officer who is assisting you to choose the length you are allowed to stay.
Please do not forget that while this list is meant to be used for informational purposes, it is not 100% definitive. Because of changing rules and regulations, many things cannot be accounted for.
Before traveling to any of these listed countries, please take the time to check the country’s official immigration website and any other relevant official sources.
Written by Matthew. Read more at VividTreks.com.