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Connecting through a Canadian airport? Some nationalities need a Canadian visa or Airport Transit Visa even for a short layover — before boarding their flight. VMC confirms your requirements and prepares your transit visa application quickly.
Transit visa
$100
Application fee (CAD)
40+
Countries requiring ATV
TWOV
US visa exemption option
Single
Or multiple entry
Related programs
Not sure if you need a transit visa?
VMC checks your nationality and route in minutes.
Book Free Assessment →A Canadian transit visa (or Airport Transit Visa) is required by citizens of certain countries who are passing through a Canadian airport — even if they never plan to enter Canada itself.
Canada has major international hub airports — Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Vancouver (YVR), and Montreal (YUL) — that handle millions of connecting passengers every year. If your flight route passes through one of these airports and your nationality requires a Canadian visa, you need the appropriate authorization before you board your first flight.
There are two transit scenarios: Direct Airside Transit, where you connect flights entirely within the secure international area without going through Canadian border control; and standard transit, where you may need to re-check bags or change terminals in a way that requires passing through Canadian customs and immigration.
The key rule: you cannot obtain a transit visa at the airport. It must be obtained before travel. If you arrive at a Canadian airport without the required authorization, you can be denied boarding at your origin or denied entry at the Canadian airport.
You cannot get a transit visa at the airport. Airlines check transit visa requirements at check-in and will deny boarding if you don't have the required documentation. Apply well in advance of your travel date.
If you are transiting through Canada and your nationality requires a Canadian visa, you apply for a regular Temporary Resident Visa (visitor visa). This covers both visiting and transiting. Mark your application as transit and include your onward travel details.
Most common approach for visa-required nationals transiting Canada
If you are connecting flights without ever leaving the secure international transit area of a Canadian airport (never going through Canadian customs or immigration), different rules may apply. Some nationalities are exempt from visa requirements for DAT, while others still need a TRV. Verify your requirements based on your specific nationality and airports involved.
Rules differ depending on your nationality and the specific airport
The TWOV program allows some nationalities who hold a valid US visa (or US green card) to transit Canadian airports without a Canadian visa, provided they are on a direct connection to or from the US and stay in the international transit area.
Strict eligibility — not available to all nationalities even with a US visa
Citizens of the following countries typically require a Canadian TRV or ATV to transit through a Canadian airport. This list is based on IRCC policy and may change.
This list is not exhaustive. Country requirements change periodically based on bilateral agreements and IRCC policy. Always verify your specific nationality and route with VMC or directly with IRCC before booking travel.
Canada's transit visa requirements are driven by security concerns, asylum-seeker patterns, and reciprocal visa policy with various countries. Even a 1-hour layover in a Canadian airport falls within the visa requirement for affected nationalities. The rationale is that Canada's customs and border protection applies to all travelers on Canadian soil — including those in transit areas.
Many travelers do not need a Canadian transit visa. Here are the main exemption categories.
Citizens of countries that are visa-exempt to enter Canada (e.g. UK, France, Germany, Australia, Japan) do not need an ATV. They may need an eTA for air travel.
US citizens do not need a Canadian visa, eTA, or ATV for any purpose — including transit.
US permanent residents (Green Card holders) are generally exempt from the ATV requirement for transit connections in Canada, provided they are traveling to or from the US.
If you already hold a valid Canadian Temporary Resident Visa, you do not need a separate ATV — your TRV covers transit.
Holders of valid diplomatic or official passports from most countries are exempt from the ATV requirement.
Some travelers who hold a valid US visa and are connecting directly to/from the US may transit under the TWOV program without an ATV — but strict conditions apply.
If you hold a valid US non-immigrant visa and are transiting Canada on a direct connection to or from the United States, you may qualify for the Transit Without Visa (TWOV) program — avoiding the need for a Canadian visa.
TWOV requirements:
Some nationalities require a Canadian visa even if they hold a valid US visa — the TWOV program does not apply to all nationalities. Countries whose citizens are not eligible for TWOV (even with a US visa) include:
Always verify with VMC before booking travel through Canada.
VMC's licensed RCICs confirm your requirements based on your nationality and travel route — preventing denied boarding or denied entry at the Canadian airport.
The application process is similar to a regular visitor visa. The key difference is you indicate transit as your purpose and include your full onward travel itinerary.
Verify whether your nationality requires a Canadian visa or ATV for your specific transit route. VMC checks this quickly based on your passport.
Collect: valid passport, travel itinerary with all flight bookings, destination country visa (if applicable, e.g. US visa), and proof of purpose for your destination.
Apply through the IRCC secure account portal. Select Temporary Resident Visa, indicate transit as your purpose, and upload all required documents.
The government fee is CAD $100 (same as a regular visitor visa). Pay online and submit your complete application.
Once approved, your TRV will show a transit designation or be issued as a single-entry or multiple-entry visa. Carry it with your travel documents.
Application Fee
CAD $100
Same as a regular visitor visa application
Biometrics (if required)
CAD $85
Depending on your nationality and first application
Processing Time
Varies
Check IRCC's current processing time tool. Apply well in advance of travel.
Validity
Single or multiple entry
Multiple entry TRV may be issued for frequent transiting travelers
VMC's licensed RCICs confirm your transit visa requirements and prepare your application quickly — preventing denied boarding or denied entry at the Canadian airport.
Still have questions? Our licensed RCICs answer within 24 hours.
Book Free ConsultationReady to build your Canada plan? Speak with our licensed specialists — Sanjay Singh Kumar, Amanpreet Kaur, or Kanwar Jagraj Singh.