Do US citizens need a visa or eTA for Canada?

This is the single most common Canada mix-up. Canada's eTA (electronic travel authorization) is required for many visa-exempt nationalities flying in, so US travelers assume they need one too. They do not: US citizens are specifically exempt from the eTA, whether you fly, drive or arrive by sea. If a website offers to sell you a Canadian eTA as a US citizen, it is charging for something you do not need.

US green card holders who are not US citizens are also exempt from the eTA, but should travel with their permanent resident card.

To fly to Canada you need a valid US passport. Arriving by land or sea you have more options: a passport, a passport card, a NEXUS card, or an enhanced driver's license from a participating state all work, but a regular driver's license on its own does not, and has not since 2009. Children under 16 can cross by land or sea on a birth certificate, though a passport is simpler.

You can usually stay up to six months. The border officer sets the actual length on arrival and may ask about your plans, so have your return date and where you are staying to hand.

Canada is stricter than most on criminal inadmissibility: an old DUI, or another offense that feels minor at home, can get a US citizen turned away at the border. If that might apply to you, look into criminal rehabilitation or a Temporary Resident Permit on the official IRCC site well before you travel, rather than hoping it will not come up.

For frequent crossers, NEXUS (about $50 for five years) buys fast lanes at airports and land borders, and doubles as Global Entry for the trip home.

Visa-free entry covers tourism, visiting and short business trips, not working or studying, which need a permit. Your passport only has to be valid for your stay: Canada does not require the six-month buffer that many countries do.

For how money works once you are there, cards, cash, tipping and the rest, see the Canada money guide.

Common questions

Quick answers.

More on Canada

The little money things nobody warns you about.

• Tipping in CanadaUnlike Europe, Canada tips just like the US: 15 to 20% at sit-down restaurants, and staff rely on it. The one thing to watch is the card terminal, which often suggests high amounts and calculates on the after-tax total. Here is what you actually owe.
• Bringing your dog or cat to Canada.Canada is one of the lightest-lift destinations for a US pet owner. For an adult dog or cat there is no health certificate, no quarantine, and no waiting period. One document does almost all the work: a valid rabies vaccination certificate. Here is exactly what the border wants, and the one thing to remember for the trip home.
• Do I need cash in Canada, or can I use cards?Short answer: cards for almost everything, a little cash for markets and parking meters. Canada is nearly as tap-happy as it gets. The things to get right are the pre-tax price tag, the fee-heavy private ATMs, and the dollar prompt.
• Staying connected in Canada.Canada is the trip where your US plan has almost certainly already got you covered at no extra cost, so start there and expect to buy nothing. If it does not, or you want real data, an eSIM is cheaper than a day pass. The thing to plan for is the dead zones on rural highways and in the parks.
• What does renting a car in Canada really cost?Canada is the easy one for US drivers: your license works, and your usual card and insurance most likely cover the car, so the counter's pricey add-ons are often skippable. The costs to watch are the winter-tire rule, a sneaky Ontario toll, and the usual drop and driver fees.
• Taxis, Uber and Lyft in Canada.Rideshare works in Canada's major cities much as it does at home, so getting around town is easy. The money question is the airport run, where a train or a fixed taxi fare often beats a surging Uber. Here is what to use where.