Travelling to Canada from the UAE in 2026: entry requirements by passport

We still get asked whether Canada has travel restrictions, usually by people who read an old article (this page used to be one of them). The real question for someone flying out of Dubai or Abu Dhabi today is simpler: which document does my passport need? This guide goes through the passports we see most often in the UAE, then covers what happens at the Canadian border.

Are there still COVID-19 travel restrictions for Canada?

No. The Government of Canada removed every COVID-19 entry measure on 1 October 2022. Since then, travellers of any citizenship have not had to show proof of vaccination, take a test before or after arrival, quarantine, or submit health information through ArriveCAN.

ArriveCAN still exists, but using it is not required. You can use its Advance Declaration feature to send your customs and immigration declaration before you fly, which can save time at the airport. If you skip it, you make your declaration on arrival as usual.

Visa or eTA? It depends on your passport, not where you live

This is the point that trips people up most. Canada decides what you need based on your citizenship, meaning the passport you travel on. A UAE residence visa, Emirates ID or years of living in Dubai do not change it. If you hold an Indian passport and live in Dubai, you follow the rules for Indian citizens.

There are two main documents:

• A visitor visa (also called a temporary resident visa) is needed by citizens of visa-required countries, whatever way they travel: by air, car, bus, train or boat.
• An electronic travel authorization (eTA) is needed by citizens of eTA-required countries to board a flight to Canada. It is linked to your passport electronically.

UAE passport holders: eTA to fly

The United Arab Emirates is on Canada’s list of eTA-required countries. If you are an Emirati citizen flying to Canada, you need an eTA and a valid passport, and you do not need a visitor visa. If you enter Canada by car, bus, train or boat (for example, driving up from the US), you do not need an eTA, only a valid passport.

Fly on the same passport you used for the eTA. If you renew your passport, you must apply for a new eTA with the new one.

Indian, Pakistani and Egyptian passport holders: visitor visa

India, Pakistan and Egypt are all on the visa-required list, as are Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Oman, among others. Citizens of these countries need a valid visitor visa and a valid passport to visit Canada or even to transit through a Canadian airport. The visa is needed however you arrive.

In most cases you will also give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics) after you apply. More on that below.

Philippine passport holders: an eTA may replace the visa

The Philippines is a visa-required country, but it is also one of the countries whose citizens may be able to apply for an eTA instead of a visa. You are eligible only if you meet all three of these conditions:

1. You have held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years, or you currently hold a valid US non-immigrant visa. The US visa must be valid on the day you apply for the eTA, though it does not need to be valid when you travel.
2. You are coming for a temporary stay, normally up to 6 months.
3. You are flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport on a valid Philippine passport.

The eTA route works for air travel only. If you plan to drive in from the US, or arrive by bus, train or boat (including a cruise ship, even if you stay on board), you still need a visitor visa. Canada suggests bringing your old passport too if it holds the expired Canadian visa or the US visa you relied on.

The same conditional route is open to citizens of Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama, Seychelles, Uruguay and several Caribbean countries. If you already hold a valid Canadian visa, keep using it until it expires. You do not need an eTA as well.

Quick comparison

Lists change, so confirm your own passport with Canada’s visa or eTA checker before you book.

Biometrics: who gives them and when

Biometrics means your fingerprints and a photo. Canada uses them to confirm your identity and to help assess your application. If you apply for a visitor visa, in most cases you give them after you submit the application.

Some people are exempt, including:

• visitors who are applying only for an eTA
• children under 14
• applicants over 79
• people applying for a visitor visa, study permit or work permit who already gave biometrics for a permanent residence application that is still in process

Plan the appointment into your timeline. A visa application is not complete until the biometrics are in.

What the border officer checks when you land

A visa or eTA lets you board the plane. It does not, on its own, mean you will be admitted. That decision is made by a border services officer when you arrive. Canada describes the process like this:

• Your identity is checked to make sure you are the same person who was cleared to travel.
• You go through the identity check and a health assessment, and the officer considers whether you meet the entry requirements.
• You can be refused entry if you give false or incomplete information.
• If someone in Canada wrote you a letter of invitation, bring it. The officer may ask to see it.
• Most visitors can stay up to 6 months, but the officer can set a shorter or longer period depending on the purpose of your visit.

Our practical advice is to carry the same documents you used for your application, such as your travel plans and where you will stay, and to answer questions plainly. Keep them in your hand luggage, not in a checked bag.

Travelling with children

Children under 18 follow the same entry rules as adults, so a child on an Indian passport needs a visitor visa even if a parent has a different passport. Each family member applying for an eTA must apply separately.

Border officers watch closely for missing or runaway children and may ask questions. Canada recommends these documents:

• Child travelling with one parent: the child’s passport, a copy of the birth certificate, and a letter of authorisation signed by the parent who is not travelling, with that parent’s address, phone number and a photocopy of their signed passport or national ID.
• Child travelling alone: their own passport (a parent’s passport cannot be used), a copy of the birth certificate, and a letter signed by both parents or the legal guardian, with contact details for the adult looking after the child in Canada.
• Separated or divorced parents: copies of custody documents, and ideally a letter from the other parent.

The officer may not ask for these papers, but a child can be refused entry if the officer is not satisfied the parents agreed to the trip. Canada’s minor children page covers guardianship and other cases.

Workers, students and parents visiting family

A Canadian work permit or study permit is not a visa. In most cases you also need a visitor visa or an eTA to enter, and Canada issues it automatically along with a successful permit application. If you need a visa, check that it is still valid before you leave Canada and come back. If you have an eTA, travel on the same passport you used to get it. See our pages on the Canada work permit and studying in Canada from Dubai.

Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, permanent residents or people registered under the Indian Act may be eligible for a super visa. Our Canada visit visa page explains how the visitor visa and super visa applications work from the UAE.

Where to check before you travel

• Find out if you need a visa or eTA (canada.ca)
• What you need to enter Canada (canada.ca)
• eTA for citizens of some visa-required countries (canada.ca)
• Advance Declaration in ArriveCAN (canada.ca)

Frequently asked questions

Are there any travel restrictions to Canada right now?

There are no COVID-19 restrictions. They all ended on 1 October 2022. The normal entry rules apply: depending on your passport, you need a visitor visa or an eTA, plus a valid passport, and a border officer decides whether to admit you.

Is ArriveCAN still mandatory?

No. ArriveCAN is optional. You can use its Advance Declaration to submit your customs and immigration declaration before you fly into Canada, which may save time at the border.

I live in Dubai on a residence visa. Can I apply for an eTA?

Only if your passport qualifies. eTA eligibility depends on your citizenship, not on your UAE residence. For example, an Indian or Pakistani citizen living in the UAE still needs a visitor visa.

I hold a Philippine passport and a valid US visa. Do I need a Canadian visitor visa to fly?

You may be able to apply for an eTA instead, if your US non-immigrant visa is valid on the day you apply (or you have held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years), your stay is temporary (normally up to 6 months), and you are flying. If you plan to enter by land or sea, you need a visitor visa.

Do I need an eTA if I drive into Canada from the US?

If you are a citizen of an eTA-required country such as the UAE, no. You need a valid passport. Citizens of visa-required countries, including Philippine citizens who would qualify for an eTA by air, need a visitor visa to enter by land.

My child is travelling with only one parent. What documents are needed?

Canada recommends the child’s passport, a copy of the birth certificate and a letter of authorisation signed by the parent who is not travelling, including that parent’s address, phone number and a copy of their signed passport or national ID.

Official sources

All accessed 26 September 2026.

• Government of Canada, What you need to enter Canada
• Government of Canada, Find out if you need a visa or eTA
• Government of Canada, eTA: Citizens from some visa-required countries
• Government of Canada, Biometrics
• Government of Canada, Visitor visa: Prepare for your arrival
• Government of Canada, Minor children travelling to Canada
• Government of Canada, COVID-19: international students (ArriveCAN status)
• Global Affairs Canada, Briefing document, 28 October 2022 (removal of COVID-19 border measures)

This guide is general information, not advice on your individual case. Entry decisions are made by the Government of Canada.

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