Travel Documentation

Passport & Visa

Passports

Your passport remains the best internationally-accepted evidence of your citizenship. It may be required for any number of financial or legal transactions abroad and may be replaced if stolen, while you are away, unlike a birth certificate or driver's license.

You or your family needs valid passports for travel to most countries. Never assume otherwise. Some countries will require evidence of custody. Where appropriate, you should carry legal documents.

Chinese Nationality Passport Holders to Canada
Chinese nationality passport holders traveling as a TOURIST to Canada require a Temporary Resident Visitor Visa. The original passport or travel document should include at least one blank page, and valid for at least one month from the day you intend to leave Canada. Please visit the URL of the Canadian Embassy in Beijing Visa Section for more details on Chinese passport and visa regulations to enter Canada.

Non-Chinese Nationality Passport Holders to Canada
Please visit the URL of Citizenship and Immigration Canada to learn more details on passport and visa regulations to enter Canada.

Visas

You should check with your travel agent or the appropriate foreign diplomatic or consular missions about the visa requirements for the countries that you plan to visit. Obtain visas well in advance of your anticipated departure date. This may involve mailing your passport to the visa-issuing mission. Some countries require passports to be valid for a minimum period before they will issue a visa. There may be an extended delay if you apply for a visa from a third country while you are travelling.

Visas can be quite expensive. You should include their cost in the budget for your trip.

Make photocopies of your visas, and keep them separate from the originals.

On your arrival in a foreign country, be prepared to prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself during your intended stay and that you will be admitted to the next country on your itinerary. (For example, have a visa for that country if it's required.) Many countries will grant entry only if you're in possession of return onward tickets.

Some countries impose exit controls, which may include exit permits, proof of payment of local taxes if applicable, payment or sometimes very costly fines for visa overstays, etc. In some countries, you must register with local authorities if you're not staying at a recognized hotel. Otherwise, your departure may be delayed or you may be fined when you leave.

Chinese Nationality Passport Holders to Canada
Chinese nationality passport holders traveling as a TOURIST to Canada require a Temporary Resident Visitor Visa. The Temporary Resident Visitor Visa validity is determined by a visa officer. Single-entry visas are normally valid for three months, and multiple-entry visas may be valid for longer periods. All necessary documents must be submitted at the same time as your application and processing fee. Please visit the URL of the Canadian Embassy in Beijing, Visa Section for more details on Chinese passport and visa regulations to enter Canada.

Non-Chinese Nationality Passport Holders to Canada
Please visit the URL of Citizenship and Immigration Canada to learn more details on passport and visa regulations to enter Canada.

Customs & Immigration Information

We've provided a series of links to the Custom & Immigration Departments of many of the countries Air Canada flies to. We hope you find this useful.

For China
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
Canadian Embassy in Beijing
Canadian Tourism Commission

For Canada
Government of Canada
Immigration & Refugee Board of Canada
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

For the United States
U.S. Customs & Border Protection
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services

Canpass Air program (Citizen or permanent resident of Canada or the United States only)
Iris recognition technology is now available at Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Halifax, Toronto Pearson and Montreal Trudeau International Airports, allowing pre-approved passengers to clear customs and immigration in the blink of an eye. Find out more about the Canpass Air program.

Travel Documentation

A valid passport is required to travel to foreign countries for ALL travelers including children. Some countries may even require a visa. To find out what the entry requirements are, please contact the local consulate / Embassy of the country you will visit.

Only Canadian permanent residents from non visa-waiver countriestravelling outside Canada are required to carry a valid Canadian permanent resident (PR) card or a valid visa, in addition to a valid passport, to return to Canada. The IMM1000 Record of Landing is no longer acceptable. Without a valid Canadian PR Card or valid visa, these passengers are not permitted to board the aircraft, and will need to contact the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate to obtain a limited use travel document to re-enter Canada. For more information, please visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

In accordance with government regulations, airlines are only required to check identification at the departure gate for passengers who appear to be 18 years of age or older. However, Canada requires that all passengers, including children, carry their own valid passport when travelling by air to another country.

Please Note: Immigration authorities in most countries are becoming increasingly vigilant when children are crossing international borders. Whether travelling alone or accompanied by an adult, each child traveling abroad must have a valid passport. As well the adults traveling with the minor children are strongly advised to hold a letter of travel consent signed by the parent(s) or guardian(s) with legal custody. The letter must include the signer's address and phone details. It is recommended that this letter be notarized. If a parent / guardian is divorced or deceased, custody document or death certificate is required.

Advance Passenger Information System (APIS)

Like all other airlines, Air Canada adheres to the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), which requires the collection of specific information from every passenger travelling to Canada, as well as to/from the U.S. and certain other countries. This information is required for the purposes of ensuring aviation safety and security.

Save time at check-in! Enter required security information beforehand using our convenient online form*:

Provide your API online

*You may also provide APIS information when you check in online, on your mobile device or at an airport kiosk.

Travelling to or from the U.S. via Canada?

Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA):

Effective March 15, 2010, citizens from countries participating in the US Visa Waiver Program who wish to travel by air to the United States must obtain approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) using the convenient ESTA online form. Passengers who have not obtained prior approval via ESTA prior to departure will be denied boarding. For a list of VWP countries or to learn more about ESTA, visit the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

Secure Flight Program:

As required under the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA)'s Secure Flight Program, Air Canada, along with other airlines, is required to collect additional information from passengers who book a flight to, from or via the United States. All passengers travelling to, from or via the U.S. are required to provide the following information at least 72 hours prior to travel, or at time of booking for bookings made within 72 hours of departure:
  • Full name as it appears on the passport (mandatory)
  • Date of birth (mandatory)
  • Gender (mandatory)
  • Redress Number (optional)
(Last updated, 01JUL10.)