Visa requirement
Canada visa for Chinese citizens
Official-source answer with stay limit, cost, required documents and last verification date.
Do Chinese citizens need a visa for Canada?
Checked answer — confirm before travel
Chinese citizens need a visa to enter Canada.
Last verified:
Confidence: Medium Likely current — confirm details with the official source.
This answer is for ordinary Chinese passport holders travelling as citizens of that passport. Residence permits, long-stay visas or living in another country can change which embassy or rule applies.
Visa types at a glance
| Visa type | Availability | Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa-free? | No | This page stores a visa or authorization route instead. |
| eVisa? | No | No eVisa route is stored for this corridor. |
| Visa on arrival? | No | No visa-on-arrival route is stored for this corridor. |
- Set by visa
- 100 CAD
- Apply for a visa before you travel
Before you travel
- 1 Entry step Apply for a visa before you travel Official route (opens in a new tab)
- 2 Stay limit Set by visa
- 3 Official fee 100 CAD
- 4 Passport validity Official rule stored below. See full note
- 5 Transit airside: required; landside: required. Full note below. See full note
- 6 Freshness Checked 23 Jul 2026; confidence: medium
Shareable verdict: Chinese citizens need a visa to enter Canada. Checked 23 Jul 2026.
Open SVG cardCost note
Visitor visa (temporary resident visa) application fee. Biometrics fee of CAD 85 is additional in most cases.
Passport and transit notes
- Passport validity
- Canada requires a valid passport or travel document that is legal, not expired and accepted by IRCC. Visa-required travellers should keep at least one blank page for a visa sticker.
- Validity source (opens in a new tab) Validity guide
- Transit
- airside transit: required; landside transit: required; Visa-required travellers need a transit visa for airside airport transit of 48 hours or less, or a visitor visa if they will enter Canada, cross by land or sea, stay longer than 48 hours, or do not meet transit-visa conditions. Transit Without Visa or China Transit Program exceptions may apply to narrow cohorts.
- Transit source (opens in a new tab) Transit guide
What you need
- valid passport
- completed application online
- biometrics at visa application centre
- proof of funds
- travel itinerary
- return or onward ticket
Why this verdict
Chinese citizens need a temporary resident visa (visitor visa) to visit Canada. There is a limited China Transit Program for some U.S.-bound air transits, but that is not the general tourist-entry rule.
Frequently asked questions
Do Chinese citizens need a visa for Canada?
Chinese citizens need a visa to enter Canada. (Visa required.) Verified 23 Jul 2026 against the official source.
How long can Chinese passport holders stay in Canada?
The length of stay is set by the visa you are issued.
How much does entry to Canada cost for Chinese citizens?
The official fee is 100 CAD. This page tracks the official government fee only, not agent markup.