Canada eTA for Qatari citizens
Since November 2025, Canada has abolished visas for Qatari citizens: only an eTA is now required to enter or transit by air.
Since November 25, 2025, Qatari citizens have officially no longer needed a visa to travel to Canada. The Canadian government has added Qatar to the list of visa-exempt countries, which means that a simple eTA is sufficient to travel or transit by air. This measure, announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), simplifies the process and facilitates access to Canadian territory. In this article, you will find all the official information, conditions, procedures, and rules you need to know before your trip.
🔷 The essentials — What you need to know
- ✈️ No more visas since November 2025: Qatari citizens can travel to Canada with an eTA.
- 🧾 100% online procedure: quick and inexpensive eTA application (CAD 7).
- 🔄 Multiple entries: tourist or business stays of up to 6 months.
- 🇶🇦 Valid Qatari passport required.
- 📌 A visa is still required only to study, work, or settle in Canada.
- 🔗 See also: Who can enter Canada without a visa?
Since November 25, 2025, Qatari citizens have been officially exempt from visa requirements to enter Canada.
This announcement comes from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and marks a major shift in Canadian immigration policy.
Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, emphasizes:
“Lifting the visa requirement is an important step in our relationship with Qatar and will make it easier for eligible travellers to experience all that Canada has to offer. Not only will it strengthen business and investment opportunities, but it will also bring economic benefits at home and abroad while deepening the strong ties that exist between our two countries.”
IRCC adds:
"Canada is committed to an orderly and managed migration system. Qatar meets Canada’s stringent criteria for visa-free travel following an in-depth assessment of migration risks and economic benefits."
Even though the traditional visa is no longer required, Qatari citizens must now obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before traveling to Canada.
1. Prepare:
2. Complete the online form on the IRCC website
3. Pay the fee (CAD 7)
4. Receive the eTA by email
(The authorization is automatically linked to the passport.)
5. Travel with the same passport
Even without a tourist visa, certain stays still require specific authorization:
For these situations, Qatari citizens should consult the appropriate categories on IRCC.
The visa waiver is not a stand-alone measure: it is part of a context of intensifying relations between Doha and Ottawa.
This flourishing trade largely explains Canada's openness to immigration.
| Visa (before 2025) | eTA (now) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 100–150 CAD | 7 CAD |
| Processing time | Days / weeks | Minutes |
| Purpose | Long stays, work, studies | Tourism / business / transit |
| Complexity | Full application file | Simple online form |
| Validity | Varies | 5 years or until passport expiry |
The removal of the visa requirement for Qatari citizens is a major step forward that radically simplifies travel to Canada.
Now, a simple eTA is all that is needed to come and discover the country, meet business partners, or transit through a Canadian airport.
This measure reflects a significant diplomatic and economic rapprochement between the two nations, while maintaining a high level of immigration security thanks to prior electronic screening.