General enquiries

Consular Services, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada,
125 Sussex Drive,
Ottawa, ONTARIO. K1A 0G2

Telephone: • 1-800-267-6788 (toll-free from U.S. and Canada only) • 613-944-6788

E-mail: voyage@international.gc.ca

You need a visa to enter many foreign countries. The requirements and processing times for your visa will depend on what you intend to do while you are abroad: visit, study or work. This section provides the information you need to determine whether you need a visa, how to obtain one before your departure, and how to renew or change the status of your visa while you are abroad.

Before your departure, consult the following sources for country-specific visa information:

• The Tourist Visa Requirements page lists the countries that require travellers to obtain visas before entry.
• The Country Travel Reports contain country-specific visa information.
• The embassy or consulate of the country you plan to visit can always be able to provide definitive information on visa requirements. For contact information, consult the list of Government Offices Accredited to Canada.
• Directory of Canadian Government Offices Abroad. This directory contains website and contact information for Canadian government offices abroad.

To extend your stay in a country beyond the period permitted by the visa you currently hold, or to change the status of your visa (for example, from a visitor visa to a work visa), contact the nearest Canadian government office abroad and consular officials will refer you to the proper authorities in that country.

• Pack a copy of “Bon Voyage But…” and a copy of the Country Travel Report for your destination.
• Carry a passport that is valid well beyond the date of your anticipated return to Canada; keep a copy of the identification page separate from the original.
• Leave copies of your passport identification page, itinerary and insurance policy with friends or family.
• Obtain any required visas well in advance.
• Arrange for health and travel insurance.
• Plan your itinerary and budget.
• Anticipate financial needs: local currency, traveller’s cheques, departure tax.
• Take care of health needs: vaccinations, prescriptions, medical certificates, supplies, extra eyeglasses.
• Check whether dual citizenship is an issue for you.
• If travelling with children, carry documentation proving your right to accompany them (consent letter, court order).
• Register on-line with a Canadian government office abroad.
• Obtain an International Driving Permit, if required.
• Prepare for your flight by carefully attending to luggage, documentation and airport security.
• While abroad, keep receipts for purchases and make special arrangements for food, plants and animals brought back to Canada.

The Operations Centre of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. An experienced officer is always available to respond to emergency calls from anywhere in the world.

• Canadian citizens outside Canada can call collect to (613) 996-8885 (where available).
• For calls originating in Canada, call 1-800-267-6788 or (613) 944-6788.
• In a number of countries, you can also call the 24/7 Operations Centre toll-free.
• You can also communicate with us via TTY by dialling 1-800-394-3472 (in Canada and the U.S.) or (613)944-1310
• Contact us directly via our secure online e-mail form
• You can also reach the Operations Centre by e-mail at: sos@international.gc.ca
• Fax: (613) 943-1054

*Please note. The Operations Centre receives approximately 190,000 calls a year, and is busiest in the early evening, Eastern Time. The Centre uses a modern Automatic Call Distribution system. Your call will be automatically sequenced and will be answered as quickly as possible in the order in which it entered the call-waiting queue. It may be necessary, due to a large number of incoming calls, to request that you leave a message. Please do so by listening carefully to the instructions on the voice-mail system and ensure you provide the area code and telephone number where you can be reached. An Operations Officer will return your call within 15 minutes.