Trips betwen USA and China via Canada. Canadian transit visa needed?

Consider the following situation:

Someone is travelling from USA to China and back, and the flight stops in Canada (both ways). It is a single flight ticket, however it is necessary to transit through a Canadian airport.

Is it necessary to obtain a Canadian transit visa?

Assume the person needs a visa to enter all of USA, China, Canada, and already has visas for USA and China. Please comment if additional information is needed. Links to official information sources describing the situation would be appreciated.

Best Answer

The answer is, it depends on many factors.

For example, the Vancouver Airport has a page for Connecting through YVR where you select:

your originating country
your arrival airline
your destination country
your departure airline

The web site will then give you detailed information about arrival procedures, time of day when certain services are available, and other information. You will have to enter the specific information for your traveller in order to find a suitable answer.

EDIT: Chinese citizens may be eligible for the China Transit Program where a transit visa is not required (but there are a lot of conditions).

Romanian citizens need a visa to transit through Canada.

Note that the Romanian passengers in your group will not likely be able to remain with the Chinese citizens in the airport if the Chinese citizens choose the China Transit Program option. Presumably you would all end up departing on the same flight as scheduled, of course.

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Do I need a transit visa when going to Canada via the USA I have a student visa for Canada?

You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country. You don't need an eTA if you're transiting through Canada and you enter by train, bus, boat or cruise ship. You do need to bring the right travel documents.

Can I transit through Canada to China?

Travellers whose planes refuel in Canada going to and from the United States, as well as participants in the China Transit Program and Transit Without Visa Program, do not need to have an eTA or a visa to transit Canada.

Do I need visa for Canada from USA as Chinese?

As a Chinese citizen, you are eligible to get the Canada ArriveCAN. The iVisa.com offers an online process for this travel requirement. Also, you need to comply with these requirements: COVID test prior to arrival: PCR within 72 hours or antigen test within 24 hours for unvaccinated travelers.

Does Air Canada require transit visa?

Passengers transiting through Canada on their way to/from the U.S.: Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express are approved air carriers participating in the Canadian government's Transit Without Visa (TWOV) program, and China Transit Program (CTP).

Canada - Transit Visa - How To Confirm You Don’t Need An eTA while Transiting via A Canadian Airport

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