What it means in practice
180 days is about six months. If you arrive on 1 November 2026, your last legal day is 29 April 2027, because the arrival day is day one. Use the stay calculator for your own dates.
That is long enough to rent a place for a season, but a visitor stay is not residence: it does not give you the right to work for a local employer.
How Canada counts your stay: Most visitors may stay up to 6 months. The officer can allow a shorter or longer stay and then writes the date in the passport or issues a visitor record; without such a date you may stay 6 months from entry or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
Before you go
Official details are shown in English.
- Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) — Cost: CAD 7; Processing: Usually minutes; up to several days if documents are requested; Validity: Up to 5 years or until the passport expires, multiple trips; Stay: Usually up to 6 months per entry, set by the border officer. Apply on the official site
- Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) — Before booking or at least a few days before the flight; most are approved within minutes; CAD 7, non-refundable. Needed for air travel to or transit through Canada; not needed when arriving by car, bus, train or boat (except by sea from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, cruise ships excluded). Linked to one passport: if you get a new passport, apply again. You need the passport, a card and an email. If extra documents are requested, you get an email within 72 hours. Apply only on canada.ca: other sites charge more. Official site
At the border
Official details are shown in English.
- The same passport you used for the eTA or that holds your visa
- Officers may ask for proof of funds, ties to your home country, the return ticket and an invitation letter if you have one
- Minors travelling without one or both parents: a consent letter from the absent parent(s) or guardian
- Declare cash of CAD 10,000 or more and all food, plants and animal products
How to avoid overstaying
- Go by your stamp or visa. The date the officer gives you is the one that counts, even if it is shorter than the maximum.
- Plan to leave a day or two early. With 180 days, book your exit before the last legal day so a cancelled flight doesn't push you over.
- Extend before you run out. Apply online for a visitor record before your status expires: CAD 100. If your status has already expired, restoration costs CAD 246.25.
- Penalties. Our data does not list the overstay penalty for Canada. Ask the immigration authority before you risk it: fines, deportation and entry bans are common elsewhere.
Good to know
Official details are shown in English.
- US lawful permanent residents do not need an eTA or visa: carry a valid passport and the green card.
- Dual Canadian citizens must fly to Canada on a Canadian passport; they cannot get an eTA.
Staying longer
Visa-free days are for visits. For months or years in Canada, these are the long-stay routes in Bordr's guide (checked against official sources):
Official details are shown in English.
- Start-up Visa Program (paused) — Permanent residence (when open)
- Study permit — For the length of the study program
- Express Entry (permanent residence for skilled workers)
Costs, income thresholds and how to apply are in the Bordr guide.
Questions
Do South Korean citizens need a visa for Canada?
South Korean citizens don't need a visa for Canada, but must get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) online before the trip. Stays of up to 180 days are allowed.
How long can South Korean citizens stay in Canada?
Up to 180 days, according to Bordr's data. Most visitors may stay up to 6 months. The officer can allow a shorter or longer stay and then writes the date in the passport or issues a visitor record; without such a date you may stay 6 months from entry or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
Can I extend my stay in Canada?
Apply online for a visitor record before your status expires: CAD 100. If your status has already expired, restoration costs CAD 246.25.
What do I need at the border in Canada?
The same passport you used for the eTA or that holds your visa; Officers may ask for proof of funds, ties to your home country, the return ticket and an invitation letter if you have one; Minors travelling without one or both parents: a consent letter from the absent parent(s) or guardian.
When was this checked?
Bordr last checked the entry rules for Canada against official sources on 30 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the official source before you travel.
Sources and last check
Entry rules for this destination were last checked against official sources on 30 October 2026. Visa-free days come from the passport matrix in the Bordr app, corrected where the official rules differ.
- IRCC — Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
- IRCC — eTA eligibility
- IRCC — Apply for an eTA
- IRCC — After you apply: get ready to travel
- IRCC — Fee list (updated 2026-09-21)
- IRCC — Extend your stay
This page is general information, not legal advice. Entry rules change and border officers have the final say. Check the official government source for your destination before you travel.
Includes visa data from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), retrieved 1 November 2026; Bordr's official-source checks take precedence.
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