Menu
Book now

Toronto 2025 Visa Requirements

  • Delegates require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to travel to Canada unless they are visa exempt.
  • Visa exempt travellers require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to board their flight to Canada unless they are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States (USLPRs).
  • US citizens only require a US passport to travel to Canada by air while USLPRs simply require a valid passport from their country of nationality and a valid Green Card.

Do you need a Canadian temporary resident’s visa (TRV) or can you enter Canada with an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA)?

Check visa requirements

If you require a visa, don't delay as some of the visa application processing times as published by the Canadian immigration department - Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) - can be quite lengthy. The times quoted are historic average times not actual times.

The visa application process is completely online, and you will not be required to submit your passport during the application process.

The IRCC advised that delegates applying for visas should have everything ready and take steps to complete each stage as quickly as possible:

  • Register for the conference as soon as you can
  • Have your supporting documents ready and be able to demonstrate financial ability to support yourself
  • Non-immigrant intent – provide clear evidence of your ties to your home country
  • Check whether biometrics will be required – if they are, have the details and documents ready (see link below)
  • Apply for your visa immediately and book your biometric appointment (if required)
  • On registration you will get access to an IBA visa letter (the IRCC has a copy on file) – include this letter with your visa application
  • The letter includes the IBA’s Special Event Code – this should be used in your visa application

IMPORTANT: When you have applied for a visa, register your visa application details with the IBA:

  • Full legal name AND,
  • Visa application number AND,
  • Passport country of issuance.

The IBA will send your visa application details to the IRCC to confirm that you are a registered delegate at the IBA Annual Conference.

NB. The visa application process is completely online. The only time your passport will be required is if the application is approved and you will be invited to submit your passport to a Visa Application Center (VAC) to have the visa affixed into the passport. Once the passport is received at the VAC, it is sent to the closest Canadian embassy for visa printing. It is important to note that many VACs offer courier services to speed up the transit time of passport returns. This process can take a couple of days or a couple of weeks, depending on how busy the VAC/embassy is.

Should you experience any difficulties in the application process, please inform the IBA at conferences@int-bar.org and we will pass the matter on to the IRCC.

Useful links

Below are some links to help with visa application process.

International Bar Association 2025 © Privacy policy Terms & conditions Cookie Settings Harassment policy

International Bar Association is incorporated as a Not-for-Profit Corporation under the laws of the State of New York in the United States of America and is registered with the Department of State of the State of New York with registration number 071114000655 - and the liability of its members is limited. Its registered address in New York is c/o Capitol Services Inc, 1218 Central Avenue, Suite 100, Albany, New York 12205.

The London office of International Bar Association is registered in England and Wales as a branch with registration number FC028342.