Travel & Visa Information

Passports

The Government of Canada requires that all people travelling to Canada hold a valid passport.

The less expensive passport card (for land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry from the United States only) are also accepted. Visit Travel identification when entering Canada for the most up-to-date information concerning passport regulations.

To avoid long lines:

Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada or U.S citizens travelling with a valid Canadian passport or a permanent resident card or a U.S passport can use Automated Border Clearance (ABC) self-serve kiosks when they arrive at major airports in Canada . Visit Canada Border Services Agency for a list of airports that offer self-serve kiosks and for more information.

Electronic travel authorization (eTA) or visa

The Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is mandatory for visa-exempt foreign nationals who fly to Canada except U.S. citizens and travellers with a valid visa. The eTA is electronically linked to one’s passport and is valid for five years or until your passport expires. Applying for an eTA is a simple and inexpensive online process that will take just a few minutes. For more information or to see if you need to obtain an eTA, visit Electronic Travel Authorization – Canada.

Guidelines for applying for a visa are available at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website.

Visa Application Tips & Tricks
  • Apply for a visa as soon as you decide to attend the conference.
  • Include ALL the requested documents and information in your application. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
  • Include a cover letter explaining the reasons why you are applying, information on your stay in Canada and any other information you think will help your application.
  • Follow-up on your application with the Canadian government agency where you applied for an entry visa.
Letter of invitation – business travel

In some cases, foreign delegates may require a Letter of Invitation to include in a visa application. CIM will provide the letter exclusively to registered paying delegates. Please contact registration@cim.org to obtain such a letter for the convention.

Please note that the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) cannot guarantee that you will gain entrance to Canada with a registration to the convention and/or a letter of invitation. You are responsible for applying for any documents required of you in order to gain access to the country.