If you are Canadian as well as a citizen of another country, do not plan an air trip using the visitor rules for your other passport alone. Canadian citizenship changes the document route. An eTA application is not a routine replacement for renewing a Canadian passport.
Start with your citizenship
IRCC says Canadian citizens, including most dual citizens, need a valid Canadian passport to fly to Canada. Its entry guidance says Canadian travellers do not need a visitor visa or eTA.
American-Canadian citizens have a specific exception: they can travel with a valid US passport. Read the accompanying identification guidance rather than assuming that every second nationality works the same way.
Deal with a missing passport before the airport
IRCC's help page points to a special authorisation route for certain urgent circumstances where a Canadian citizen is due to fly without a Canadian passport. It is an application requiring approval, not a general entitlement to board on another passport.
Use the official eligibility check if that situation applies. Do not build a trip around an intermediary's claim that every dual citizen can receive an instant exception.
Check each family member separately
A useful family checklist separates citizenship from the passport currently available. A parent and child may have different document histories, even if both hold passports from the same non-Canadian country.
Review the travel documents early enough to renew or replace what is needed. Avoid paying for a visitor application simply because it looks quicker than resolving the correct citizenship documentation.
This is also a good point to confirm how names appear on the booking and travel documents. If there is a discrepancy, ask the appropriate passport or airline service how to resolve it; do not edit identity records yourself.
Your next step
Use IRCC's dual-citizen answer below and follow its official passport or special-authorisation links as applicable. This guide addresses flying to Canada. Land travel has different document considerations, so check the separate entry guidance for the route you actually intend to use.
Official sources
Sources reviewed on 29 Oct 2026. Requirements can change and depend on your nationality and circumstances. This article is general information, not a personal eligibility assessment.
