OTTAWA- Canada has begun testing a secure digital visa that serves as an electronic version of the physical visa counterfoil placed in a traveller’s passport.
The pilot allows approved travellers to store their visa on a mobile device and present it to airlines and border officers for verification during travel.
Canada New Digital Visa Pilot
Canada’s Immigration Department is testing a digital visa designed to improve security, detect fraud, and reduce administrative costs over time.
The digital visa is a secure and verifiable electronic record that mirrors the physical counterfoil currently affixed to passports.
It can be stored in a Government of Canada digital wallet on Apple or Android devices and must be presented to airline staff and border officials for verification.
According to The Star, immigration officials stated that digital visas are highly resistant to forgery.
Cryptography and other security measures protect how data is stored and shared, help detect fraud, identify tampering, and verify both the authenticity of the visa and its issuer.
Participant Criteria and Travel Safeguards
Officials began developing the digital visa pilot in early 2024 and rolled it out last month. The test is limited to a select group of Moroccan citizens who were already approved for visitor or business visas without using a lawyer or immigration consultant.
Up to 7,000 approved travellers will receive invitations to voluntarily participate in the pilot. Those who accept are provided with instructions on how to download and store the digital visa on their mobile devices.
For testing purposes, the digital visa is issued in addition to the regular physical visa counterfoil. Participating airline agents have received training on how to verify digital visas during check-in.
If a traveller experiences any issue using the digital visa, the physical counterfoil in the passport remains valid.
This ensures that no participant is denied travel to Canada during the pilot. All digital visas issued under the test will be deactivated once the pilot ends.
Why Morocco Was Selected
Immigration officials selected Morocco due to its direct and frequent flights to Canada. The country also provides support through established visa application centres and migration offices, which help facilitate communication and participant assistance during the pilot.
Officials stated that testing digital visas allows the government to collect direct feedback from users.
This feedback will support the design of digital visas that are secure, accessible, and compatible with third parties such as airlines.
Privacy Standards and Future Evaluation
The Immigration Department confirmed that the digital visa complies with federal privacy and security standards.
Data collected is used only for its intended purpose. Although the digital visas are stored in government digital wallets on Apple or Android devices, Apple and Google do not receive any personal information about visa holders.
The pilot will close by the end of January. Officials will assess feasibility, security performance, and user experience before making decisions on broader adoption.
For context, Canada has issued electronic Travel Authorizations for a decade. The eTA system prescreens travellers online and links authorization to a passport, which airlines and border officers verify electronically.
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