Do Basotho passport holders need a visa for Canada?

By Saurabh Pathare · Travel Writer, Tripmojo · Updated August 31, 2026 · Reviewed by Simran Raheja

Yes. Lesotho passport holders need a visitor visa for Canada, and unlike several other visa-required countries there is no eTA route to fall back on. On the Canadian government’s own country list, some entries carry a note that certain citizens may be eligible for an eTA instead. Lesotho carries no such note, so the visa applies however you travel and whatever else you hold.

Quick facts

Visa required

Visa required: Yes, a visitor visa
eTA available instead: No, Lesotho has no eTA route
Does South African residence help: No
Only residence Canada recognises: US lawful permanent residence
Depends on how you arrive: No, the visa is needed by air, land and sea
Dual Canadian citizens: Must travel on a Canadian passport

Entry requirements

A valid Lesotho passport and an approved Canadian visitor visa obtained before you travel.
Biometrics, given in person, as part of the application rather than at the border.
Evidence of the visit itself: funds, ties to Lesotho and an intention to leave at the end of the stay.
A Canadian passport instead of all of the above if you happen to hold Canadian citizenship as well, since dual citizens are required to travel on the Canadian document.

Why there is no shortcut on this route

Canada splits travellers three ways: visa-exempt countries whose citizens need only an eTA to fly, visa-required countries, and a middle group of visa-required countries whose citizens may apply for an eTA instead of a visa if they meet extra conditions. Indonesia, Malaysia and Mexico sit in that middle group and are flagged as such. Lesotho is in the plain visa-required group.

That placement removes the two workarounds people usually find. There is no eTA to apply for by air, and because the visitor visa is required for every method of arrival, there is no version of the trip, by land or by sea, that needs less paperwork.

Apply for the visitor visa and give biometrics before travelling. Canada collects them in person during the application rather than on arrival, so build the appointment into the timeline rather than treating the online form as the whole task.

Good to know

The absence of a bracket on the Canadian list is the whole answer, and it is easy to miss. Several visa-required countries appear there with a note in parentheses that some of their citizens may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements. Indonesia, Malaysia and Mexico all carry one. Lesotho appears with no note at all, which means there is no conditional route to investigate and no point paying anyone who claims to find you one.
Permanent residence somewhere else almost never helps, and the one exception is not the one Basotho are likely to hold. Since 26 April 2022 Canada has exempted lawful permanent residents of the United States from the eTA requirement, for every method of travel, on production of a national passport together with a valid green card. That exemption is written for American permanent residence specifically. Residence or a work permit in South Africa, however long held, does nothing for a Canadian application.
Biometrics are the part of the timeline people underestimate, and geography decides how painful it is. They must be given in person, so the appointment rather than the form usually sets how early you need to start. Being enclaved by a single neighbour is the unusual advantage here: the journey to give fingerprints is a regional one rather than an intercontinental flight, which is not true for applicants from countries with no collection point within reach.
Holding a second passport is worth checking before you apply for anything. Canada requires dual Canadian citizens to travel on a valid Canadian passport rather than on their other one, so a Mosotho who also holds Canadian citizenship does not apply for a visitor visa at all. It is a small category, but applying for a visa you cannot use is an expensive way to discover it.

Frequently asked questions

Do Lesotho citizens need a visa for Canada?

Yes. Lesotho is a visa-required country for Canada and a visitor visa must be approved before travelling.

Can a Mosotho apply for an eTA instead?

No. Some visa-required countries have citizens who may use an eTA under extra conditions, but Lesotho carries no such note on Canada’s country list.

Does South African permanent residence help with a Canadian visa?

No. The only foreign permanent residence Canada recognises for eTA-exemption purposes is lawful permanent residence in the United States, evidenced by a green card alongside a national passport.

Does the answer change if I arrive by land or sea instead of by air?

No. The eTA-versus-visa distinction by method of arrival applies to travellers who have an eTA route. A visitor visa is required for Lesotho passport holders however they arrive.

Do I need to give biometrics?

Yes, in person as part of the application. Plan the appointment into your timeline rather than assuming the online form completes the process.

Other passports for Canada

Other destinations for Lesotho passport holders

Lesotho passport holders visiting United States

Sources

Every fact on this page was checked against the official sources below on 31 August 2026.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Find out if you need a visa to travel to Canada: Lesotho appears among the countries and territories whose citizens need a visitor visa, with no accompanying note offering eTA eligibility, unlike Indonesia, Malaysia and Mexico which are each marked "Some citizens ... may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements". Read 2026-08-31. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html
IRCC, Find out if you need an eTA: "You don’t need an eTA if you’re visa-required ... You need to travel with a visitor visa." Read 2026-08-31. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/eligibility.html
IRCC, same page: "As of April 26, 2022, lawful permanent residents of the United States are also exempt from the eTA requirement" for all methods of travel, on production of a valid passport from their country of nationality and a valid green card or equivalent proof of status. Read 2026-08-31. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/eligibility.html
IRCC, same page: citizens of select visa-required countries may be eligible to apply for an eTA instead of a visitor visa when travelling by air, but still need a visitor visa when arriving by car, bus, train or boat; and dual Canadian citizens must travel with a valid Canadian passport. Read 2026-08-31. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/eligibility.html

Entry rules change without notice and the official source is always the authority. Confirm with the embassy or immigration portal before you book.

Explore the Canada guide →Check another passport →