Passport and visa information

It is recommended that all passengers travel with a valid passport, regardless of their destination. All passengers, regardless of nationality and destination, must check with their travel agent and the consulate of the country they are visiting to find out the most up-to-date entry requirements. In compliance with Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) initiatives now in place in many countries, passengers must provide basic personal information to airlines prior to departure. To comply with security measures, Air Transat will require 5 pieces of basic information from their passengers, which will be communicated to customs officials prior to landing. Passengers will be required to provide the following information: official first and last name, gender, date of birth, citizenship, and travel document number.

While we make every effort to ensure that the information we provide on our web site is correct and up-to-date, we make no guarantees about the accuracy of the information provided. Passengers are responsible for providing the correct documentation for entry. Passengers holding insufficient or incorrect documentation will be denied boarding.

Important notice - Passengers of 12 years old and older

All passengers of 12 years old and older, departing to/from Canada on all air carriers are subject to advanced identity screening related to the Transport Canada Passenger Protect program.

Every passenger age 12 years and older is required to show:

• One piece of valid government-issued PHOTO identification showing the passenger’s name, date of birth and gender,
  OR
• Two pieces of valid government-issued ID that do not include photographs, one of which shows the passenger’s name, date of birth and gender.

The air carrier has the responsibility to ensure every passenger has the required identification to meet the requirements of both Passenger Protect as well as their destination country. To ensure problem free travel, we strongly recommend that ALL passengers travel with a valid passport (even for those destinations where proof of citizenship/photo identification is an acceptable alternative).

Please consult the following link for complete details.
www.passengerprotect.gc.ca

The above requirements are specifically for the documentation requirements of Passenger Protect, and DO NOT replace the entry requirements of your destination country. Please consult the following information regarding required documents for Immigration purposes.

Travelling to Canada

Travelling to Canada requires a valid passport regardless of nationality. Travellers from some countries may also require a VISA, in addition to a valid passport. Please check with the Consulate for complete details. British Nationals travelling to Canada require a full 10 year passport. If you need to obtain a passport you should apply well in advance of your trip. British Citizens, British Overseas Citizens (who are re-admissible to the UK) and British Dependant Territories Citizens DO NOT require a visa to visit Canada. British Visitors passports are not valid for travel to Canada. Canada has lifted the visa requirement for holders of UK passports issued to British Subjects who enjoy the right of abode in the United Kingdom. This visa exemption is in effect as of June 16, 2011. Please note that British Subjects who are subject to Control under the (UK) Immigration Act, 1971 still require a Canadian visa for travel to Canada. British Protected Persons DO require a visitor visa to travel to Canada. Please consult http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/united_kingdom-royaume_uni/visas/passports_brit_passeports.aspx?view=d for more information.

Permanent Canadian residents already in Canada are required to hold a Permanent Resident Card. People who have completed the Canadian immigration process and have obtained permanent resident status, but are not Canadian citizens can apply for the Card. The Permanent Resident Card is deemed to be the only Permanent Resident status document valid for re-entering Canada by commercial carrier (airplane, boat, train and bus) after international travel and must be carried with your national passport. The first Permanent Resident Cards were issued in June 2002 for a 5-year period. Ensure to check the expiry date and apply for a new one well in advance of your intended travel date. For more information, consult www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/pr-card/index.asp.

Minor children travelling alone must have proof of citizenship. It is strongly recommended that the children carry a letter from both parents (if applicable) that authorizes the person meeting them to take care of them while they are in Canada. The letter should include the length of the stay and the address and telephone numbers of the parents.

If you are travelling with minors, you must carry proper identification for each child such as a birth certificate, passport, citizenship card, permanent resident card or Certificate of Indian Status. If you are not the parent or guardian of the children, you should also have written permission from the parent/guardian authorizing the trip. The letter should include addresses and telephone numbers where the parents or guardian can be reached.

Divorced or separated parents should carry custody or legal separation documents and/or a letter of authorization to facilitate their entry into Canada.

For international flights, please consult your travel agent for specific country requirements.

For any destination, it is strongly recommended that children under the age of 18 carry a consent letter signed by both parents or their legal guardian for each and every trip abroad if they travel with only one parent, alone, or with other persons.

Here's a helpful checklist of passport and visa information you may want to check out before you leave.

• It is your responsibility to obtain all documents – including those for infants and children – required by relevant government authorities of the country you're visiting.
• Some countries have very specific regulations regarding cases where only one parent is travelling with a child. We recommend you obtain information from your travel agent or destination country consulate.
• Check with your travel agent or local officials (embassy, consulate) to find out which documents are required and then make certain that you have the documents in hand at time of check-in.
  For more information, please visit the following web sites:
  Foreign Affairs Canada – Country Travel Reports
  Embassy offices and consulates around the world
• Failure to provide the required documents may result in being denied boarding by the carrier or relevant authorities, without further recourse or the possibility of a refund.
• No refund or replacement is given for lost or stolen travel documents.
• For a majority of destinations, tourist cards and/or custom declaration cards are distributed on board Air Transat flights or by your travel agent/tour operator.
• Canadian citizens must show proof of citizenship (birth certificate or citizenship card) and official identity card with picture for destinations where passports or visas are not required.

Transiting without visa (TWOV)

Transiting without visa may be permitted, when specific conditions are met. This is available at the following airports:

• Amsterdam, Athens, Brussels, Frankfurt, Lamezia Terme, Madrid, Marseilles, Munich, Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, Rome, Shannon, Venice.

Please consult your travel agent and/or the local consulate for further details.

Transiting without visa is not permitted to the following destinations:

• Barcelona, Basel, Bordeaux, Dublin, Faro, Lisbon, Lyons, Malaga, Nantes, Nice, Porto, Toulouse.

Note:

• The United Kingdom will not be part of Transiting without visa procedures as transit visas are issued locally.
• E-tickets and paper tickets are valid documents for travel. An unconfirmed reservation is not valid for Transiting without visa.
• Should a Permanent Resident Card be requested for transiting without visa, please ensure it is valid.

Liability limitations

Air Transat reserves the right to refuse transportation of passengers for the following reasons. The passenger:

• Lacks proper documentation for the country of destination
• Has a contagious disease
• Is under the influence of alcohol, drugs or narcotics
• Manifests disruptive and/or unruly behaviour

For more information on passports and visas, consult the Foreign Affairs Canada web site.