In a clear sign that Canada’s immigration service is embracing paperless travel documents, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has begun issuing digital visas to a test group of pre-approved Moroccan visitors. The pilot, announced December 2, 2025, allows selected applicants to download an encrypted visa file instead of mailing their passports for a physical counterfoil.
Digital visas—sometimes called ‘eVisas’—are designed to be read by airline systems and CBSA kiosks in the same way an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) is verified. IRCC has partnered with selected carriers and airport authorities to ensure seamless boarding and arrival procedures. Feedback on user experience, privacy and third-party verification will shape a nationwide rollout planned for late 2026.
![IRCC Launches Digital-Visa Pilot for Moroccan Travellers]()
For Moroccan business travellers and tourists, the change removes a major logistical hurdle: the need to courier passports to a visa application centre. Processing times are expected to drop by several days, and travellers retain possession of their passports throughout. If successful, the model could extend to other visa-required countries, cutting consular workloads and postage costs.
From a security standpoint, officials stress that the digital file contains the same biometric and admissibility data as a physical sticker, protected by public-key encryption. Airlines will transmit passenger manifests to IRCC and CBSA in advance, allowing real-time revocation should any red flags emerge before departure.
Travel managers should monitor system-compatibility updates from global distribution systems and Canadian border agencies. While the pilot is small, it previews a future in which most short-stay visas are issued electronically, aligning Canada with EU and U.S. digital-document initiatives and simplifying corporate travel compliance.
Digital visas—sometimes called ‘eVisas’—are designed to be read by airline systems and CBSA kiosks in the same way an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) is verified. IRCC has partnered with selected carriers and airport authorities to ensure seamless boarding and arrival procedures. Feedback on user experience, privacy and third-party verification will shape a nationwide rollout planned for late 2026.
For Moroccan business travellers and tourists, the change removes a major logistical hurdle: the need to courier passports to a visa application centre. Processing times are expected to drop by several days, and travellers retain possession of their passports throughout. If successful, the model could extend to other visa-required countries, cutting consular workloads and postage costs.
From a security standpoint, officials stress that the digital file contains the same biometric and admissibility data as a physical sticker, protected by public-key encryption. Airlines will transmit passenger manifests to IRCC and CBSA in advance, allowing real-time revocation should any red flags emerge before departure.
Travel managers should monitor system-compatibility updates from global distribution systems and Canadian border agencies. While the pilot is small, it previews a future in which most short-stay visas are issued electronically, aligning Canada with EU and U.S. digital-document initiatives and simplifying corporate travel compliance.
